[JulieDriving]

What a tragedy.

[M3V8Driver]

I'm just surprised that the LFA didn't protect the driver better. Somebody already mentioned not seeing any deployed airbags and the driver compartments looked mostly intact. I think his death might be related to something else. Nobody mentioned he might have suffered a heart attack or a stroke. After all, he did veerr into the opposing lane.

Just to set the record straight, telemetry indicated Kubica was traveling 150 when he hit the wall, not that there would be that great of a deifference between that and 170 or 180. It's still miraculous that he survived, let alone lived to come back the next year and win at that track!

[Chill72]

Originally Posted by M3V8Driver

. Nobody mentioned he might have suffered a heart attack or a stroke. After all, he did veerr into the opposing lane.

!

If you read the thread you would infact know that I already mentioned this.

[rominl]

Originally Posted by Scoobe

Only carbon and aluminum? Light but squishy.

do you have proof? if not it's just your speculations. going cf and aluminum doesn't mean it's automatically weaker over steel, a lot goes into design than just materials.

[M3V8Driver]

Originally Posted by Chill72

If you read the thread you would infact know that I already mentioned this.

I read the thread... but I usually skip over your posts

[Chill72]

Originally Posted by M3V8Driver

I read the thread... but I usually skip over your posts

Well...do you now see the error in your ways.

[330CIZHP]

Sadly, it has been confirmed that the chief test driver Hiromu Naruse (developer of the LF-A and the Supra MK4) has indeed died. He was a very close friend of Akio Toyoda as well. RIP.

Here is a video from the crash site.

It is clear that all airbags were deployed and also the cabin from inside is fairly intact. All of the impact force was absorbed by the engine and the crumple zones yet it could not keep him alive.:

http://www.rhein-zeitung.de/regional...id,102517.html

Here is his final interview he gave just weeks ago:

https://secure.drivers.lexus.com/lex...st-Driver.html

[JohnnyRoaster]

I think the idea of a heart attack is far fetched. Japan has the lowest rate of heart disease in the world so I think it is highly unlikely.

It looks to me like the BMW was wide coming out of the turn and Mr. Naruse crossed into the other lane to avoid him. Some reports say there were two people in each of the cars. I don't think the LFA had any airbags but they were wearing helmets. It looks more like a sheet in the car in the video and not an airbag.

Toyota lost a key figure in this unfortunate crash. What a shame.

[330CIZHP]

Watch the video closely I posted. From the sides, clearly all airbags were deployed.

Originally Posted by JohnnyRoaster

I think the idea of a heart attack is far fetched. Japan has the lowest rate of heart disease in the world so I think it is highly unlikely.

It looks to me like the BMW was wide coming out of the turn and Mr. Naruse crossed into the other lane to avoid him. Some reports say there were two people in each of the cars. I don't think the LFA had any airbags but they were wearing helmets. It looks more like a sheet in the car in the video and not an airbag.

Toyota lost a key figure in this unfortunate crash. What a shame.

[Scoobe]

Originally Posted by JohnnyRoaster

I think the idea of a heart attack is far fetched. Japan has the lowest rate of heart disease in the world so I think it is highly unlikely.

It looks to me like the BMW was wide coming out of the turn and Mr. Naruse crossed into the other lane to avoid him. Some reports say there were two people in each of the cars. I don't think the LFA had any airbags but they were wearing helmets. It looks more like a sheet in the car in the video and not an airbag.

Toyota lost a key figure in this unfortunate crash. What a shame.

I think the idea was that it could have been a medical cause, stroke, whatever.

Considering both cars are in the left hand lane, it would be safe to say the impact occurred in the left hand lane (from the picture POV). That would put the LFA in the wrong lane. It's possible the BMW was in his lane and they both swerved the same direction into the left hand lane, but that's an unlikely speculation. There also appears to be black marks on the road behind the BMW, can't tell what they are or if they are even part of the incident, but everything points to the LFA being in the wrong lane.

That and the report of course "...reports say he veered into oncoming traffic and collided head-on with two others test drivers in a BMW."

[JohnnyRoaster]

I have watched the video a few times and they don't look liked deployed airbags to me. The position is wrong and the fabric appears to have grommets more like a white tarp.

[Mr. ///M3 RD]

Condolences to the drivers family what a terrible tragedy.

[ooowowizstev]

What a tragedy.. my condolences go out to his family. What a legend he was..

[ismelllikepoop]

why is everyone here trying to be sherlock holmes. it was an f-ing head on collision, likely at pretty high speeds. who died and who survived likely had more to do with happenstance than car safety. either way it's a pretty sad story.

[Chill72]

Originally Posted by ismelllikepoop

why is everyone here trying to be sherlock holmes. it was an f-ing head on collision, likely at pretty high speeds. who died and who survived likely had more to do with happenstance than car safety. either way it's a pretty sad story.

My sentiments exactly, I care more about death of my alcoholic uncle than some old Japanese guy.

[330CIZHP]

Those are airbags without a shadow of a doubt. In a completely black interior, so much white fabric blanketing the seats can only be airbags (LF-A Nurburgring edition or not comes with seatbelt airbags, front airbags and knee airbags.).

Originally Posted by JohnnyRoaster

I have watched the video a few times and they don't look liked deployed airbags to me. The position is wrong and the fabric appears to have grommets more like a white tarp.

[330CIZHP]

Ferrari's nickname for Naruse was “Nur Meister (One and Only Master Craftsman)”

RIP a nice tribute to a true legend.

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/23/s...hiromu-naruse/

[positiveions]

Originally Posted by 330CIZHP

Ferrari's nickname for Naruse was “Nur Meister (One and Only Master Craftsman)”

RIP a nice tribute to a true legend.

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/23/s...hiromu-naruse/

wow, I thought he was a young Champ. But RIP budd

[JohnnyRoaster]

Originally Posted by 330CIZHP

Those are airbags without a shadow of a doubt. In a completely black interior, so much white fabric blanketing the seats can only be airbags (LF-A Nurburgring edition or not comes with seatbelt airbags, front airbags and knee airbags.).

Usually airbags deflate after they are deployed. The material looks too thick to be an airbag to me. It looks more like the type of tarp they use in Europe after an accident. Compare them with the shot of the three series and you will see it looks totally different.

[ching]

RIP. At least he died doing what he loved.

[Scoobe]

Originally Posted by rominl

do you have proof? if not it's just your speculations. going cf and aluminum doesn't mean it's automatically weaker over steel, a lot goes into design than just materials.

Its in the properties of the materials. As mentioned, CF does not have good properties for absorbing impact, it fragments and splinters (even in the pictures the carbon fiber in the front of the car is gone/separated). Aluminum substructers, while light, deform quite easily. Steel structurals (and in recent years UHSS) are a mainstay safety feature in cars, but granted probably not in super cars. And remember this whole thing came up because the driver of a 300k super car died while 2 passengers in a 50k car survived. The obvious material difference between the two cars was a subject of debate as a contributor. Its all moot really because photos (at least I can't see) don't show petrusions into the cockpit, unless we just can't see it. I'd be interested in the position of the steering wheel, if it was extended towards the driver from impact. There are a million things that can contribute to his death.

But in the end, it was probably his age and had nothing to do with safety features, at least that's my guess.

[rominl]

Originally Posted by 330CIZHP

Those are airbags without a shadow of a doubt. In a completely black interior, so much white fabric blanketing the seats can only be airbags (LF-A Nurburgring edition or not comes with seatbelt airbags, front airbags and knee airbags.).

could very well be tarp or cloth covering bodies