01
Not Backing Off from "1 Ton"
In developing the fourth-generation Roadster, chief engineer Nobuhiro Yamamoto set a weight target of "1 ton." At first everyone said it couldn't be done, replying that it was impossible without aluminum or carbon, and that "this is how the Elise does it." Yamamoto repeatedly asked, "But that's not what the Roadster is, is it?" and had them keep working to make it lighter through engineering. Removing the openers for the trunk and fuel filler was one result: comparing a wire, a lever, and an electromagnetic lock, the electromagnetic lock was more expensive but a few grams lighter. The base grade weighs 990 kg. If someone somewhere had said "That's enough!" it would have ended there, Yamamoto says.
02
Dropping the Glove Box
In the fourth generation, the passenger-side glove box was dropped early on. The dashboard already held the airbag and the air conditioning, and adding a glove box there would inevitably cramp the passenger's footwell. The reasoning was that rather than talk about human-centered design while sacrificing the passenger's comfort, it was better to remove it, and it would also save weight. It met with considerable backlash from overseas. The problem was where to put the thick owner's manual that comes with the vehicle registration certificate. Yamamoto decided to explain, "Once you've read the manual, please keep it at home."
03
Refusing with "We Won't Build It!"
Development of the fourth generation was extended by the Lehman shock, and the schedule slipped. Yamamoto looks back that this turned out to be a good thing, because it became a chance to rethink what the Roadster should be and what they themselves wanted to build. Until then there had been many voices from each region saying "do this, do that." Calls to make it bigger actually came mostly from Europe, and when he was pressed to "build a car like this!" with the MINI "Convertible" and "Roadster" held up as examples, Yamamoto refused with "We won't build it!" and it turned into quite a fight. They took a fresh look, keeping only what was truly wanted and stripping away what was unnecessary.
