Hiromu Naruse

(1942 – 23 June 2010 ) was the Japanese chief test driver and chief test engineer of Toyota Motor Corporation and chief of the Gazoo Racing team. Naruse had been a test driver for the Toyota team for 47 years (1963–2010). He was also noted as the chief test driver of the Lexus LFA supercar. During his time at Toyota, Naruse became known by the nickname "Meister", Naruse worked his way up in the company, earning a reputation as one of its top test drivers. Naruse had suggested the LFA enter the race to obtain feedback for fine-tuning the vehicle for production.

During and after the LFA's Nürburgring races, Naruse continued to drive the LFA and other prototypes in Europe and elsewhere. Although nearly 70 years old, he remained active in test driving, and also tackled hillside roads on weekends in Japan.

By the late 2000s, Naruse was advocating the development of an inexpensive rear-wheel drive coupe for driving enthusiasts. This would later be considered by Toyota in hatchback form to honor Naruse's legacy. frontally into a BMW production car near the Nürburgring, Germany. Both cars were a total loss. He was 67.

The LFA veered into oncoming traffic, colliding head-on with a BMW 3 series on the L94 road at Boos, near the Nürburgring. The BMW was also a test vehicle, and both occupants were injured, one critically. All three test drivers wore helmets. The left hand drive Lexus had been photographed previously with a driver wearing a white helmet.