Lexus, inspired by Origami

There has never been a Lexus like it: sheet metal, glass and plastics have been set aside for the creation of a one-off, life-size IS model crafted in precision-cut cardboard.

The Origami Car was created by five professional designers and modellers using 1 700 fully recyclable laser-cut cardboard sheets, in celebration of Lexus’s takumi craftsmen and women.

The takumi workers on the Lexus production lines hone their dexterity skills by learning how to fold paper into an origami model cat, using only their non-dominant hand.

Lexus says the Origami Car takes the spirit of this talent to a far higher level, while also embracing the spirit of Lexus’s Creating Amazing global brand campaign.

It’s not just for show, either … The Origami Car has a fully fitted interior, functioning doors, headlights and rolling wheels. It is powered by an electric motor (mounted to a steel and aluminium frame) so it can also be driven!

The Origami Car took three months to build. Ruben Marcos, Scales and Models Company founder and director, explains: “This was a very demanding job, with five people involved in the digital design, modelling, laser cutting and assembly. Just like Lexus, we were committed to producing the best possible quality.”