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Lexus Unveils Amazing Full-Size Origami Car

Folks over at Lexus are full of surprises; that’s clear as the bright, blue sky. First they create a functional hoverboard that levitates over water and now this. You though carbon fiber is cool? Check this origami Lexus IS saloon hitting the road and think again.
Lexus Origami Car 9 photos
Photo: Lexus
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Carbon fiber is the new black, and you have it everywhere. From Formula One machinery to entire toilets made out of the lightweight and robust material, people just love it. Therefore, it’s quite difficult to bring the old into the new and make people enjoy the view. Hey, Origami has been around forever, yet it remains a favorite among gifted craftsmen.

Speaking of talented people that can create beautiful things, Toyota’s high-end branch claims the Lexus Origami Car is a faithful replica of the new IS saloon, “produced as a celebration of the human craftsmanship skills that go into every car Lexus makes.”

According to the luxury carmaker, the skilled man and women - known as Takumi - who work on the Lexus production lines hone their dexterity skills by learning how to fold paper into a origami cat model, using only their non-dominant hand. It truly seems to be a matter of skill and subtle touch.

To prove the level of talent, Lexus has commissioned their best people with the Origami Car. Inside, the paper car has everything a regular Lexus would, while functioning doors, headlights, and rolling wheels accurately complete the big picture. Thanks to an electric motor mounted on its steel and aluminum frame, it can even be driven.

Sure, origami means folding paper, but considering the size of the project, Lexus had a little help from their friends, namely LaserCut Works and Scales and Models. The London-based specialist companies have an extensive experience in the design and creation of prototypes, architectural models, and bespoke commissions. Here’s how they did it:

“Lexus provided the team with a digital 3D model of the IS, which was then divided into a series of principal parts, such as the main body, dashboard, seats and wheels. These were then digitally rendered in 10mm “slices” to provide the two-dimensional profiles needed for the laser cutting of each of the 1,700 sheets of 10mm-thick of cardboard – supplied by packaging experts DS Smith. Each layer was given its own reference number to help ensure it was assembled in the right sequence, and the entire assembly was done by hand. A water-based/wood glue was used, which had to be left to set for 10 minutes after each application. Accuracy was vital, as changes couldn’t be made once the glue had dried. In all, the Origami Car took three months to build.”

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