Tom Matano, the famed designer of the original Mazda Miata, FD RX-7, and more, has passed away. The Japan native was born in 1947 in Nagasaki, Japan and studied engineering at Seikei University in Tokyo but then left for America to enroll in the prestigious Art Center School of Design in Pasadena, California to study automotive design. Upon graduation he was hired in 1974 at General Motors, working first in the Oldsmobile division and then at Holden in Australia.
From there Matano headed to Munich and BMW in 1982, where he worked on the early stages of the E36 3-series. Before long, however, he was recommended to fill the chief designer role at Mazda’s North American operations in southern California.
Mazda is where Matano secured his legacy as a legendary designer, penning timeless icons like the first- and second-generation MX-5 Miatas, as well as the third-generation RX-7. Matano was also largely responsible for transforming Mazda’s studio network into a global leader in automotive design.
After retiring from Mazda, Matano went on to head the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. His passing is a great loss for the automotive community.
On a more personal note, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Mr Matano a few times over the years. We’ll have more in-depth words to share soon. Our heartfelt condolences go out to his friends and family. He will be deeply missed.
