Naganori Ito
Naganori Ito Y đằng tu lệnh | |
|---|---|
 Naganori Ito at the Prince & Skyline Museum inOkaya, Naganoon Sept. 1, 2013. | |
| Born | 7 March 1937 |
| Nationality | Japanese |
| Education | Hiroshima University |
| Occupation | Engineer |
| Engineering career | |
| Discipline | Mechanical engineering |
| Projects | Nissan Skyline (R32) |
Naganori Ito(Y đằng tu lệnh,Itō Naganori,born 1937)is a Japanese automotive engineer, and was responsible for the development of the eighth generationR32 Nissan Skylineincluding theBNR32 Skyline GT-R.
History
[edit]Early years
[edit]Ito was born inTakehara,Hiroshima Prefectureon March 7, 1937 as a son of a rice store owner.[1] He graduated fromHiroshima Universityin March 1959 and joined Fuji Precision Industries (laterPrince Motor Company). In April 1959, he was assigned to the development of the chassis of the first and the second generation SkylinesALSIandS50.After the merger of Prince andNissan,he was involved in the development ofSkyline series,LaurelandLeopard F30.After January 1982, he became the chief engineer ofNissan Prairie (M10)andNissan March (Micra) K10.
Appointed the Skyline chief engineer
[edit]In 1984,Shinichiro Sakurai,Ito’s longtime “teacher” since he joinedFuji Precision/Prince,became ill and had to stay at the hospital for a while. Sakurai’s “No. 1 student” Ito was suddenly assigned to complete the design of the seventh generationR31 Skylinewhich Sakurai was responsible for. But the only thing Ito did about the R31 was preparing and submitting the model registration documents to theMinistry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.
In August 1985, the newR31 Skyline(so-called the “7th Skyline” in Japan) debuted, but it got a bad reputation from longtime Skyline users, the Skyline maniacs, and car critics in Japan.[1]He made up his mind to overcome such disgrace. He became the leader of the development team of the next generation Skyline (R32) from the beginning.
R32 Skyline and revival of GT-R
[edit]In May 1989, the eighth generationR32 Skylinewas released. Then, in August 1989, theBNR32 Skyline GT-Rwas finally launched. The GT-R nameplate was revived sixteen years after theKPGC110 Skyline GT-Rdisappeared from history. Ito earned his reputation from this.
Current years
[edit]After the debut of theR32 Skyline,he was appointed the executive director ofAutech(Nissan’s subsidiary) and later the technical advisor ofNISMO.He is currently serving as adviser to Autech and the honorary director of the Prince & Skyline Museum inOkaya,Nagano Prefecture.His former younger colleagueKozo Watanabe(chief engineer of theR33and theR34Skylines) is the advisor to the Museum.
Quotes
[edit]- During myPrinceyears, I learned what the Prince Motors spirit is from many people. Especially from Mr.Jiro Tanaka,who supervised the Prince Engineering Department, and from Mr.Shinichiro Sakurai,who was my direct Boss.[2]
- Sakurai-sanwas examining me if I could overcome any kinds of difficulties he assigns. I heard that a lion parent kicks the children down into the abyss of a ravine, and brings up the kids who can climb up. The “Sakurai School” was just like a “Lion School”.[2]
See also
[edit]- Prince
- Nissan
- Nissan Skyline
- Nissan Skyline GT-R
- Nissan March (Micra) K10
- Nissan Prairie (M10)
- Nissan Laurel (C32)
- Jiro Tanaka
- Shinichiro Sakurai
- Kozo Watanabe
- Autech
- NISMO
References
[edit]- ^abNaganori Ito - Designer's emotion over the SkylineNissan Motor Official Website (Japanese) July 22, 2008
- ^abITO, Naganori “Pursue the Run – the Development of the R32 Skyline GT-R” P17 April 18, 2005, Grand Prix Publishing Co., Ltd. (Japanese)ISBN4-87687-270-8
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