From April 11 to April 17, Milan will be the world center of all things design. From furniture manufacturers to fashion houses, a lot of companies will be present at the Milano Design Week to highlight the uniqueness of their products. Toyota is going to be there too, with a rather curious concept.
Introducing the Toyota Setsuna Concept, a work of wonder made predominantly of wood. I know, right? One of the world’s most farsighted automakers, the brand that popularized hybrid powertrain technology, has prepared a wooden car for the Milanese expo.
Standing 3,030 mm long and 970 mm high, the two-seater concept car is motivated by an electric powertrain. The Japanese automaker has yet to specify what kind of electric powertrain, but I wouldn’t be surprised if engineers sourced an electric motor from the fourth generation of the Prius. According to Toyota, the concept’s name translates to moment.
The company explains that it has chosen the Setsuna nameplate “to reflect that people experience precious, fleeting moments together with their cars. Toyota believes that, over time, these collective moments make their cars irreplaceable to their owners.” So sweet and tender-hearted, isn’t it?
All the Japanese cedar and birch that went into making the Setsuna happens to be joined without using nails or screws, which is rather impressive. “The completed body line of the Setsuna expresses a beautiful curve reminiscent of a boat. We would also like the viewer to imagine how the Setsuna will gradually develop a complex and unique character over the years. The car includes a 100-year meter that will keep time over generations, and seats that combine functional beauty with the gentle hue of the wood,” declared Kenji Tsuji, the engineer who oversaw the development of this cutesy wootsy wooden concept car.
Editor's note: What would happen if termites were to attend the Milan Design Week?
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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