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 ...

who is responsible for the design and construction of the

Lexus LFA The is a two-seat sports car manufactured by Lexus, the luxury car division of Toyota. It is the second model in the F marque line of performance vehicles from Lexus, following the IS F, and also the first standalone Lexus F model. Three con ...

supercar. Tanahashi joined

Toyota Motor Corporation 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 ...

in 1978 as a chassis engineer, and has since worked in new vehicle design for over 30 years. The LFA development program, begun as project 680, comprised over a decade of his career until the debut of the vehicle in 2009. Tanahashi holds eight automotive design patents, previously worked on earlier models including the

Toyota Crown The is an automobile which has been produced by Toyota in Japan since 1955. It is primarily a line of mid-size luxury cars that is marketed as an upmarket offering in the Toyota lineup. Introduced in 1955 as the Toyopet Crown, it has served ...

, Soarer and

Aristo Aristo (from el, ) may refer to: People Given name * Aristo of Ceos (3rd century BC), Peripatetic philosopher * Aristo of Chios (3rd century BC), Stoic philosopher and colleague of Zeno of Citium * Aristo of Alexandria (1st century BC), Peripa ...

, and has been part of various Toyota and

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 ...

development divisions.

Career

Tanahashi was hired by Toyota Motor Corporation in 1978, whereupon he was first assigned to the Chassis Engineering Division. There, he worked as a suspension engineer on vehicles such as the

rear wheel drive Rear-wheel drive (RWD) is a form of engine and transmission layout used in motor vehicles, in which the engine drives the rear wheels only. Until the late 20th century, rear-wheel drive was the most common configuration for cars. Most rear-wheel ...

Toyota Mark II The is a compact, later mid-size sedan manufactured and marketed in Japan by Toyota between 1968 and 2004. Prior to 1972, the model was marketed as the Toyota Corona Mark II. In some export markets, Toyota marketed the vehicle as the Toyota Cres ...

, Crown, Soarer, and Aristo, along with the

front wheel drive Front-wheel drive (FWD) is a form of engine and transmission layout used in motor vehicles, where the engine drives the front wheels only. Most modern front-wheel drive vehicles feature a transverse engine, rather than the conventional longitu ...

Toyota Corona The is an automobile manufactured by the Japanese automaker Toyota across eleven generations between 1957 and 2001. On launch, the Corona was Toyota's next to highest product in their range, just below the Crown. The Corona was marketed ...

, Corolla, and Celica. In December 1982 Tanahashi filed for his first U.S. patent, regarding the "upper support structure for front wheel suspension of automobile", which was granted in 1984. His work on the first generation Soarer included a patent for the vehicle's "electronic modulated

air suspension Air suspension is a type of vehicle suspension powered by an electric or engine-driven air pump or compressor. This compressor pumps the air into a flexible bellows, usually made from textile-reinforced rubber. Unlike hydropneumatic suspension, ...

"; other inventions included a " rack and pinion type steering gear device" and "twin-tube type shock absorber". In 1992, Tanahashi was transferred to Toyota's Body Engineering Division, where he worked on passenger vehicle suspension architecture, and in 1995 he moved to Development Department 1 of the company's Advanced Vehicle Planning Division to oversee development of new vehicles, platforms, and technologies.

Chief engineer

In 2000, Lexus had begun project P280, which intended to create a supercar concept which would showcase 200-mph performance capabilities. In 2001, Tanahashi was promoted to the Lexus Development Center's newly founded Z department, where he was placed in charge of LFA development. The supercar design program opted for a front mid-engine configuration, an approach Tanahashi favored for its combination of dynamics and safety. The vehicle development process was unprecedented in the company's history, exceeding the previous

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 ...

in performance class, and requiring new engine, cooling, clutch technologies. Tanahashi's stated goal with the LFA was to produce "ultimate driving pleasure". At the culmination of the development process, Tanahashi remarked in an interview that he was most proud of the car's engine sound, its engine response, and handling. Following the completion of the LFA design program, Tanahashi remained at his current position within the Lexus Development Center.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tanahashi, Haruhiko Japanese automotive engineers Lexus Living people Year of birth missing (living people)