Lexus Takes Interior Craftsmanship To The Next Level With The New LS Sedan

Attention to detail has just been taken to new heights by Lexus with the new LS flagship sedan. As much as this sounds like an exaggeration, the extent Lexus’ interior craftsmen, referred to as 'Takumi' have gone to finish the cabin of the car is mind-blowing.

So, in order to show the world how much work and effort has gone into the car’s interior, Lexus has released a series of videos showcasing what it calls the ‘Takumi Craftsmanship’ and how some of the unique features in the car were created, which includes:

Origami Fabric Pleating

Created by applying the time-honoured skills of Origami paper folding, the draped pleating of the door panels combines traditional art with advanced manufacturing technologies, translating into a feature which showcases the timeless appeal of Japanese craftsmanship and also the artistic side of Lexus. 

Kiriko Glasswork

Kiriko is a Japanese coloured glass craft known for its unique engraved patterns. How it is produced is that a glassblower blows clear glass into a paper-thin shape of colored glassand then rotates it to make the overall form. By cutting patterns into the outside surface, a vivid contrast of color and transparent glass is created.

There are two main regions producing Kiriko glass, the region of Tokyo producing the famous clear Edo Kiriko and the region of Satsuma in the South of Japan, which is famous for its wide choice of colours.

In this case, the Kiriko glass panels that accent the interior doors of the All-New Lexus LS were designed by master craftsman Toshiyasu Nakamura, who hand-sketched, cut and polished the glass prototypes. Believe it or not, it took Hideki Ishioka 18 months to perfect a modern production process that could remain faithful to Mr. Nakamura’s unique designs.

Shimamoku Wood

To create the symmetrical Shimamoku wooden trim featured across the LS' dashboard, centre console and door trim, alternating layers of dark and light wood veneers are layered and shaped in a process involving 67 manufacturing steps. 

The natural woodworking processes mentioned above is then combined with sophisticated Japanese slicing and laser-cutting techniques to produce three contrasting finishes for use in the new LS - Art Wood Organic, Art Wood Herringbone and Laser Cut Special Wood.

According to Lexus, the focus has been on producing bold contrasts between light and dark, giving the grain patterns and colours a more vibrant appearance.

“I hope that when you open the door you’ll experience an immediate, intuitive sense that you’re looking at an interior that is unlike any luxury car before,” said Chief Designer Koichi Suga.

On top of all of the above, we have the organically shaped dash design clusters information displays at a uniform height to support the “seat-in-control” layout that emphasizes the driver’s ability to operate all systems without changing body posture.

According to Lexus, this interpretation of a traditional Japanese artform was a key part of Chief Designer Koichi Suga’s vision for the car.

“As a Japanese luxury brand, we wanted to integrate elements of Japanese culture and the timeless appeal of Japanese craftsmanship to express the artistic side of Lexus", said Suga.