Overview
- Multiple outlets report Matano died on September 20, 2025, with the automotive community widely acknowledging his passing.
- He is credited with creating the original NA and second‑generation NB Mazda MX‑5/Miata and with shaping the third‑generation FD RX‑7, rising from Mazda North America’s chief designer to head of global design.
- Before Mazda, his career included roles at General Motors and Holden, followed by BMW, with additional contributions such as the NA‑based Mazda M Coupe concept.
- After leaving Mazda in 2002, he led the Academy of Art University’s School of Industrial Design in San Francisco, transitioning to Director Emeritus in 2025.
- Tributes from enthusiasts highlight his constant presence at events; reports differ on his age at death (76 or 77), and at least one obituary cites a battle with cancer that has not been universally confirmed.