That Time Toyota Covered Up a Death

Toyota to you may mean racing legends such as the TS020 and the 88C-V, or it may simply be a mundane runabout the likes of which populate every supermarket car park in the world, but a hunger for victory above all else propelled Toyota into a conspiracy entirely of its own making. This is the story of the Toyota 7.
Big thanks to Tirann GTposting (kzbin.info/door/nVe6IceWl_B_YUF8hNyp5Q) for providing the wonderful Gran Turismo 5 footage used in this video, if you’ve played GT even a little bit check out Tirann’s channel by clicking the link.
If you have any future video ideas comment them below, I read them all. Like the video and subscribe to the channel for more car videos like this.
#toyota #motorsport #racing

[@sealcuddl3r]

Small correction @ 2:12: The Toyota 2000GT used an inline 6 cylinder engine, not a V6. I've really been enjoying watching your brief history videos on sports car racing; they definitely deserve more views!

[@automobilistic]

You're absolutely right, thanks! And I'm really glad you've been enjoying the videos!

[@andreamassara590]

Unfortunately it is a very common mistake. Many people very often refer to a "V6" for any type of six-cylinder engine.

[@jarnosaarinen4583]

I noticed that too! I6 not V6

[@lorenzodicosmo2708]

I don’t know if i should “learn” things from a video that confuses an inline 6 with a v6😅

[@gullreefclub]

Another small mistake is the small block Chevrolet was known as the 5.7 liters (aka 350cid). The 5.8 liter designation is/was used by Ford 351 and the 5.0 liter being the Ford 302

[@Leemacht]

Toyota: *Makes a featherweight, barely controllable LM car with deadly amounts of torque and horsepower with 70s' barebone technology* Also Toyota: "Oh no, why do we keep crashing???"

[@leandrociarrapico9256]

Also Toyota: maybe adding big turbos to the 578A will help to solve these problems...

[@apophisstr6719]

@@leandrociarrapico9256 As Jeremy Clarkson once said: "Power solves, many things!"

[@DjDolHaus86]

In fairness this was a fairly common design trend at the time, if your car hadn't killed or seriously injured someone it probably wasn't competitive

[@MiguelGarcia-vj7oo]

I know you made a joke..... But McLaren and Porsche would make that power for the can am series and they didn't have a crashing problem...... So it wasn't a "70s" problem.......

[@Osaka_Ai]

Group 7 is not a part of lm iirc, but can-am

[@rouxgreasus]

Imagine driving this at the Nordschleife at midnight

[@JeanTudela]

Are you looking for death? lmao

[@rouxgreasus]

@@JeanTudela I said this because somebody actually did it in gran turismo i think

[@Fastvoice]

@@rouxgreasus AFAIK the GT version of the car has no headlights so you'd drive more or less blind, right?

[@rouxgreasus]

@@Fastvoice right

[@genericmodz]

@@rouxgreasus I was just going to say I'm sure someone did it in gran turismo

[@DanArnets1492]

The old FIA groups in a few words · Group 1 = Even more stock than Group N · Group 2 = Group N · Group 3 = A bit more trick than Group N · Group 4 = Group A · Group 5 = Group B · Group 6 = Group C · Group 7 (that's why it's called Toyota 7) = Can-Am and crazier shit

[@288gto7]

As far as rallying goes, group 4 turned into group B , and Group 2 turned into Group A in early 80s. Then group B died and group A became the "top class" in 1987. there was also a group b circuit racing series planned but it never happened. Thats also why people mistakely say ferrari developed 288 gto and porsche developed 959 for "group b rally racing" when in reality both were developed for the planned upcoming gr b circuit racing which never happened. Porsche then turned the 959 into the 961 and raced it in le mans in another class

[@therrydicule]

You are not far. Group 3 was a sort of stock gt thing, so.... Closer to GT4/GT3 and perhaps R-Gt depending of interpretation. Sometime some touring car did get in the mix, but than a Camaro could also register in TCR provide that GM were to sale some with a 2.0 liter turbo. Group 5 were silouhete derived from any car legal in group 1, 2, 3, or 4. So it's more DTM Class 1/Super Gt/SCCA Trans-Am "TA1." Albeit group 5 really went really nuts on the aero. I think that some professional class time attack car would fit parts of Group 5 spirits (the aero is there, the engine doesn't really respect the endurance demands asked by group 5 at the time). Group 4 had specials car (Stratos), overpowered GTs (AC Cobra), and all sort of cars. So Groupe Cn, GT3, R-Gt, and perhaps even WRC cars. Group B was though as a merger of group 4 and 5. It really didn't go as planned. I know it sounds weird to say... But where was group B circuit racing? That was parts of the FIA plan... Oddly enough, some group B car become the basis for some GT1 cars. Group 1 was weird... You had Group 1A and Group 1B at some points. So group N, street stock, showroom stock. Group 2 basically become group A with some twist... Take a group A car, remove 20 HP off, put a carburetor on, and change the tires and you got close to group 2ish car that won't pass the inspection for historical racing (and get the technician looking at the cars asking "what is wrong with you?") Group 6 were 2 seaters and spider. Nk closed cockpits in group 6. But it is truth that it been replaced by group C, however sometimes they asked for minimum production in group 6 (not group c)... So it's basically become anything from some group CN derived hill climb car to LMP-1. The Porsche 908 was also group 6, so some 2 seaters hill-climb car fits here... Group 7 were 2 seaters sport cars without production limits and very open rules. The closet thing to thag are group E 2-seaters sport car used in European hill climb nowadays. Like that Norma M20 FC of Simone Faggioli. Group 7 was also used in hill climb with smaller engine and smaller weight: group 7 circuit racing were monsters, but group E allows to take that Norma and put a 6 liter V8 in it... Group 8 - yeah, nobody talks about group 8 ever! What's going on here? It would be such a popular class today. Today, we would call Group 8 formula 1, formula 2, formula 3, and formula 4 - and back than it was more often call formula 1, formula 2, formula 3... However, under some annex, these were refered as group 8 cars. What's going on is the FIA bring weird.

[@dylansmit3883]

Sadly this isn't very accurate because the FIA kept changing the definitions. For instance, the three liter Le Mans prototypes were at one point in Group 5, and then it became Group 6. They were all over the place back then

[@therrydicule]

@@dylansmit3883 Truth ;) But I think we can call group 5 circa 1970 to 1975 "group 6" to simplify conversation. Because from 66 to 69 and 76 to 82 they were Silouhette... But than, from 58 to 59, group 6 was gt specials (such as the Ferrari 250 GTO) and group 5 was "modified GT series production." Or we can use the technical name and tell the FIA to stop annoying people with their undecisive bureaucracy (for instance use the term silouhette, production sport car, grand touring regardless of the class name by the FIA).

[@0047sssss]

@@288gto7 If Porsche didn't develop the 959 for rallying why did they take the 959 to Paris Dakar then?

[@dylansmit3883]

I have a Japanese magazine containing pictures of the deadly LM prototype. It was called the T-6, and intended for FIA Group 6 competition at Le Mans. It was a massive-looking long tail beast with transparent lexan panels in the sides for airflow testing through the radiators. I'm hoping to get an article out on it soon.

[@DanimalZ32]

Any updates on the article?

[@Rebelscum320]

It's a shame this series of racing hasn't been explored much in gaming outside of Rfactor mods.

[@pctshooter]

I totally agree! SportsCar GT was my game back in the '90s.

[@andre13silvi]

Well, if you want to there's the GPL Can Am mod, or the gr.6 mod in GTR 2. Graphics might not be the best but the feeling is surely there

[@Ferrari255GTO]

I gotta check if there is a Toyota 7 for AC

[@scottl.1568]

Gran Turismo 4 says hi

[@Ferrari255GTO]

@@scottl.1568 And psp too

[@marks7197]

Interesting video, read Vic Elford's (RIP) thoughts as one of the test drivers for this program in his Golden Age book, along with his Toyota Crown rally experiences. Toyota asked him to help based on his relationship and technical feedback with Porsche at the time. He mentioned the Japanese drivers had a rather kamikaze attitude to driving which might be evident in the events suggested in this video.

[@nsx_montana]

Mate, you don't know how happy and nostalgic your perfect videos make me feel😊

[@automobilistic]

That makes me happy too!! Glad you like the videos :)

[@ohiopower]

Amazing footage. Don't think I've ever seen video of the old fuji banking being used. Just still shots.

[@UseADamnCoaster]

I hate this goddamn car in Gran Turismo. It is an absolute nightmare to drive. Minimal downforce, shitty brakes, wheel spin when trying to accelerate out of basically every corner... Better off going with the Chapparal 2J, and that thing is basically a washing machine on wheels. I never knew the history behind the 7, but given the way this damn thing handles in the old GT games when I bust them out for nostalgic purposes, it isn't at all surprising to find out that it was a literal deathtrap in real life. This is definitely interesting content, I must say.

[@nigel900]

It’s a game. 👍🏻

[@gx1tar1er]

Even AI can barely drive this car in the game lol

[@NemiXisRevo]

Really good video, your work deserves way more views for sure. Keep it up!

[@automobilistic]

Thank you! Really glad you enjoyed the video :)

[@slash3503]

SO nostalgic hearing that toyota dealership music once again.

[@ManWithBeard1990]

The one in the beginning of the video is actually the Mitsubishi dealership music.

[@slash3503]

@@ManWithBeard1990 nerd

[@grandicellichannel]

May I ask if maybe you know the exact point when Otsubo crashed at the Fuji Speedway? Could it be the fearsome downhill banking at the end of the main straight, the infamous Daiichi? if took at high speeds, that dangerous spiralling-down banking was absolutely a threat to the rigidity of cars for the extreme G-forces acting up (or should I say... DOWN) over the frame rigidity - and I suppose that such a corner could had teared the Yamaha's chassis to pieces... or maybe it crubled to pieces after several passages on the banking only to fall apart further inside the course, possibly towards the Hairpin or the 300R, causing the crash. These are only speculations of mine, but they are very likely to be true... I leave the truth of the facts to you. 👍

[@automobilistic]

I believe the crash took place at Daiichi. Of course given the year it took place this would have been the Fuji Speedway's original layout, but as you mentioned Daiichi became famous for its serious crashes, stressing the chassis' of the cars beyond what they could handle. This is likely exactly why Toyota chose to test there, and its extremely lucky that Otsubo wasn't seriously injured that day.

[@TheMrFishnDucks]

Fantastic video. This is a terrible tragedy, two lives lost for what in the end would have just been "prestige" that would be used for marketing. Great use of Gran Turismo and providing background to the cars in the game. Looking forward to the next video. Keep up the good work.

[@pr3modeling239]

Amazing how much that thing looks like a Chapparal...

[@starguy2718]

Did Toyota hire Jim Hall as a consultant?

[@Spherz]

Amazing video again! Never new this story of the car. Can always count on you for this stuff👍👍

[@automobilistic]

Thanks!! Really glad you enjoyed the video :)

[@Ferrari255GTO]

Thanks for bringing some light on the well hidden story of one of my favourite racing prototypes known. I always looked in awe at the numbers the twin turbo version was capable of on it's era, but that wasn't without consequence... If the fairly modern TVR Speed 12 is considered nightmare fuel for even the most experienced drivers, i can't imagine what this absolutely wild machine would be called.

[@Jonathan_Doe_]

Riveted chassis components are generally also bonded in both automotive and rail applications now. Makes them much stronger.

[@Journey_to_who_knows]

The guts hanging out of the cropped back of this thing and front stripped of any detail makes it absolutely terrifying. And with the knowledge it sought to kill 3 drivers, this thing truly is worthy of the title of “little bastard” It must be what getting in a me163 felt like.

[@greenydogous7426]

With these videos I think you really deserve more views

[@automobilistic]

Thank you! I do my best :)

[@v88box21]

Nice video! Your work is amazing.

[@automobilistic]

Thanks! really happy that you enjoy my videos!

[@Gois83]

Really great video with the exception of one detail that really threw me off: the 2000GT's 3M engine was a straight-6, not a V6...

[@automobilistic]

You're absolutely right. A couple of people have pointed it out already, and I've pinned a comment to clarify

[@nglish6905]

i love the gt5 thumbnail lol

[@kevinfairclough4619]

Enjoying this. Great info on the race cars history. The game footage isn’t always helpful, narrating about fuji speedway when recreating a scene from the Le Mans Sarthe. In particular….but the historical images were nice to see. Thank you

[@unionrdr]

The first one reminds me of the old McLaren-Elva of the time that Bruce drove. The later seven looks a lot like the MK8D with a lower batwing.

[@Recklesshade]

Excellent content man! This Is really clean and well done you deserve a whole lot more subs. You've got mine.

[@automobilistic]

Thanks! Really glad you're enjoying the videos

[@OverTheHillsAdventures]

Loving the oldschool GT backing tracks

[@Thors_Garage]

I love this channel. I will say that toyota has a hell of a testing reputation. 2 deaths and then fast forward to testing the TS010 and that broke drivers ribs

[@philpatterson7085]

The Saylor family knows something about Toyota's attitude.

[@MJBOGAN]

In a bizarre twist Toyota also lost a test driver developing the LFA.

[@kierendawson3707]

Wasnt just a test driver. It was toyotas chief test driver and test engineer Hiromu Naruse who was a major contributor to the performance design of the LFA and also chief of Gazoo racing. It was his dream to make the LFA the ultimate driving car

[@gullreefclub]

Until the 1980’s FIA rules and the race teams were not all that concerned about safety the proof of that is the number of drivers who were killed and seriously injured in racing incidents

[@larsfinlay7325]

those cars remind me of Speed Racer. ah the nostalgia.

[@AUXdrone]

“Vane persuit?” Vain pursuit.

[@pctshooter]

Okay Okay, I give! I'll subscribe! What awesome content!

[@John_Redcorn_]

I like the slight suggestion of a rollbar 😂

[@Jorge.Painkiller]

Been following Tirann for a while. This is an interesting and disturbing video,

[@dermetzger]

The classic GT2 menu music... ❤️❤️❤️

[@tahustvedt]

Some Can Am cars were stunning, but they didn't even respect their drivers enough to make the roll bar high enough back then.

[@thandontantiso3744]

Where do you get your playlist

[@dougthomson5544]

Safety has certainly come a very long way!

[@TurboWorld]

This car was fun to drive on Gran Turismo.

[@Tuberuser187]

Seems Toyota took some of the bad lessons from Lotus, making cars too fragile and then spiriting away the car involved in a fatal crash to prevent authorities from examining it.

[@indominusrex1652]

Which later williams did too

[@Tuberuser187]

@@indominusrex1652 I never knew that, I would ask if they faced consequences but I doubt they did. If the average person got someone killed with a car, then disposed of it or otherwise placed it out of reach of authorities then they would face charges of destroying evidence/conspiring and attempting to pervert the course/obstruction of justice (whichever the countries laws are).

[@indominusrex1652]

@@Tuberuser187 no punishments just a slap on a wrist and dont do that again

[@tedsmith6137]

I'm not convinced that the statement at 7:30 that the 578A chassis was " a space now made from an aluminium composite" is correct. According to what I can find, it had an aluminium alloy space frame. The term 'composite' doesn't seem an appropriate term.

[@automobilistic]

Thank you for the correction, you're absolutely right. Alloy would be the correct term

[@alfderbabybenz7092]

Where is that racing footage from

[@naidedossantos500]

and no brakes according to gran turismo 4...

[@alpollo1004]

What is the music's name that is being used, the one sounds like GT4 menu music?

[@Where_is_Waldo]

2:12 The 2000GT had a 2.0L INLINE 6.

[@automobilistic]

Yes i have pinned a comment correcting the mistake

[@SaadNabil]

Interesting!

[@kondor9998]

I have to wonder if history would have been different if they had used top-flight drivers like Jacky Ickx or Brian Redman. To be honest, very few humans can handle an 800hp car that weighs a bit more than a motorbike.

[@jarnosaarinen4583]

Looking at this car to a Modern LMP1/2 car it's Wheel Base is about 600mm short!

[@alix5566]

Used to have a model of this car.

[@bzdtemp]

I think this video neglects to mention an important thing. Racing was much dangerous back then, in fact even just normal traffic on the roads were much more dangerous, so while I do not wanna make light of the tragic deaths in connection with Toyota 7 on the other hand racing deaths was common at the time. For example in 1969 there were 15 racing driver fatalities and the number is likely higher as it is mainly counting international racing, in fact the numbers have been shockingly high right up till the last decade, as the safer cars and tracks haven offset by there being more races meaning more risks of accidents due to more miles raced.

[@SDH-g8g]

Great video, really enjoyed that.

[@tylerdurden4006]

Weird how some people think that only toyota made lightweight cars and only theirs were dangerous even though ALL cars crashed and burned.

[@cerberus1166]

toyota killed a guy.

[@alexander1485]

well, the Toyota Prius had "unintended" acceleration that killed people.

[@2010WRXLimited]

Everyone: "good video." Spell checker: "it's vain pursuit not vane persuit" :)

[@eetu2654]

Funny how I got this recommend for me when I was watching video from Toyota's official youtube channel lol

[@_MetalGears_]

Wow i didn't know this!!!!!!!!?!!?!!!!!!

[@jockihm831]

Supposedly it was a prototype of a road car version of the 7. They had a concept out at the time

[@revstreak]

Why so little subs?

[@MainMite06]

0:00 GT1 Toyota Dealer music?!!

[@sarelras4103]

Safety in those day were what is safety

[@davidduro974]

The Looks like straight out Speed Racer Beautiful car but tragic Story behind it

[@dst4364]

In the netherlands is a Project 7

[@E1N9A8N0DA]

The Toyota 7 is the epitome of DEATH ON WHEELS. They made another monster, almost as dangerous, in the form of the beastly TS010. That car would rattle the life out of any pilot sitting behind its wheel.

[@drdoomslab]

interesting video. one thing thought. thats not GT5 footage. Its Assetto Corsa. Cheers

[@automobilistic]

I can confirm that it is in fact GT5 haha

[@drdoomslab]

@@automobilistic yup your right, its not AC. i was not looking correctly / looking though beer goggles. Cool to see gt5 still doing some things right. been a long time since i played it.

[@peekaboo1575]

@2:14 The 2000GT had a straight 6, not a V6

[@rangerjones5531]

Great video, very informative, too! I miss motorsports from back when men drove real fast in sketchy designs, drivers today look like they never had grease under their nails , and probably never have 🤔

[@ethanweeter2732]

Never knew Yamaha did sports car racing.

[@jonasschubert5437]

So basically they put a car into GT while knowing about a tragedy happened with it? Bruuh

[@eonreeves4324]

bro, are you using powerpoint from 97?

[@eonreeves4324]

that's awesome haha

[@zenmark42]

FYI, you meant "Vain" not "Vane"

[@laurant420]

dam

[@genekelley7579]

🛑🛑 Great Content 😀👍

[@badhippo]

So the Toyota-7 that I raced in GT never actually entered a race in real life?

[@bradarmstrong3952]

This video does not make one point clear to me: did the 578A ever race in competition?

[@automobilistic]

No, it did not

[@Nicholas44566]

More people needa see this!

[@jeffbrinks9189]

These Toyota drivers knew full well these race cars were extremely dangerous and knew they could lose their life at any time upon loss of control, however. Toyotas actions were unacceptable.

[@scottl.1568]

800 hp?? I thought the car had over 1000 in final form??

[@Cyb3rSynaps3]

Also a small correction, 6:36 you say 500,000 USD in today's money. Not quite correct, first you have to exchange yen to usd as of 1980 which was 220 ish yen = 1 usd, 61,000,000 yen that gives you $277,000 USD in 1980 which today would be worth 1.01 million USD today.

[@automobilistic]

Ah I might've converted JPY to USD at today's rates. I made this video a few months ago and dont recall my exact method, thanks for correcting me 👍

[@nigel900]

Racing is inherently dangerous…

[@davidtx8777]

a lot of drivers died in the 70's because of unsafe cars. none of the cars were safe!

[@dub537h5]

Wow, bunch of murderers damn

[@huntedhunter5597]

Tut Tut never shown that samurai tenacity we expect. Just give up yeah its only the coolest car of the decade.

[@alexknightwrc]

It’s, ‘vain’, not ‘vane’.

[@mechaiable]

although what Toyota did was despicable. you have to understand Japanese culture. Anything that goes, the leader will be held responsible. Its not uncommon for the leaders to commit suicide after a big accident. So covering up the accident is always the first step when something happens. If the news leaked and gets enough public attention, the leader must come out, apologize and deal with the event to minimize losses to the company.

[@jumboturn]

Motor Racing is dangerous… it says so on the ticket 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@csjames69]

The 2000GT never had a V6. It was a straight six. Please check your facts. No subscription for me.

[@automobilistic]

You're right, I have pinned a comment correcting the mistake

[@BigBibleman]

The toyota GT2000 did have a V6, I engine swapped one in an Assetto corsa mod. Get your facts straight, no like from me.

[@johnadams2063]

Wtf!!! Is a kilo gram!! God damn it I have zero idea.

[@johnadams2063]

How the hell am I supposed to have any idea how much a kilo gram is. I have zero idea how it's related to pounds

[@johnadams2063]

Toyota is hands down the very best builder of cars period!! Sorry but this us a fact of life. There better at building cars than for it chev by a little bit. But they are better. And u just cant deny it ..u can try and u can lie but the fact is there better at every or almost every aspect of auto engineering. Just the truth. And if u work on those cars alot you will see why Or if u buy one you will see