RIP Jiro Yamada, legendary automotive cutaway illustrator who turned engineering into art

Jiro Yamada, the singularly talented automotive artist, passed away in August 2025 at the age of 65 following a battle with pancreatic cancer. Out of respect for his lifelong preference for privacy, news of his passing was only shared with the automotive greater community last week. Yamada was renowned for his cutaway illustrations, which depicted not just beautiful exterior lines, but the many layers of mechanical parts that make cars cars.

Born in Aichi Prefecture in 1960, Yamada discovered his gift for merging the technical and the beautiful at a young age. He began his professional career as an illustrator at age of 19. Long before the digital age, Yamada’s hand-drawn masterpieces lifted the veil of sheetmetal and made the unseen visible. He lent his hand to publications like Car Graphic, Motor Fan, and Navi, helping readers and enthusiasts reveal the secrets of the machine with his philosophy of “expressing both the rationality and beauty of machines at the same time.”

Not all of Yamada’s illustrations were cutaways. He was also sought out by carmakers to ink brochures, advertisements, and other print materials. His reach extended beyond automobiles as well, penning the inner workings of the Kawasaki MBB BK117 helicopter and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s (the nation’s NASA counterpart) Mitsubishi Heavy Industries LE-5 rocket. Both were considered revolutionary in the way technical details were presented in their respective fields.

Western audiences were likely introduced to Yamada via his cutaway illustrations in Road & Track magazine. His style instantly recognizable to anyone remotely curious about cars, and acclaimed across the auto industry. Younger generations may have seen his work in the Gran Turismo Guidebook, a strategy guide for the seminal PlayStation game.

In the days of pen and paint, Yamada spent weeks preparing for each work before drawing a single stroke. He studied photos, blueprints, and manuals for days, mapping out each component. His deep understanding of mechanical anatomy was matched only by his skill with ink and airbrush.

Around the turn of the century Yamada transitioned to digital tools. It allowed him to add more into the drawings, sometimes creating layers and full renderings of components that would even be seen in the final product. Yamada shared his digital process using a Porsche 906 as an example.

In the physical world, Yamada was a car connoisseur of the highest order. He favored cars that expressed mechanical purity and engineering beauty. He had an affinity for lightweight classics from Europe like Lotuses, Fiats, rally-bred Lancias, as well as Japanese staples like the Mazda Roadster and Toyota AE86. His real-life stable included a Honda Beat and his beloved Siberia Blue Autozam AZ-1.

Before his death, Yamada conferred his library of works and legacy to the Museo Della Cinquecento in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, a city where he spent over half his life. Those who wish to own one of his cutaways can purchase prints at the official museum store.

Despite being highly technical, Yamada’s works were deeply soulful. Yamada’s signature aesthetic permeated the auto industry in a way few artists could. They became educational texts, records of automotive accomplishments, and inspirations to anyone with a fondness for the mechanical. Jiro Yamada leaves behind a masterful body of work that will continue to inspire automotive engineers, historians, long after the last of his subjects have ceased to exist.