Born: February 7, 1972 Okayama, Japan
Taguchi made his rally debut in a Group N Mitsubishi Lancer on the Rally New Zealand in 1994. In 1995 he moved to Australia to take up rally racing full-time. He based his rally activities from Ralliart Australia and competed in national events in Australia, New Zealand and Malaysia. He moved to Malaysia in 1997 and for 3 years competed in the Malaysia National Rally Championship ultimately winning the Group N Champion. He took an impressive 5th in the Group N category during the 1997 Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC). In 1998 he won in the Group N category on the APRC Malaysia Rally. On the 1999 APRC, he not only won overall but also took the Group N series Champion marking a spectacular double title victory. He participated on the 2001 Cyprus Rally of the WRC as part of the Mitsubishi works team. On his first attempt at the European round of the WRC, he at one point climbed to the 10th overall position. However, he was forced to retire midway through the event. But his unique talent was on display throughout the event and he subsequently received widespread acclaim for his efforts. He returned to Japan in April 2002 and became an employee of Ralliart Japan. He then competed in the British Rally Championship in order gain further experience. On the Rally of Wales he finished a magnificent 7th overall. In 2003 he entered the 2003 APRC although not all the rounds. But on the 2004 APRC he competed in all the rounds and ended the series 3rd. In 2005 he clinched the overall victory on the 4th event of the season the
Rally Hokkaido and subsequently placed 5th in the series ranking. He went on
to take the overall victory on the Rally New Caledonia on the 2nd round of
the 2006 APRC. During this season he took 3rd and 4th two times each and
ultimately ranked 3rd in the series. In 2007, he participated in the WRC on a limited basis and took a spectacular victory in Gr-N on the Rally Japan (14th round). On the APRC, he was not able to reach his goal of Champion despite taking a hard-fought 2nd on the Rally New Caledonia (Rd. 1), the Rally of Canberra (Rd. 3), the Rally Hokkaido (Rd. 4) and the Rally Malaysia (Rd. 5) and finished the season 3rd in the series ranking. For the 2008 APRC season, there are high expectations for Team MRF Tyre to clinch its second champion title. This will also mark Taguchi's fifth pairing with veteran co-driver Mark Stacey.
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 1999 China Rally  2003 Asia Pacific Rally  2004 Asia Pacific Rally  2005 Asia Pacific Rally  2007 Rally Japan |