Ichiro Hirose

MANAGING EXECUTIVE OFFICER; POWERTRAIN DEVELOPMENT, VEHICLE DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCT PLANNING MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION

- Jeremy Chua

FOR enthusiasts, the engine or “heart” of a car is just as important as its design, if not more important. After all, a car’s powertrain exerts enormous influence on the car’s overall character and performance.

Powertrains are something that Ichiro Hirose knows well. The 57-year-old, who marked his 34th year with Mazda last month, has spent most of his career working in the carmaker’s engine-related divisions.

Although Hirose-san joined Mazda in 1984, his first significant appointment only came in 2009, when he was made general manager of the Engine Design Engineering Department. In 2011, he became the deputy general manager of the Powertrain Development Division.

The following year, he was sent to Germany where he assumed the post of vice-president at Mazda Motor Europe. After a two-year stint, he returned to Powertrain Development, a division he has stayed in for the past four years.

Hirose-san’s division is certainly making waves for Mazda. At the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show, the manufacturer announced Skyactiv-X, a new petrol engine that promises huge gains in performance and efficiency through the use of very high compression ratios.