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Lexus crafts working IS sedan out of cardboard [w/video]

People make model cars out of all sorts of material: wood, plastic, metal... and sure, even cardboard. What sets this one apart is that it's built to scale – as in, full scale – and what's more is that it can actually be driven. Then again, we couldn't vouch for its crashworthiness, so that might not be advisable. The replica Lexus IS sedan was commissioned by the Japanese automaker's UK office and made by two British workshops: Scales & Models and LaserCut Works. It's inspired by the Japanese art of origami and made out of cardboard, except for the working parts and the frame made of steel and aluminum. It's got a fully functional interior, opening doors, working headlights, rolling wheels, and an electric motor. The form is made up of cardboard 10 millimeters (0.4 inches) thick, provided by packaging company DS Smith. The material was laser-cut into 1,700 components, according to a 3D digital model provided by Lexus, and assembled by hand and painstakingly fixed into place by water-based wood glue that has to set for 10 minutes between each step. Little wonder that the whole project took three months to complete. The finished product will be on display at the NEC in Birmingham later this week during the Grand Designs Live Show. But if you're not planning on heading there yourself, you can check it out in the image gallery above and making-of video below. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. 05 Oct 2015 LEXUS UK UNVEILS FULL-SIZE ORIGAMI INSPIRED CAR REPLICA IS MODEL CELEBRATES LEXUS CRAFTSMANSHIP • Created as a celebration of the skills of Lexus's takumi craftsmen and women, capturing the spirit of Creating Amazing in design and engineering • Life-size replica of the Lexus IS, crafted from 1,700 fully recyclable laser-cut cardboard sheets • Created by a five-strong team of professional designers and modellers from UK specialist companies LaserCut Works and Scales and Models, supported by DS Smith (cardboard manufacturers) • Powered by an electric motor, the Origami Car can be driven Brussels, Belgium - 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 model crafted in precision-cut cardboard. The remarkable 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.

Lexus NX rolls on wheels made of ice

To create this rolling ice sculpture, Lexus teamed up with London-based Hamilton Ice Sculptors, which fitted the compact luxury crossover with wheels and tires crafted from ice. The sub-zero craftsmen then deep-froze the entire vehicle, stored it at -22 degrees Fahrenheit, and drove it around London – pleasantly surprised to find that it started on the first try. As far as publicity stunts go, the finished product looks even cooler than the cardboard IS that Lexus had crafted a few months ago or the biometric glow-in-the-dark RC F from this past summer. The project took three months of research, design, and testing to carry out. The wheels replicate the alloys on the NX with millimetric precision, right down to the tread pattern, and each one took a team of four craftsmen 36 hours of work to complete. Of course, blocks of ice would have a hard time supporting the weight of the vehicle – especially while in motion – so the frozen wheels were reinforced with clear acrylic discs. And to make it all glow, they were also fitted with in-wheel LED lighting. This isn't the first time we've seen ice sculptors apply their skills to automobiles, following the frozen Canadian Tire pickup, Toyota Land Cruiser, Nissan Cube, and Saab Aero-X we've seen in recently years. But this one is at least as cool, in one sense or another. Scope out the results in the video above, and the process that went into their creation in the making-of video below. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. LEXUS NX RIDES ON THE WORLD'S COOLEST WHEELS – CRAFTED IN SOLID ICE The concept of driving on ice has taken on a whole new meaning for Lexus, which has crafted the world's first set of working wheels and tyres made from frozen water. Brussels, Belgium - True to its mission of "creating amazing" and inspired by the craftsmanship that goes into every vehicle it makes, Lexus commissioned a team of ice sculpture specialists to explore how ice could be used in place of conventional alloy metal and rubber. After three months' research, design and testing, the finished wheels were fitted to a Lexus NX for the ultimate ice drive. The car itself was deep-frozen, stored for five days at -30°C (it started first time) before being driven off down a London road. The addition of in-wheel LED lighting added an extra dramatic dimension to the cutting-edge contemporary styling of the NX.

Lexus readying hot IS F Coupe

The 2014 Lexus IS sedan has been turning heads and dividing public opinion since we first drove it. Then, as now, we knew that a revamped IS F would be in the offing at some point, but until today we had know idea what form the Lexus would take.
Our first ever batch of 2015 Lexus IS F spy shots has just come across the transom, and the camouflaged coupe - that's right, there are just two doors this time out - is awfully intriguing at first glance. A much more aggressive front end is prominent, as is the slinky roofline that finishes in a pert rear end. The signature IS grille is still in effect here, at least in terms of the shape, and while the headlamps are covered up, we'd expect some variation of the slash-like units on the 2014 IS.
Hinting at the car's performance intentions are large slotted brake rotors with significantly sized calipers, all tucked in behind dark-finish wheels. Quad exhaust tips and a retractable spoiler can be seen at the back of the car.