Skib Posted January 24, 2011 Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 From JNC On January 17, 2011 in the quiet Tokyo suburb of Setagaya, Shinichiro Sakurai, the father of the Nissan Skyline, passed away due to heart failure at the age of 81. Every major newspaper and reporting agency in Japan ran a story about the man’s life. Otherwise gruff auto enthusiasts wept openly. This outpouring of emotion and respect for a simple engineer is proof that Sakurai’s creation not only had an immense impact on the motoring community, but the average Japanese citizen too. A graduate of Yokohama National University, he went to work for Prince Motor Company in 1952 where he developed the second-generation Skyline. Though the nameplate already existed, Sakurai is called “Father of the Skyline” for dropping a straight six into an elongated body, thus transforming a standard sedan into the GT race machine that we associate with the name today, one of the most lasting legacies in auto-dom. After the tumultuous Prince and Nissan merger in 1966, Sakruai stayed on to develop the Skyline, a name revered enough that he was given carte blanche from the bosses at Nissan. Sakruai worked on the Skyline for 32 years, developing the legendary hakosuka, culture-defining kenmeri, patriotic Japan, all the way to the seventh generation R31. In 1985 Sakurai became head of Autech Engineering, Nissan’s in-house tuning arm. Sakurai was also the honorary director of the Skyline Museum and was inducted in to the Japan Automobile Hall of Fame in 2005. In addition to the Skyline, Sakurai worked on the C31 Laurel and a number of purpose-built race machines such as the Prince R380 and R381, and later on, the Nissan R382 and R383. It’s hard to imagine an engineer’s passing eliciting such a powerful response from the public, but that’s just how much the Skyline is part of Japan’s national identity. It came into being during an era when Japan was still finding its footing in the age of modernization. Sakurai’s Skyline became a symbol of a nation’s technological prowess and love for the open road. It’s been in continuous production for over half a century, and its enduring spirit has allowed word of its legend to spread the world over, transcending borders where the car wasn’t even available. Rest in peace, Sakurai-san. Quote Link to comment
metalmonkey47 Posted January 24, 2011 Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 :( RIP Quote Link to comment
parrot45 Posted January 24, 2011 Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 :( what a sad day Quote Link to comment
Wide14u Posted January 24, 2011 Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 this is sad :( Quote Link to comment
dat77sun Posted January 24, 2011 Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 wow, RIP :bye: :bye: Quote Link to comment
Wide14u Posted January 24, 2011 Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwfjAXNQNC8&feature=player_detailpage rip Quote Link to comment
elmerfudpucker Posted January 24, 2011 Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 Just tipped a shot of 12 yr old elijah craig to the man. Respects to the Datto world for the loss. Quote Link to comment
HRH Posted January 24, 2011 Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 Wow, had no idea he was so young when he was starting out. RIP, the loss of a great man. Quote Link to comment
Conan Posted January 24, 2011 Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 I've never even satt in a skyline, nevertheless; RIP he kicked some ninja ass! :crying: :ninja: Quote Link to comment
808DA6 Posted January 24, 2011 Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 A life full of accomplishment and innovation. Much respect. Gomeifuku wo inorimasu. -Brian Quote Link to comment
gokiburix Posted January 24, 2011 Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 The HAKOSTE ....abomination... is probably what did him in! very sad! RIP Sakurai-san! Quote Link to comment
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