is a Japanese

automotive engineer Automotive engineering, along with aerospace engineering and naval architecture Naval architecture, or naval engineering, is an engineering discipline incorporating elements of mechanical, electrical, electronic, software and safety engineer ...

and

designer A designer is a person who plans the form or structure of something before it is made, by preparing drawings or plans. In practice, anyone who creates tangible or intangible objects, products, processes, laws, games, graphics, services, or exp ...

responsible for the design of the first generation

Lexus IS F The Lexus IS (XE20) is the second generation of the Lexus IS line of compact executive cars. Sold by Lexus since 2005, the line includes multiple V6 gasoline-powered models, in four-door sedan and two-door coupé convertible body styles. Addi ...

. Born in 1955,レクサス IS-F開発責任者インタビュー , GAZOO.com
/ref> he has over 30 years of experience in car design, having worked as head of development and planning for

Lexus is the luxury vehicle division of the Japanese automaker Toyota. The Lexus brand is marketed in more than 90 countries and territories worldwide and is Japan's largest-selling make of premium cars. It has ranked among the 10 largest Japanese ...

, where he holds the title of chief engineer. His involvement with Lexus and Toyota is likely how the SC 300 received the renowned inline-6 2JZ-GE from the Mark IV Toyota Supra in a naturally aspirated format. Yaguchi previously worked on the development of the

Toyota Chaser The Toyota Chaser is a mid-size car produced by Toyota in Japan. Most Chasers are four-door sedans and hardtop sedans; a two-door hardtop coupé was available on the first generation only. It was introduced on the 1976 Toyota Corona Mark II pla ...

and all generations of the

Toyota Supra is a sports car and grand tourer manufactured by the Toyota Motor Corporation beginning in 1978. The name " supra" is derived from the Latin prefix, meaning "above", "to surpass" or "go beyond". The initial four generations of the Supra were ...

Early life

Yukihiko Yaguchi was raised by the Japanese tradition, which is very traditional and strict. At the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Technology he studied

Mechanical Engineering Mechanical engineering is the study of physical machines that may involve force and movement. It is an engineering branch that combines engineering physics and mathematics principles with materials science, to design, analyze, manufacture, an ...

but did not specialise in a subject. However, long before he studied mechanical engineering it was obvious to him that he would work for the

Japanese automobile industry The automotive industry in Japan is one of the most prominent and largest industries in the world. Japan has been in the top three of the countries with most cars manufactured since the 1960s, surpassing Germany. The automotive industry in Japa ...

. At TMC (Toyota Motor Company) he found his first job. Yaguchi joined TMC in 1977.

Career

After he graduated from the university, Yaguchi took part in an entry exam at

Toyota is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan. It was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda and incorporated on . Toyota is one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world, producing about 10 ...

and started to work with the company. One of his first projects was the design of the

. He worked on the Supra Mark 1, Mark 2, Mark 3 and Mark 4. Around 2000 (before the IS F project started)

came up with a car named the Chaser. Yaguchi designed this car as a mix between a luxury car and a very sporty car. The car that resulted had the suspension and the engine of the Supra. This car can now be seen as predecessor of the

. レクサス IS-F開発責任者インタビュー GAZOO.com
/ref> 09 Lexus IS-F Mercury Metallic

While he designed the

Supra Supra may refer to: * Supra (feast), an important part of Georgian social culture *Toyota Supra, a sports car/grand tourer produced from 1978 to 2002, and then since 2019 *Supra (footwear brand) *Sydney University Postgraduate Representative Assoc ...

Yaguchi-san was at the 1980s birth of

as a part the TMC. He spent a lot of time with the new designs for

cars (especially Lexus LS 400) and became head of general development and planning for

. In the year 2006 he was asked to manage the design for the IS F. The IS F is the sports version of the normal

Lexus IS The is a compact executive car sold by Lexus, a luxury division of Toyota since 1999. The IS was originally sold under the nameplate in Japan from 1998 (the word ''Altezza'' is Italian for 'height' or 'highness'). The IS was introduced as an e ...

sedan. For the IS F, Yaguchi was inspired by driving in a lot of other cars. In an interview, he said that he loves sports cars, but thinks it's a pity that the most sports cars have 2 seats instead of 4. Exactly that idea was the basis for the IS F.Yaguchi interview

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Yaguchi, Yukihiko Japanese automotive engineers Lexus Living people 1955 births