- 548
- J_enko
No one better is a pretty bold statement especially coming from one individual. When it comes to silencing all critics Nobuteru Taniguchi easily surpasses his proud acronym. A humble man who was put on this earth for one reason to go fast, has become a living legend in his home country and it striking out for world domination. Mostly known for his D1 antics behind the wheel of the HKS drift machines, NOB is more than just an out-of-control slider. He spends time jockeying for seat time in the Weds Sport Celica in GT300 competition and with his very good friend Manabu Orido in the Advan Porsche for the Super Taikyu series. Balls to the wall, Taniguchi lives a life most of us can only dream about.
If youve ever had the chance to witness this man in action youll understand why his reputation precedes himself. A soft-spoken guy who towers over his competition (literally) NOB has a keen eye for choosing the right lines and observantly picks up on his competitors strengths and weaknesses. With an insatiable quench for speed, we had the chance to stop him in his tracks just long enough to ask a few questions.
J2N: What was your very first car and what made you get involved in Motorsports?
NOB: My first car was a Nissan Caravan, which I used to haul my mini bike. I started to race mini bikes when I was 16 and became Japan National Champion when I was 18. When I was 19, I had a really bad accident on my bike and broke both legs and right arm. Thats when I realized how dangerous riding a bike was and I switched to driving cars. This is when I bought my first car which was a Hachiroku.
J2N: What other vehicles have you owned since then and which do you call your favorite of all-time and why?
NOB: First I owned 5 Hachis. Then a white S14 and 20valve Hachi. After that, my S15 which I still own. At the same time I had a JZX100 Mark II and a left-hand drive Hachi. Then came the Windom (Lexus ES300 in the US), Celsior (Lexus LS430), a red S14 (currently wrapped in full Vertex Aero), a Mercedes E55 Wagon, and my newest car a red 180SX (also wrapped in full Vertex). Right now, I have the S15, S14, 180SX, and my daily driver E55 wagon.
J2N: Where are you from originally and were you associated with any racing car clubs while growing up?
NOB: I was born and raised in Hiroshima. When I started running togue, I was a member of a local car club called After Fire.J2N: Do you still keep in touch with any of the old members and are any competing in Motorsports or remain in the industry?
NOB: Yes, I keep in touch with some of the old members. Theyre my friends so I hang out with them when I go back to Hiroshima. The only member that is still in the industry is Mr. Tomokane. Hes the chief mechanic for Carmake T&E. For those of you who dont know what T&E is, it is the company that makes Vertex body kits and is owned by D1 driver Takahiro Ueno.
J2N: I noticed that both you and Mr. Ueno favor red cars. Is this just a coincidence or is there a reason behind this?
NOB: In my mind, red and yellow symbolize the ultimate exotic sports cars like Ferraris and Lamborghinis. I personally prefer red over yellow. Im not sure why Mr.Ueno likes red cars. I think its just a coincidence that his Soarer is red because a lot of his other cars are different colors.
J2N: What jobs have you had before you became a professional racecar driver?
NOB: When I was in Hiroshima, I had many part time jobs. To name a few, I used to work for a transport company carrying copy machines. I also worked for a local used car dealership. And I also was once a tofu delivery boy when I was about 20 years old. Some of you might wonder but no, I didnt deliver tofu in my Hatchi going downhill thru the touge. I used a delivery truck just like I was supposed to.
J2N: What is your most memorable automotive experience?
NOB: My most memorable automotive experience is with my 4th Hachi-roku. I loved that car to death. For me it was the car that I can control freely as I commanded. The setup was perfect. But back in the day, there was a time when something called Oni-can (translated demon camber) was popular. Oni-can is when you apply obscene amounts of negative camber. I tried this and ended up totaling the car near my neighborhood while drifting. I never liked the look in the first place, but now I know never to do it again.
J2N: Being such a highly regarded test pilot for manufacturers, what do you look for when building your own personal vehicles?
NOB: All the fixed up cars I own need to be comfortable and responsive. I hate turbo lag so I dont like large turbos for my personal cars. I also keep the gear ratio low to improve the response. Aesthetically, I like to keep everything really simple. All my Silvias have KAROism floor mats and my policy is never to install cup holders. I also cant stand dirty cars so I always keep my car clean and wash it every week.
J2N: Why did you choose to use a heavy sedan like the Aristo as a drift car and what is the vehicles main purpose?
NOB: I chose the Aristo because I thought it would be perfect for the US. Potentially, I know its not the best choice. Its big and heavy but I wanted to build a car that will stand out. Originally, the Aristo was designed to be a luxury sedan, not a drift car. So I thought it would be cool to try something different. Also, compared to the conventional 2L engine drift cars, this 3L (turned 3.4L) will pump out more horses and hopefully make a bigger impact for the people watching. For those of you who read the articles about this car in the US magazines, I want to point out that there was some incorrect information. The car is my personal car and the engine build was done by none other than HKS. Mr.Ueno (Carmake T&E) helped out with the body kit.
J2N: Being one of the most technologically advanced racecars on the track, could you name a few unique characteristics of your four-door Toyota?
NOB: I think the vehicle itself is its most unique part. Its a luxury sedan that isnt designed to be driven sideways. But I wanted to prove that with the right people and support, anything is possible. Oh but what a waste of a fine car
J2N: Going from Silvias, to an Altezza, and now to an Aristo, what are the major advantages/disadvantages of these platforms when it comes to drifting and how hard is it to master each one?
NOB: The HKS D1 Silvia RS-2 was a great vehicle. It was light, fast, and reacted very quickly. Of all the cars Ive driven in the past, this is the best drift car ever made. The Altezza on the other hand started as an NA car and didnt have any power. If we raised the power, the transmission would break. But after HKS added some parts and tuned the car, it transformed into something completely different. And after months of testing, it turned out to be a very competitive vehicle. It now has a HKS dog type transmission and now planning to change to a sequential gear box. The concept of the Altezza is to build a car using off-the-shelf parts. So unlike the Silvia RS-2, the Altezza doesnt have any special modifications. No spot welding, the roll cage is bolted down, not welded, so anyone can buy the same parts and copy the HKS Altezza if they really wanted to. Both cars were nicely built by the HKS Racing Division, and all the weak points it used to have, have been eliminated so I dont see any disadvantages.
The advantage of the Aristo is that it has the potential to make 6-700 hp. But like I mentioned before, it is heavy and has a long wheel base which makes it really hard to drift.
Mastering each car is not hard as long as its setup correctly. I believe its more up to the car builder than the driver.
J2N: Growing up and battling friends on the touge, did you ever expect Drifting to become such a worldwide phenomenon? What do you think draws so many people to this sport?
NOB: Actually, when I was driving touge, I couldnt imagine that drifting would become this big. But due to the hard work by Video Option and Mr. Keiichi Tsuchiya, it has been able to grow into an international sport like it is today and things are still evolving at a tremendous pace. I think what draws people to this sport is the unusual movement of the cars. People are used to seeing cars move forward or backwards, but not sideways. Its not easy at first, but I see more and more people getting into drifting and getting better at it.
J2N: It seems like D1 competitors are raising the bar every single race and with only one main judge overseeing the entire event, how fair do you think the results are?
NOB: Actually there are 2 judges, Manabu Suzuki and Keiichi Tsuchiya. Im not sure how fair the judging is but what I do know is that every event is judged differently. So my main focus is to listen closely to what the judges are looking for on that particular track and run the way they want us to.
J2N: Youve always held the cleanest lines around the track, maintain the fastest speeds, drift with an unbelievable amount of angle, and have mastered the tire smoke. What else is there left to do and what do you think will be the next revolutionary step for this sport?
NOB: Since Im also a professional racecar driver, I want to be the fastest one out there when drifting. I always think about how I can improve my performance. What else is left to do? Personally, all I can do is to come up with new techniques and try them. For example, smoking the tires started about 2 years ago. Nomuken used to smoke his tires but I was the one that started smoking them in high speeds. All the other drivers are highly skilled so they caught on very fast. The next revolutionary step for this sport would definitely be spreading the sport all over the world. And Id like to contribute to the sport of drifting by going to many countries to make it bigger and better.
J2N: Competing in GT300, Super Taikyu, and D1 must be overwhelming at times. On a professional level, how hard is it to toggle between drift and grip driving and what makes you so successful in both?
NOB: [with a sarcastic grin] Oh thats easy. I have a button on my back that I push to allow myself to toggle between drift and grip. I did it at GT Live last year. I think my success comes from experience. Ive been running GT and D1 for some time now.
J2N: Everyone sets some type of personal goals for themselves. What are yours and have you achieved them yet?
NOB: My current goal is to be able to drive in GT500, which is a step up from GT300. Super GT is currently one of the highest rated races in Japan and racing with the top drivers is where I want to be. Another goal I have is to drift the whole entire 25km long Nurburgring track in Germany. I also want to do a drift demo at the Macau Grand Prix.
J2N: Being such an inspiration for drivers around the world, what advice do you have for enthusiasts looking to break into professional racing and who do you look up to?
NOB: My advice for those who are thinking about racing professionally is to have a clear mind set. Backtrack and calculate how long it will take to achieve each goal and execute. Another word of advise is dont be embarrassed, talk to all the people around you and tell them your goals. You never know who you might come across that might become the key to your success.
J2N: The readers of JTuned would like to know your thoughts on HKS switching to a new chassis towards the end of last season when you stood a very good chance of winning the championship and what are your other hobbies and interests outside of the automotive realm?
NOB: It was disappointing that we couldnt become champion last year. I personally wanted to finish the season with the Silvia RS-2 and bring home the title for HKS as well as myself. I loved the RS-2 and I really wanted that car to retire with the champion title with under its name.
Outside of motorsports, my hobby is playing golf. I enjoy it so much I started my own tournament called the NOB Cup. We now have it about once a month.
Thanks to everyone who took the time to read my article. Lets help support the sport of drifting. Thank you.JTuned is humbled and honored to have had the chance to sit with one of the greatest Japanese drivers of all time. We wish NOB the best in his lifes endeavors and would personally like to thank him, his manager Daigo Kasami, and Andy Cheng of HKS USA for making all of this possible.
JTUNED
If youve ever had the chance to witness this man in action youll understand why his reputation precedes himself. A soft-spoken guy who towers over his competition (literally) NOB has a keen eye for choosing the right lines and observantly picks up on his competitors strengths and weaknesses. With an insatiable quench for speed, we had the chance to stop him in his tracks just long enough to ask a few questions.
J2N: What was your very first car and what made you get involved in Motorsports?
NOB: My first car was a Nissan Caravan, which I used to haul my mini bike. I started to race mini bikes when I was 16 and became Japan National Champion when I was 18. When I was 19, I had a really bad accident on my bike and broke both legs and right arm. Thats when I realized how dangerous riding a bike was and I switched to driving cars. This is when I bought my first car which was a Hachiroku.
J2N: What other vehicles have you owned since then and which do you call your favorite of all-time and why?
NOB: First I owned 5 Hachis. Then a white S14 and 20valve Hachi. After that, my S15 which I still own. At the same time I had a JZX100 Mark II and a left-hand drive Hachi. Then came the Windom (Lexus ES300 in the US), Celsior (Lexus LS430), a red S14 (currently wrapped in full Vertex Aero), a Mercedes E55 Wagon, and my newest car a red 180SX (also wrapped in full Vertex). Right now, I have the S15, S14, 180SX, and my daily driver E55 wagon.
J2N: Where are you from originally and were you associated with any racing car clubs while growing up?
NOB: I was born and raised in Hiroshima. When I started running togue, I was a member of a local car club called After Fire.J2N: Do you still keep in touch with any of the old members and are any competing in Motorsports or remain in the industry?
NOB: Yes, I keep in touch with some of the old members. Theyre my friends so I hang out with them when I go back to Hiroshima. The only member that is still in the industry is Mr. Tomokane. Hes the chief mechanic for Carmake T&E. For those of you who dont know what T&E is, it is the company that makes Vertex body kits and is owned by D1 driver Takahiro Ueno.
J2N: I noticed that both you and Mr. Ueno favor red cars. Is this just a coincidence or is there a reason behind this?
NOB: In my mind, red and yellow symbolize the ultimate exotic sports cars like Ferraris and Lamborghinis. I personally prefer red over yellow. Im not sure why Mr.Ueno likes red cars. I think its just a coincidence that his Soarer is red because a lot of his other cars are different colors.
J2N: What jobs have you had before you became a professional racecar driver?
NOB: When I was in Hiroshima, I had many part time jobs. To name a few, I used to work for a transport company carrying copy machines. I also worked for a local used car dealership. And I also was once a tofu delivery boy when I was about 20 years old. Some of you might wonder but no, I didnt deliver tofu in my Hatchi going downhill thru the touge. I used a delivery truck just like I was supposed to.
J2N: What is your most memorable automotive experience?
NOB: My most memorable automotive experience is with my 4th Hachi-roku. I loved that car to death. For me it was the car that I can control freely as I commanded. The setup was perfect. But back in the day, there was a time when something called Oni-can (translated demon camber) was popular. Oni-can is when you apply obscene amounts of negative camber. I tried this and ended up totaling the car near my neighborhood while drifting. I never liked the look in the first place, but now I know never to do it again.
J2N: Being such a highly regarded test pilot for manufacturers, what do you look for when building your own personal vehicles?
NOB: All the fixed up cars I own need to be comfortable and responsive. I hate turbo lag so I dont like large turbos for my personal cars. I also keep the gear ratio low to improve the response. Aesthetically, I like to keep everything really simple. All my Silvias have KAROism floor mats and my policy is never to install cup holders. I also cant stand dirty cars so I always keep my car clean and wash it every week.
J2N: Why did you choose to use a heavy sedan like the Aristo as a drift car and what is the vehicles main purpose?
NOB: I chose the Aristo because I thought it would be perfect for the US. Potentially, I know its not the best choice. Its big and heavy but I wanted to build a car that will stand out. Originally, the Aristo was designed to be a luxury sedan, not a drift car. So I thought it would be cool to try something different. Also, compared to the conventional 2L engine drift cars, this 3L (turned 3.4L) will pump out more horses and hopefully make a bigger impact for the people watching. For those of you who read the articles about this car in the US magazines, I want to point out that there was some incorrect information. The car is my personal car and the engine build was done by none other than HKS. Mr.Ueno (Carmake T&E) helped out with the body kit.
J2N: Being one of the most technologically advanced racecars on the track, could you name a few unique characteristics of your four-door Toyota?
NOB: I think the vehicle itself is its most unique part. Its a luxury sedan that isnt designed to be driven sideways. But I wanted to prove that with the right people and support, anything is possible. Oh but what a waste of a fine car
J2N: Going from Silvias, to an Altezza, and now to an Aristo, what are the major advantages/disadvantages of these platforms when it comes to drifting and how hard is it to master each one?
NOB: The HKS D1 Silvia RS-2 was a great vehicle. It was light, fast, and reacted very quickly. Of all the cars Ive driven in the past, this is the best drift car ever made. The Altezza on the other hand started as an NA car and didnt have any power. If we raised the power, the transmission would break. But after HKS added some parts and tuned the car, it transformed into something completely different. And after months of testing, it turned out to be a very competitive vehicle. It now has a HKS dog type transmission and now planning to change to a sequential gear box. The concept of the Altezza is to build a car using off-the-shelf parts. So unlike the Silvia RS-2, the Altezza doesnt have any special modifications. No spot welding, the roll cage is bolted down, not welded, so anyone can buy the same parts and copy the HKS Altezza if they really wanted to. Both cars were nicely built by the HKS Racing Division, and all the weak points it used to have, have been eliminated so I dont see any disadvantages.
The advantage of the Aristo is that it has the potential to make 6-700 hp. But like I mentioned before, it is heavy and has a long wheel base which makes it really hard to drift.
Mastering each car is not hard as long as its setup correctly. I believe its more up to the car builder than the driver.
J2N: Growing up and battling friends on the touge, did you ever expect Drifting to become such a worldwide phenomenon? What do you think draws so many people to this sport?
NOB: Actually, when I was driving touge, I couldnt imagine that drifting would become this big. But due to the hard work by Video Option and Mr. Keiichi Tsuchiya, it has been able to grow into an international sport like it is today and things are still evolving at a tremendous pace. I think what draws people to this sport is the unusual movement of the cars. People are used to seeing cars move forward or backwards, but not sideways. Its not easy at first, but I see more and more people getting into drifting and getting better at it.
J2N: It seems like D1 competitors are raising the bar every single race and with only one main judge overseeing the entire event, how fair do you think the results are?
NOB: Actually there are 2 judges, Manabu Suzuki and Keiichi Tsuchiya. Im not sure how fair the judging is but what I do know is that every event is judged differently. So my main focus is to listen closely to what the judges are looking for on that particular track and run the way they want us to.
J2N: Youve always held the cleanest lines around the track, maintain the fastest speeds, drift with an unbelievable amount of angle, and have mastered the tire smoke. What else is there left to do and what do you think will be the next revolutionary step for this sport?
NOB: Since Im also a professional racecar driver, I want to be the fastest one out there when drifting. I always think about how I can improve my performance. What else is left to do? Personally, all I can do is to come up with new techniques and try them. For example, smoking the tires started about 2 years ago. Nomuken used to smoke his tires but I was the one that started smoking them in high speeds. All the other drivers are highly skilled so they caught on very fast. The next revolutionary step for this sport would definitely be spreading the sport all over the world. And Id like to contribute to the sport of drifting by going to many countries to make it bigger and better.
J2N: Competing in GT300, Super Taikyu, and D1 must be overwhelming at times. On a professional level, how hard is it to toggle between drift and grip driving and what makes you so successful in both?
NOB: [with a sarcastic grin] Oh thats easy. I have a button on my back that I push to allow myself to toggle between drift and grip. I did it at GT Live last year. I think my success comes from experience. Ive been running GT and D1 for some time now.
J2N: Everyone sets some type of personal goals for themselves. What are yours and have you achieved them yet?
NOB: My current goal is to be able to drive in GT500, which is a step up from GT300. Super GT is currently one of the highest rated races in Japan and racing with the top drivers is where I want to be. Another goal I have is to drift the whole entire 25km long Nurburgring track in Germany. I also want to do a drift demo at the Macau Grand Prix.
J2N: Being such an inspiration for drivers around the world, what advice do you have for enthusiasts looking to break into professional racing and who do you look up to?
NOB: My advice for those who are thinking about racing professionally is to have a clear mind set. Backtrack and calculate how long it will take to achieve each goal and execute. Another word of advise is dont be embarrassed, talk to all the people around you and tell them your goals. You never know who you might come across that might become the key to your success.
J2N: The readers of JTuned would like to know your thoughts on HKS switching to a new chassis towards the end of last season when you stood a very good chance of winning the championship and what are your other hobbies and interests outside of the automotive realm?
NOB: It was disappointing that we couldnt become champion last year. I personally wanted to finish the season with the Silvia RS-2 and bring home the title for HKS as well as myself. I loved the RS-2 and I really wanted that car to retire with the champion title with under its name.
Outside of motorsports, my hobby is playing golf. I enjoy it so much I started my own tournament called the NOB Cup. We now have it about once a month.
Thanks to everyone who took the time to read my article. Lets help support the sport of drifting. Thank you.JTuned is humbled and honored to have had the chance to sit with one of the greatest Japanese drivers of all time. We wish NOB the best in his lifes endeavors and would personally like to thank him, his manager Daigo Kasami, and Andy Cheng of HKS USA for making all of this possible.
JTUNED
