Lexus will get its imaginative and prescient straight from Akio Toyoda

Primarily, Toyoda plots the vacation spot for Lexus, and Sato figures out easy methods to get there.

“I am chargeable for the execution, bringing that imaginative and prescient for Lexus to actuality,” Sato stated.

Tapping Toyoda’s instincts is perhaps an excellent factor.

The founding household scion, now 66, has championed supercharging Lexus’ road cred since even earlier than taking the helm of Toyota in 2009. It began along with his backing of the 4.8-liter V-Eight Lexus LFA tremendous automobile and the event of the Lexus IS F sports activities sedan. And thru his ardour for motorsports, he cultivated a automobile tradition internally that morphed into Gazoo Racing.

“Akio’s sensors because the grasp driver are critically essential,” Sato stated.

In 2007, when Toyoda was nonetheless typically dismissed because the “younger prince” within the Japanese media, he made a uncommon public look to peel off some sizzling laps at Fuji Speedway to tout the IS F.

He then proved the model’s mettle by driving Lexus automobiles within the 24-hour race at Germany’s Nürburgring, one of many few CEOs to really buckle up for the grueling contest.