Alois Ruf claims Kazunori Yamauchi didn't have a driving license when they first met

[Cerebral303]

Not sure where to post this, but here seemed as good as anywhere!



At 16:27 in this video Alois Ruf claims Kazunori Yamauchi didn't have a driving license and didn't know how to drive when they met, which appears to be some time between the release of GT1 and GT2 (where the Yellow Bird first appeared).

From an interview in 2013 when GT6 was released - https://www.eurogamer.net/kazunori-yamauchi-profile

"Soon enough the Celica XX was replaced with something more powerful, and at the age of 24, with the aid of a five-year repayment loan, Yamauchi bought a Nissan GT-R R32"

Born in 1967 Kaz would have been 24 in 1991.

I wonder why Alois Ruf would have such a story as it doesn't seem to match up with what Kaz himself has said.

 

[Tornado]

I'd also say that going from not having a licence in 1999 to having a 996 GT3 in 2000 would be a hell of a dangerous flex.

 

[05XR8]

Maybe he lost his licence due to that 200 km/h “accident”. I know here in Australia, new learner drivers have L-Plates(learner permit, must have a full licensed driver in the car, speeds up to 90km/h), Red P(provisional, unsupervised)-plate(speeds up to 90km/h), green P-plate(speeds up to 100km/h). Australia national speed limit is 110kph.

 

[Mike Hamilton]

Mr. Ruf is more than 70 years old and talking about something that was nearly 30 years ago. People forget stuff or mix things up. Maybe one of the Sony guys who came to negotiate did not have a drivers license 😀.

 

[Keef]

I'd also say that going from not having a licence in 1999 to having a 996 GT3 in 2000 would be a hell of a dangerous flex.

In America yes because we're a bunch of lawless scoundrels and inbeciles. Japanese driving culture is much more disciplined, and just getting to a place where it's remotely enjoyable to drive is an hours-long chore depending on where you live.

 

[RACECAR]

Maybe he lost his licence due to that 200 km/h “accident”.

If the time he had an accident is also between the first two games, that would line up (Depending on if an accident like that had such a huge penalty in Japan at the time).

 

[Cerebral303]

If the time he had an accident is also between the first two games, that would line up (Depending on if an accident like that had such a huge penalty in Japan at the time).

The accident was just 6 months after getting the GT-R, so it was 1991 or 1992.

I do wonder if like @05XR8 said he may have had his license revoked after such a bad accident or just chose to give it up or not renew it (not sure how it works in Japan) and when he met Alois perhaps it was modesty and translation that led to the impression that Kaz was not able to drive at all.

Or maybe just a simple mix up like @Mike Hamilton suggested and it was someone else involved.

Either way they seemed to get on well and it helped both sides, Ruf got huge recognition for a tiny company and Kaz got a way to basically include Porsche vehicles in all but name.