Lexus Launches an Air-Racing Team.
10-30-21, 04:38 PM
#1
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Lexus Launches an Air-Racing Team.
This is about aircraft, not cars, but involves Lexus, so I'm posting it here in the thread for auto manufacturers. Some of it is from another forum.
Interesting birds. I've got a fair number of pilot-hours in smaller planes (and, besides a pilot, I was a rated Ground-Instructor), but I'm not sure if I could handle one of these.....I'm not used to a tail-wheel design, which, because of center-of-gravity issues, is generally harder to taxi and more unstable when landing/taking off than nose-wheel aircraft. Ground-loop incidents (where the tail swerves, comes around, and trades places with the nose) are more common with tail-draggers, particularly in crosswinds and turbulence, although I'm sure that Lexus will use the best pilots available for these birds.
https://newsroom.lexus.eu/lexus-laun...hihide-muroya/.
OCTOBER
2021
THE LAUNCH OF THE AIR RACE HAS HELPED SPUR THE FORMATION OF A NEW JOINT RACE TEAM, LEXUS/PATHFINDER AIR RACING. WITH THE PRINCIPAL AIM OF WINNING RACES, LEXUS AND PATHFINDER WILL WORK TOGETHER TO ACCELERATE THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMPETITION AIRCRAFT USING TECHNOLOGIES, EXPERTISE AND EXPERIENCE FROM BOTH SIDES. LEXUS WILL SUPPORT THE EFFORT WITH TECHNICAL ADVISORS TO HELP DEVELOP AND VERIFY TECHNOLOGIES IN AREAS SUCH AS AERODYNAMICS, COOLING AND ERGONOMICS. IT WILL ALSO WORK TO BUILD A STRONG TEAM STRUCTURE TO HELP MUROYA’S BID FOR VICTORY.
MUROYA COMMENTED: “WITH THE STRONG SUPPORT OF LEXUS, I WILL STRIVE TO BECOME THE FIRST CHAMPION IN THE NEW AIR RACE. I BELIEVE THAT AN EXCITING STORY WILL EMERGE AS FANS AND TEAM COME TOGETHER AS ONE.”
KOJI SATO, LEXUS INTERNATIONAL CHIEF BRANDING OFFICER, SAID: “LEXUS WILL TAKE ON THE CHALLENGE OF AN EXCITING AIR RACE TOGETHER WITH MUROYA, A WORLD-CLASS ATHLETE. WITH THE EXCITEMENT AND JOY THAT MOTORSPORTS BRING AND THE GRATITUDE THAT WE LEARN FROM ATHLETES AS OUR INSPIRATION, WE WILL TACKLE THE GOAL OF LEXUS BRAND HOLDER AKIO TOYODA TO CREATE A BETTER CAR BASED ON MOTORSPORTS, FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE.”
WORKING ON THE PRINCIPLE THAT “GRUELLING AIR RACES TRAIN PEOPLE AND TRAIN TECHNOLOGY,” LEXUS AND MUROYA WILL USE EXPERIENCE GAINED THROUGH THEIR PARTNERSHIP TO IMPROVE THEIR ACTIVITIES’ IMPACT ON SOCIETY AND THE ENVIRONMENT. FOR LEXUS, INVOLVEMENT WITH THE TEAM WILL HELP IT DEVELOP CARS WITH EVER-BETTER ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE, HELPING IT PROGRESS TOWARDS THE GOAL OF CARBON NEUTRALITY. FOCUS AREAS WILL INCLUDE AERODYNAMICS, COOLING AND WEIGHT REDUCTION.
IN ADDITION TO HIS AIR RACING, MUROYA WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP NEW TALENT THAT CAN HELP BRING FORWARD NEXT-GENERATION MOBILITY. HE ALSO PLANS TO DEVELOP A NEW AIRFIELD FOR TESTING, IN CO-OPERATION WITH FUKUSHIMA PREFECTURE IN JAPAN. WORKING WITH LOCAL BUSINESSES, HE WILL PROMOTE THE DEVELOPMENT OF CARBON-NEUTRAL AIRCRAFT, INITIALLY BY GIVING EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT IN LIGHT-SPORTS AIRCRAFT (LSA) MANUFACTURING TECHNIQUES. LEXUS AND PATHFINDER WILL BOTH WORK TO EXPLORE NEW POSSIBILITIES IN THE FIELDS OF BOTH AUTOMOBILES AND AIRCRAFT.
LEXUS HAS SUPPORTED MUROYA, A WORLD-RENOWNED COMPETITION FLIER BASED IN JAPAN, SINCE 2016, SHARING HIS INSPIRATIONAL “NEVER GIVE UP” APPROACH. IN 2017 THE SPONSORSHIP ENABLED THE FOUNDING A NEW TECHNOLOGY EXCHANGE GROUP, THROUGH WHICH LEXUS AND MUROYA HAVE BEEN ABLE EXPLORE HOW NEW AUTOMOTIVE AND AERONAUTICAL TECHNOLOGIES MIGHT BE USEFULLY SHARED.
THIS HAS PRODUCED NOTABLE INNOVATIONS, INCLUDING THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CONTROL COLUMN GRIP FOR MUROYA’S COCKPIT THAT INCORPORATES LEXUS’ SENSITIVITY TECHNOLOGIES AND A NEW TURNING MANOEUVRE FOR HIS AIRCRAFT BASED ON AERODYNAMIC ANALYSIS DEVELOPED FROM LEXUS’ VEHICLE TESTING DATA. IN TURN, THIS YEAR HAS SEEN LEXUS PRODUCE A NEW CARBON FIBRE REINFORCED PLASTIC (CFRP) SPOILER USING AERODYNAMIC KNOW-HOW FROM AIRCRAFT DESIGN. THE NEW UNIT HAS BEEN ADOPTED FOR USE ON THE LEXUS LC FLAGSHIP COUPE AND WILL BE INTRODUCED IN EUROPE IN 2022.
Oct. 21, 2021
In 2017, Lexus and Muroya launched a "Technology Exchange Group" to regularly study each other's technologies and explore the possibility of new technologies in the area of aircraft and automobiles. The discussions led to the joint development of a control column grip for Muroya's aircraft that incorporates Lexus's sensitivity technologies, as well as for a new way for his aircraft to turn based on aerodynamic analysis stemming from Lexus vehicle test data. This year a carbon-fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) spoiler, developed by incorporating aerodynamic technology used in aircraft design, was even adopted for use in the LC and sold in select regions*1.
YOSHIHIDE MUROYA
"With the strong support of Lexus, we will strive to become the first champion of the new Air Race. I believe that an exciting new story will emerge as fans and team crew come together as one."
KOJI SATO
"Lexus will take on the challenge of an exciting air race together with world-class athlete Muroya. With the excitement and smiles that motorsports bring and the gratitude that we learn from athletes as our inspiration, we will tackle from a new perspective the goal of Akio Toyoda, Lexus Brand Holder, to create a better car based on motor sports. Please look forward to Muroya's and Lexus's continuous challenge and evolution."
Interesting birds. I've got a fair number of pilot-hours in smaller planes (and, besides a pilot, I was a rated Ground-Instructor), but I'm not sure if I could handle one of these.....I'm not used to a tail-wheel design, which, because of center-of-gravity issues, is generally harder to taxi and more unstable when landing/taking off than nose-wheel aircraft. Ground-loop incidents (where the tail swerves, comes around, and trades places with the nose) are more common with tail-draggers, particularly in crosswinds and turbulence, although I'm sure that Lexus will use the best pilots available for these birds.
https://newsroom.lexus.eu/lexus-laun...hihide-muroya/.
OCTOBER
2021
LEXUS LAUNCHES JOINT AIR RACING TEAM WITH COMPETITION PILOT YOSHIHIDE MUROYA
- LEXUS TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ADVISORS AND EXPERTISE TO SUPPORT MUROYA’S BID FOR VICTORY IN FIRST AIR RACE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES IN 2022
- AGREEMENT LAUNCHES A NEW JOINT TEAM, LEXUS/PATHFINDER AIR RACING
- RELATIONSHIP WILL FURTHER DEVELOP CROSSOVER TECHNOLOGY OPPORTUNITIES BETWEEN THE AUTOMOTIVE AND AERONAUTICAL FIELDS, TARGETING HIGHER ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE
- LEXUS’ SPONSORSHIP OF MUROYA SINCE 2016 HAS ALREADY PRODUCED EXAMPLES OF SHARED TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT, INCLUDING THE USE OF AIRCRAFT AERODYNAMIC ANALYSIS TO PRODUCE A NEW CARBON FIBRE REAR WING FOR THE LC COUPE
THE LAUNCH OF THE AIR RACE HAS HELPED SPUR THE FORMATION OF A NEW JOINT RACE TEAM, LEXUS/PATHFINDER AIR RACING. WITH THE PRINCIPAL AIM OF WINNING RACES, LEXUS AND PATHFINDER WILL WORK TOGETHER TO ACCELERATE THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMPETITION AIRCRAFT USING TECHNOLOGIES, EXPERTISE AND EXPERIENCE FROM BOTH SIDES. LEXUS WILL SUPPORT THE EFFORT WITH TECHNICAL ADVISORS TO HELP DEVELOP AND VERIFY TECHNOLOGIES IN AREAS SUCH AS AERODYNAMICS, COOLING AND ERGONOMICS. IT WILL ALSO WORK TO BUILD A STRONG TEAM STRUCTURE TO HELP MUROYA’S BID FOR VICTORY.
MUROYA COMMENTED: “WITH THE STRONG SUPPORT OF LEXUS, I WILL STRIVE TO BECOME THE FIRST CHAMPION IN THE NEW AIR RACE. I BELIEVE THAT AN EXCITING STORY WILL EMERGE AS FANS AND TEAM COME TOGETHER AS ONE.”
KOJI SATO, LEXUS INTERNATIONAL CHIEF BRANDING OFFICER, SAID: “LEXUS WILL TAKE ON THE CHALLENGE OF AN EXCITING AIR RACE TOGETHER WITH MUROYA, A WORLD-CLASS ATHLETE. WITH THE EXCITEMENT AND JOY THAT MOTORSPORTS BRING AND THE GRATITUDE THAT WE LEARN FROM ATHLETES AS OUR INSPIRATION, WE WILL TACKLE THE GOAL OF LEXUS BRAND HOLDER AKIO TOYODA TO CREATE A BETTER CAR BASED ON MOTORSPORTS, FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE.”
WORKING ON THE PRINCIPLE THAT “GRUELLING AIR RACES TRAIN PEOPLE AND TRAIN TECHNOLOGY,” LEXUS AND MUROYA WILL USE EXPERIENCE GAINED THROUGH THEIR PARTNERSHIP TO IMPROVE THEIR ACTIVITIES’ IMPACT ON SOCIETY AND THE ENVIRONMENT. FOR LEXUS, INVOLVEMENT WITH THE TEAM WILL HELP IT DEVELOP CARS WITH EVER-BETTER ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE, HELPING IT PROGRESS TOWARDS THE GOAL OF CARBON NEUTRALITY. FOCUS AREAS WILL INCLUDE AERODYNAMICS, COOLING AND WEIGHT REDUCTION.
IN ADDITION TO HIS AIR RACING, MUROYA WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP NEW TALENT THAT CAN HELP BRING FORWARD NEXT-GENERATION MOBILITY. HE ALSO PLANS TO DEVELOP A NEW AIRFIELD FOR TESTING, IN CO-OPERATION WITH FUKUSHIMA PREFECTURE IN JAPAN. WORKING WITH LOCAL BUSINESSES, HE WILL PROMOTE THE DEVELOPMENT OF CARBON-NEUTRAL AIRCRAFT, INITIALLY BY GIVING EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT IN LIGHT-SPORTS AIRCRAFT (LSA) MANUFACTURING TECHNIQUES. LEXUS AND PATHFINDER WILL BOTH WORK TO EXPLORE NEW POSSIBILITIES IN THE FIELDS OF BOTH AUTOMOBILES AND AIRCRAFT.
LEXUS HAS SUPPORTED MUROYA, A WORLD-RENOWNED COMPETITION FLIER BASED IN JAPAN, SINCE 2016, SHARING HIS INSPIRATIONAL “NEVER GIVE UP” APPROACH. IN 2017 THE SPONSORSHIP ENABLED THE FOUNDING A NEW TECHNOLOGY EXCHANGE GROUP, THROUGH WHICH LEXUS AND MUROYA HAVE BEEN ABLE EXPLORE HOW NEW AUTOMOTIVE AND AERONAUTICAL TECHNOLOGIES MIGHT BE USEFULLY SHARED.
THIS HAS PRODUCED NOTABLE INNOVATIONS, INCLUDING THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CONTROL COLUMN GRIP FOR MUROYA’S COCKPIT THAT INCORPORATES LEXUS’ SENSITIVITY TECHNOLOGIES AND A NEW TURNING MANOEUVRE FOR HIS AIRCRAFT BASED ON AERODYNAMIC ANALYSIS DEVELOPED FROM LEXUS’ VEHICLE TESTING DATA. IN TURN, THIS YEAR HAS SEEN LEXUS PRODUCE A NEW CARBON FIBRE REINFORCED PLASTIC (CFRP) SPOILER USING AERODYNAMIC KNOW-HOW FROM AIRCRAFT DESIGN. THE NEW UNIT HAS BEEN ADOPTED FOR USE ON THE LEXUS LC FLAGSHIP COUPE AND WILL BE INTRODUCED IN EUROPE IN 2022.
Oct. 21, 2021
Air Race Pilot Yoshihide Muroya and Lexus Announce Partnership for Making History and Creating the Future
Download ZIP PDFPathfinder Co., Ltd. (Pathfinder), represented by air race pilot Yoshihide Muroya, and Lexus announced today that they have signed a team partnership agreement and jointly taken up the challenges of making history by winning the first Air Race World Championship (The Air Race), an air race series starting next year, and of helping to create the future by contributing to the creation of an even-better carbon-neutral society.Muroya and Lexus since 2016
In 2016, Lexus started a partnership with Muroya, a Japan-based, world-renowned air race pilot. Tightly aligned with Muroya's inspirational never-give-up attitude and spirit, Lexus has since continued to sponsor him.In 2017, Lexus and Muroya launched a "Technology Exchange Group" to regularly study each other's technologies and explore the possibility of new technologies in the area of aircraft and automobiles. The discussions led to the joint development of a control column grip for Muroya's aircraft that incorporates Lexus's sensitivity technologies, as well as for a new way for his aircraft to turn based on aerodynamic analysis stemming from Lexus vehicle test data. This year a carbon-fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) spoiler, developed by incorporating aerodynamic technology used in aircraft design, was even adopted for use in the LC and sold in select regions*1.
Jointly taking up the challenge of making history as "Lexus/Pathfinder Air Racing"
The coming debut of The Air Race spurred Lexus and Pathfinder, to form a team partnership agreement. Realizing the need to further accelerate their joint efforts so that they could quickly link the technologies and know-how of both sides to develop racing machines, they established "Lexus/Pathfinder Air Racing" as a joint race team. Lexus intends to dispatch technical coordinator to support the development and verification of technologies in the fields of aerodynamics, cooling, and ergonomics, to build a strong team structure that can lead Muroya to victory. This new team, "Lexus/Pathfinder Air Racing," will strive to make history by winning the first championship of The Air Race.Taking up the challenge of creating an even-better future and a carbon-neutral society
Based on the idea that "grueling air races train people and train technology," Lexus and Muroya will apply the technology and know-how cultivated through air races to create a better society in both respective fields. Lexus will utilize its aerodynamic, cooling, and weight-reduction technologies and know-how gained through grueling air races to create ever-better cars for the realization of a carbon-neutral society. In addition to air racing, Muroya will continue to develop new talent that will lead to the next generation of mobility and also create an airfield for testing in cooperation with Fukushima Prefecture. With the cooperation of local companies, he will promote carbon-neutral aircraft starting with supporting instructional education of light-sports aircraft (LSA) manufacturing. Lexus and Pathfinder will work toward new possibilities in the fields of both automobiles and aircraft.YOSHIHIDE MUROYA
Air Race Pilot
"With the strong support of Lexus, we will strive to become the first champion of the new Air Race. I believe that an exciting new story will emerge as fans and team crew come together as one."KOJI SATO
President / Chief Branding Officer, Lexus International
"Lexus will take on the challenge of an exciting air race together with world-class athlete Muroya. With the excitement and smiles that motorsports bring and the gratitude that we learn from athletes as our inspiration, we will tackle from a new perspective the goal of Akio Toyoda, Lexus Brand Holder, to create a better car based on motor sports. Please look forward to Muroya's and Lexus's continuous challenge and evolution."Last edited by mmarshall; 10-30-21 at 04:41 PM.
10-31-21, 08:41 PM
#2
Lexus Fanatic
Interesting find MM. thanks for posting it. 
Interesting to see what Lexus IS doing these days. Looks to me as though Lexus IS trying to move the brand from just luxury cars to more of all-out lifestyle brand. This will be hard some to accept. But…the younger gen who are entering the brand will see Lexus in a very different way in the future.
Interesting to see what Lexus IS doing these days. Looks to me as though Lexus IS trying to move the brand from just luxury cars to more of all-out lifestyle brand. This will be hard some to accept. But…the younger gen who are entering the brand will see Lexus in a very different way in the future.
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