Meet the man in charge of ensuring every Lexus drives right
16 Oct 2024|3,867 views
No topic has seemed to faze Shuichi Ozaki, Lexus Takumi for driving dynamics, thus far in our 20-minute conversation.
That is, however, until we throw out the million-dollar question right at the end: What is Ozaki-san's daily driver?
Throwing his head back in surprised laughter, he collects himself and looks down in deep thought as he starts to string a reply together - but falters and breaks into a chuckle again as he folds his arms, ostensibly still searching for an answer. After a couple of moments, we get a coy response: He's always changing cars.
As a Lexus Takumi in its vehicle technology department and vehicle testing division, Ozaki-san plays a pivotal role in shaping the driving dynamics of each Lexus model
The road to being a Takumi master
One might expect someone highly-skilled in the Japanese martial art of iaido - said to emphasise "being aware and capable of quickly drawing the sword and responding to sudden attacks" - to be cool and quiet.
And while Ozaki-san makes an impression first with his calm and collected demeanour, he is also the opposite of distant: Quick to flash a smile, and generous in his laughter.
As one of the key figures of the Vehicle Technology Development Department and Vehicle Testing Division 1 at Lexus International, to say that his role in making every Lexus model drive right is no exaggeration.
Ozaki-san (in black) believes that even without his title, he would have remained within the domain of vehicle testing and development out of pure talent and passion
As Ozaki-san explains it, his official role as a Takumi in vehicle development wasn't even something he appeared to have consciously worked towards. Instead, he was recognised as a Takumi following years of evaluating and developing vehicles.
Or perhaps decades, if one wanted to be more precise.
The official title of a Takumi is given to supreme masters of craft that have not only demonstrated preternatural talent in certain areas of expertise (metal forging, for instance), but also spent the requisite time to hone their sensibilities.
While 10,000 hours is often cited as the golden minimum for attaining a skill, one is expected to put in six times that amount before becoming a Takumi.
Put more concretely, that would amount to a whopping 30 years, if one were to work eight hours daily for 240 days a year.
Ozaki-san's passion for his role, however, is so unstoppable that it outshines even the prestige of his title: With or without it, he believes he would still be testing and developing cars, he tells us.
The Lexus IS - one of the arguable turning points for Lexus at the dawn of the 21st century - remains a special car to Ozaki-san because of how intimately involved he was in its development
Decades of being a vital hand in the brand
In his early twenties, the seeds of Ozaki-san's deep relationship with the Lexus brand had already been planted.
Working on the first-generation Lexus SC properly ingrained him with the fundamentals, such as getting to know the brand philosophy, as well as its thought process and general mindset when building cars. When he was 27, however, he found himself making a truly profound impact on the brand: With the first-generation Lexus IS.
As Japan's response to Europe's globally successful compact luxury sports sedans, the IS was beloved not just for its performance. It also bore unique touches still fondly looked back on today, such as aluminium pedal pads, and of course, the iconic chronograph instrument cluster.
One of the IS' iconic hallmarks - its chronograph instrument cluster - was actually an idea that Ozaki-san had a vital hand in pitching
These were actually parts of the car Ozaki-san had a hand in pitching, which the development team then accepted and made into reality. It was his first experience of witnessing his ideas come to fruition too, he shares with palpable joy and satisfaction, which further spurred him on in the field of vehicle development.
30 years on, Ozaki-san's approach to vehicle testing is so precise and fastidious that it almost feels superhuman.
As he tells it, the process is very nearly an 'out-of-body' one; he treats his body almost like a machine, and looks at himself as a third party when behind the wheel, questioning every single input and variable before making a conclusion.
To a certain degree, his job has become even more demanding in recent years too, given his task now of imbuing every single Lexus with the increasingly-important Lexus Driving Signature (LDS) - in essence, a new driving development standard designed to create a linear and intuitive connection between man and machine.
Full circle: The facelifted Lexus IS sedan was the first model in the range to bear the Lexus Driving Signature
Since the all-encompassing nature of the LDS requires a quasi-universal baseline in driving feel across all Lexuses, Ozaki-san's inputs are also required to be kept as constant as possible when evaluating models across different segments.
After all, if one's task was to achieve a uniform feeling of fluidity across the entire Lexus lineup, the only way to ensure the job gets done right too is to treat each car the same way.
As we experienced ourselves on Lexus' No. 3 Course test track, the average driver might find this approach quite difficult to consistently execute.
Whether it's a large MPV like the Lexus LM or a compact crossover like the Lexus UX, Lexus has remained steadfastly committed to infusing each of its new cars with the Lexus Driving Signature since 2020
An example: On a sharp bend, one's natural instincts are likely to kick in and subconsciously trigger different levels of caution when piloting differing cars - say, a compact crossover like the Lexus UX, versus a 2.8-tonne luxe-MPV like the Lexus LM.
Unsurprisingly, relating how exactly he manages to keep himself hyper-objective is difficult; he couldn't capture entirely in words what the approach is like, he admits.
Nonetheless, he is also unequivocal about the fact that sheer experience is key - specifically, driving all kinds of cars, and under all sorts of conditions.
On some level, the goal is also the process itself. "Intentionally pulling yourself out [of the driving experience] and trying to analyse yourself objectively is the way; the methodology," he tells us via an interpreter.
Ozaki-san also holds special pride for Lexus' development of the Lexus GX, considering that its body-on-frame construction makes it, fundamentally, a very different car from the rest of its siblings
"Right now, is my feeling [and my bodily condition] the problem? Or is the car not running properly? And also, is it the environment outside the car that's causing the situation? In your head, you have to just keep your awareness one step out."
If the relentless intentionality of holding himself to such a high standard sounds tiring, it is.
But Ozaki-san is also clear that without this focus, he couldn't pull himself out and look at himself objectively, with introspection along the lines of: "Hey, you're not driving well today; you're driving too fast today; you're tired; the car is not performing up to par."
He also attributes his years of practising iaido as an invaluable guiding light for the high regard with which he holds his work at Lexus.
The fourth-generation GS sedan saw Ozaki-san and his team fine-tuning the driving experience to the extent of tweaking the steering wheel angle by two degrees eventually - after deducing that the rest of the interior was already in place
"The Japanese katana is regarded as a piece of art, so the way you touch it requires [that] you show an extra sense of respect for its beauty," he shares.
(As an example of Ozaki-san's impeccable attention to detail, one of his recommendations implemented while developing the fourth-generation GS Sedan was the raising of its steering wheel angle by two degrees for a "better driving environment" - a change made only after he had combed through all of the car's other interior parts. He estimates that whole process took two years.)
Consequently, the manner in which one's body is in harmony with the sword also shapes his attitude towards developing a car. "It's not about getting excited and trying to slice everything up, but rather, keeping a state of serenity and calmness, before exploding into action," he explains.
"This requires discipline and blends how to harness movement perfectly", he continues - a key ingredient of the Lexus Driving Signature.
Leading the charge with grace, poise and quietly confident power
That brings us back to the million-dollar question.
Although Ozaki-san's response doesn't deviate from the broad direction of 'I drive all sorts of cars', he does drop an invaluable hint after a bit extra prodding: His work self is constantly handed the latest and best of Lexus vehicles, but on a personal level, he has dabbled not infrequently into European cars.
That German cars have been on the hit list should not be surprising. Particularly noteworthy, however, is what has caught Ozaki-san's attention most recently: Italian cars.
(Ozaki-san has also stated in previous interviews that he almost never plays music when driving, choosing instead to listen to the car itself. He has expressed that this manifests as a form of true rest for him, too, despite perceptions that the decision to do so might seem heavily work-dictated.)
Even till now, Ozaki-san is unwavering in his pursuit of even finer sensory perception
Through it all, however, he reiterates the same point: With his main focus remaining unwaveringly on self-development, his daily drives are targeted at his sensory development and the refinement of his sensory perception. After all, his goal and his passion remain the same. Every Lexus now has to bear the same Lexus Driving Signature.
As Ozaki-san related separately to us, the machine is never truly perfect; there is only what is perfect enough for any given moment.
Still, it appears Lexus has the right man quietly and gracefully leading the charge, ensuring that its cars are treated with the right sort of respect and intricacy - to constantly rework and refine the most fully-realised vision of human-car dialogue.
No topic has seemed to faze Shuichi Ozaki, Lexus Takumi for driving dynamics, thus far in our 20-minute conversation.
That is, however, until we throw out the million-dollar question right at the end: What is Ozaki-san's daily driver?
Throwing his head back in surprised laughter, he collects himself and looks down in deep thought as he starts to string a reply together - but falters and breaks into a chuckle again as he folds his arms, ostensibly still searching for an answer. After a couple of moments, we get a coy response: He's always changing cars.
As a Lexus Takumi in its vehicle technology department and vehicle testing division, Ozaki-san plays a pivotal role in shaping the driving dynamics of each Lexus model
The road to being a Takumi master
One might expect someone highly-skilled in the Japanese martial art of iaido - said to emphasise "being aware and capable of quickly drawing the sword and responding to sudden attacks" - to be cool and quiet.
And while Ozaki-san makes an impression first with his calm and collected demeanour, he is also the opposite of distant: Quick to flash a smile, and generous in his laughter.
As one of the key figures of the Vehicle Technology Development Department and Vehicle Testing Division 1 at Lexus International, to say that his role in making every Lexus model drive right is no exaggeration.
Ozaki-san (in black) believes that even without his title, he would have remained within the domain of vehicle testing and development out of pure talent and passion
As Ozaki-san explains it, his official role as a Takumi in vehicle development wasn't even something he appeared to have consciously worked towards. Instead, he was recognised as a Takumi following years of evaluating and developing vehicles.
Or perhaps decades, if one wanted to be more precise.
The official title of a Takumi is given to supreme masters of craft that have not only demonstrated preternatural talent in certain areas of expertise (metal forging, for instance), but also spent the requisite time to hone their sensibilities.
While 10,000 hours is often cited as the golden minimum for attaining a skill, one is expected to put in six times that amount before becoming a Takumi.
Put more concretely, that would amount to a whopping 30 years, if one were to work eight hours daily for 240 days a year.
Ozaki-san's passion for his role, however, is so unstoppable that it outshines even the prestige of his title: With or without it, he believes he would still be testing and developing cars, he tells us.
The Lexus IS - one of the arguable turning points for Lexus at the dawn of the 21st century - remains a special car to Ozaki-san because of how intimately involved he was in its development
Decades of being a vital hand in the brand
In his early twenties, the seeds of Ozaki-san's deep relationship with the Lexus brand had already been planted.
Working on the first-generation Lexus SC properly ingrained him with the fundamentals, such as getting to know the brand philosophy, as well as its thought process and general mindset when building cars. When he was 27, however, he found himself making a truly profound impact on the brand: With the first-generation Lexus IS.
As Japan's response to Europe's globally successful compact luxury sports sedans, the IS was beloved not just for its performance. It also bore unique touches still fondly looked back on today, such as aluminium pedal pads, and of course, the iconic chronograph instrument cluster.
One of the IS' iconic hallmarks - its chronograph instrument cluster - was actually an idea that Ozaki-san had a vital hand in pitching
These were actually parts of the car Ozaki-san had a hand in pitching, which the development team then accepted and made into reality. It was his first experience of witnessing his ideas come to fruition too, he shares with palpable joy and satisfaction, which further spurred him on in the field of vehicle development.
30 years on, Ozaki-san's approach to vehicle testing is so precise and fastidious that it almost feels superhuman.
As he tells it, the process is very nearly an 'out-of-body' one; he treats his body almost like a machine, and looks at himself as a third party when behind the wheel, questioning every single input and variable before making a conclusion.
To a certain degree, his job has become even more demanding in recent years too, given his task now of imbuing every single Lexus with the increasingly-important Lexus Driving Signature (LDS) - in essence, a new driving development standard designed to create a linear and intuitive connection between man and machine.
Full circle: The facelifted Lexus IS sedan was the first model in the range to bear the Lexus Driving Signature
Since the all-encompassing nature of the LDS requires a quasi-universal baseline in driving feel across all Lexuses, Ozaki-san's inputs are also required to be kept as constant as possible when evaluating models across different segments.
After all, if one's task was to achieve a uniform feeling of fluidity across the entire Lexus lineup, the only way to ensure the job gets done right too is to treat each car the same way.
As we experienced ourselves on Lexus' No. 3 Course test track, the average driver might find this approach quite difficult to consistently execute.
Whether it's a large MPV like the Lexus LM or a compact crossover like the Lexus UX, Lexus has remained steadfastly committed to infusing each of its new cars with the Lexus Driving Signature since 2020
An example: On a sharp bend, one's natural instincts are likely to kick in and subconsciously trigger different levels of caution when piloting differing cars - say, a compact crossover like the Lexus UX, versus a 2.8-tonne luxe-MPV like the Lexus LM.
Unsurprisingly, relating how exactly he manages to keep himself hyper-objective is difficult; he couldn't capture entirely in words what the approach is like, he admits.
Nonetheless, he is also unequivocal about the fact that sheer experience is key - specifically, driving all kinds of cars, and under all sorts of conditions.
On some level, the goal is also the process itself. "Intentionally pulling yourself out [of the driving experience] and trying to analyse yourself objectively is the way; the methodology," he tells us via an interpreter.
Ozaki-san also holds special pride for Lexus' development of the Lexus GX, considering that its body-on-frame construction makes it, fundamentally, a very different car from the rest of its siblings
"Right now, is my feeling [and my bodily condition] the problem? Or is the car not running properly? And also, is it the environment outside the car that's causing the situation? In your head, you have to just keep your awareness one step out."
If the relentless intentionality of holding himself to such a high standard sounds tiring, it is.
But Ozaki-san is also clear that without this focus, he couldn't pull himself out and look at himself objectively, with introspection along the lines of: "Hey, you're not driving well today; you're driving too fast today; you're tired; the car is not performing up to par."
He also attributes his years of practising iaido as an invaluable guiding light for the high regard with which he holds his work at Lexus.
The fourth-generation GS sedan saw Ozaki-san and his team fine-tuning the driving experience to the extent of tweaking the steering wheel angle by two degrees eventually - after deducing that the rest of the interior was already in place
"The Japanese katana is regarded as a piece of art, so the way you touch it requires [that] you show an extra sense of respect for its beauty," he shares.
(As an example of Ozaki-san's impeccable attention to detail, one of his recommendations implemented while developing the fourth-generation GS Sedan was the raising of its steering wheel angle by two degrees for a "better driving environment" - a change made only after he had combed through all of the car's other interior parts. He estimates that whole process took two years.)
Consequently, the manner in which one's body is in harmony with the sword also shapes his attitude towards developing a car. "It's not about getting excited and trying to slice everything up, but rather, keeping a state of serenity and calmness, before exploding into action," he explains.
"This requires discipline and blends how to harness movement perfectly", he continues - a key ingredient of the Lexus Driving Signature.
Leading the charge with grace, poise and quietly confident power
That brings us back to the million-dollar question.
Although Ozaki-san's response doesn't deviate from the broad direction of 'I drive all sorts of cars', he does drop an invaluable hint after a bit extra prodding: His work self is constantly handed the latest and best of Lexus vehicles, but on a personal level, he has dabbled not infrequently into European cars.
That German cars have been on the hit list should not be surprising. Particularly noteworthy, however, is what has caught Ozaki-san's attention most recently: Italian cars.
(Ozaki-san has also stated in previous interviews that he almost never plays music when driving, choosing instead to listen to the car itself. He has expressed that this manifests as a form of true rest for him, too, despite perceptions that the decision to do so might seem heavily work-dictated.)
Even till now, Ozaki-san is unwavering in his pursuit of even finer sensory perception
Through it all, however, he reiterates the same point: With his main focus remaining unwaveringly on self-development, his daily drives are targeted at his sensory development and the refinement of his sensory perception. After all, his goal and his passion remain the same. Every Lexus now has to bear the same Lexus Driving Signature.
As Ozaki-san related separately to us, the machine is never truly perfect; there is only what is perfect enough for any given moment.
Still, it appears Lexus has the right man quietly and gracefully leading the charge, ensuring that its cars are treated with the right sort of respect and intricacy - to constantly rework and refine the most fully-realised vision of human-car dialogue.
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