at the race. 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. He remained aware of the risks and rewards, stating that: 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. Death On the afternoon of 23 June 2010, Naruse crashed his Lexus LFA Nürburgring Edition prototype 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. References 1942 births 2010 deaths Road incident deaths in Germany Toyota people Auto racing people Japanese motorsport people Japanese racing drivers Toyota Gazoo Racing drivers Nürburgring 24 Hours drivers