Toyota will present the Setsuna prototype, a "concept car" made of wood, at Milan Design Week/Salone del Mobile next month. The decision to use wood - a durable but transformable material - reflects Toyota's efforts to strengthen the bond between people and their cars. The Setsuna concept symbolises how cars have changed over the years, how they embody the aspirations, memories and emotions of generations of a family. With this concept, Toyota wants to convey that just as the family lovingly cares for the car, so too will the car acquire a different kind of value that only family members can appreciate.
The name of the car - Setsuna means "moment" in Japanese - was chosen to highlight the fact that people experience precious but fleeting moments with their cars. Toyota believes that, over time, these moments shared with family will make the car irreplaceable for the owner.
To embody the concept, Toyota chose a variety of wood types for different parts of the car, including its exterior, chassis, floor and seats. Wood has unique and appealing characteristics not offered in ordinary cars. It - wood - can live for generations if well maintained, but at the same time it can change colour and texture in response to the environment (especially temperature and humidity) and conditions of use. It thus adds a certain character and depth.
To embody the concept, Toyota chose a variety of wood types for different parts of the car, including its exterior, chassis, floor and seats. Wood has unique and appealing characteristics not offered in ordinary cars. It - wood - can live for generations if well maintained, but at the same time it can change colour and texture in response to the environment (especially temperature and humidity) and conditions of use. It thus adds a certain character and depth.
Kenji Tsuji, the Toyota engineer overseeing the development of the Sesuna project, said, "We evaluated different ways to express the concept and selected different types of wood, such as Japanese cedar for the exterior parts and Japanese birch for the chassis. We also paid close attention to the dimensions and arrangement of individual elements. For the assembly structure we adopted a traditional Japanese carpentry technique which is called okuari and does not use nails or screws. The Setsuna's body line is a wonderful curve that makes you think of a boat. We would also like the viewer to imagine how Setsuna will develop a unique and complex character over time. The car has a built-in 100-year memory clock that will show time over generations. Also in the car are seats that combine functional beauty with the soft hue of wood," said Kenji.
For those who want to see the car live, they can do so from 12 to 17 April. 11 April is reserved for the media.
More technical details here.
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