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IT TAKES TIME TO CREATE AMAZING

The Making of a Masterpiece

Time. It is what separates Lexus from all others. The time our Master Craftsmen take to hone their senses and perfect their skills to extraordinary levels. The time we invest in getting every detail just right. The time we spend to ensure that every Lexus that leaves the plant is absolutely flawless and ready to transport you both physically and emotionally. These nine short episodes offer a glimpse into the making of a masterpiece.

60,000 Hours:

Becoming A Takumi

It takes 10,000 hours to become an expert, 60,000 to become a Takumi -- the title bestowed on Lexus Master Craftsmen. This documentary tells the story of their incredible ability to create and connect in a way that machines simply cannot. So that in a world increasingly driven by robotics and artificial intelligence, craftsmanship, the very heart of luxury, remains the driving force at Lexus.

The Making of a Takumi

Takumi is an ancient Japanese term that means “artisan”. At Lexus, our Takumi are Master Craftsmen who ensure that every Lexus is finished to unprecedented standards. They are the heart, soul, and driving force behind our uncompromising quality, and peerless attention to detail. They are legendary in the automotive industry for their almost superhuman sense of touch, sight, and hearing. It takes 25 years of experience to become a Lexus Takumi Master. They are the reason we confidently say, nothing is crafted like a Lexus.

THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS

There is only one route to superior craft, and it takes extraordinary attention and dedication to detail. A Lexus Takumi Master Craftsman undertakes 60,000 hours of practice and training to achieve this. These ‘Takumi’ are the guardians of our craft at every stage of production. From the test drivers, who must undergo rigorous testing and training, to the room where future Takumi train their senses, these films will show why nothing is crafted like a Lexus.

Becoming Takumi

It takes 10,000 hours to become an expert, 60,000 to become a Lexus Takumi Master Craftsman – their skills and superhuman senses helping to craft a Lexus beyond the limits of any machine or artificial intelligence.

Time to be Flawless

To test his team, a Lexus Takumi Master Craftsman hides a mark on a car's paintwork. Not one flawed body has ever slipped past the team.

The Perfect Road Test

Each Lexus is road tested by drivers whose senses have been honed over the course of 2000 laps. This enables them to detect the slightest deviation from perfection.

Training the Senses

At the Lexus Tahara Plant, in Aichi, Japan, there is a room where workers' complete speed and dexterity tasks to hone their skills and senses -- and help them on their way to becoming a Takumi Master Craftsman.

Almost Superhuman

After 60,000 hours of practice and training Lexus Takumi Master Craftsmen develop almost superhuman senses. Sight that can see marks invisible to the untrained eye, hearing that can tune an engine with surgical precision, and a sense of touch that can detect imperfections down to a fraction of a millimeter.

Superhuman Hearing

Every Lexus engine is put through rigorous inspection to ensure an unrivaled driving experience. Craftsmen, like Takumi Master Kojima, are instrumental to this process, pouring over the engine personally -- looking, touching and listening to seek out flaws that untrained eyes and ears would never notice.

Superhuman Touch

In the Lexus factory even a microscopic imperfection is considered unacceptable. Craftsmen, like Takumi Master Oiwa, are able to use their super-trained sense of touch to check for tiny defects in the body work.

Superhuman Sight

After years of experience Takumi Master Craftsman Tanaka has developed the ability to see flaws in paintwork not visible to the untrained eye.

THE HARMONY OF MAN AND MACHINE

Unrivaled craft only comes from robots and humans working in harmony. Programming the unique senses of highly skilled craftsmen into the consistent and efficient movements of our robotic technology, has resulted in unparalleled Lexus craftsmanship.

Robot and Takumi

Water polishing makes the body perfectly smooth to prevent tiny irregularities in paint work. Robots that perform this task are trained to mimic strokes and movements of expert craftsmen.

Creating a Masterpiece

At Lexus, Human and Machine work together to deliver unrivaled craftsmanship in the making of every car. Robots achieve consistent quality and workers' unique senses ensure perfection.

CRAFTED FOR YOU

From the biggest elements to the smallest details, the superhuman senses of our Takumi are dedicated to elevating your senses every time you slip behind the wheel.

Experience Amazing

From the very start, Lexus has understood the importance of time. The time it takes to get every detail right. To craft a vehicle that exceeds expectations at every turn. We put that time in, so that you can make the most of yours every time you get behind the wheel.

Explore Experience Amazing

Stitched to Perfection

As with other Lexus models, the RX’s dash is hand-stitched. The dexterity, hand-eye coordination and experience of a Takumi ensures that the stitching is executed perfectly. As part of their qualifications as a stitching craftsman, a Takumi must pass a unique test: fold a perfectly constructed origami cat, using only the non-dominant hand, within 90 seconds.

Explore the Lexus RX

A Symphony of Sound

The engine that powers the UXh, as with other Lexus models, is a masterpiece of engineering. To the trained ears of the Takumi in charge of engine assembly, a Lexus engine produces a sophisticated symphony of 20 different sounds, which must be finely tuned. Similar to the conductor of an orchestra, he knows that the crankshaft, pistons and camshaft are working when all sounds hum in perfect harmony.

Explore the Lexus UXh

A Work of Art

The luxurious paints that cloak each Lexus, like the LS, are the result of one of the most intensive steps in the entire production process. The Takumi who specialize in paint application complete the fine art of wet polishing by hand to create a mirror finish. They inspect the exterior finish using special red, green and blue (RGB) lighting - ensuring that even the tiniest imperfection, invisible under white lights, can be removed before the Lexus automobile is released.

Explore the Lexus LS