A Toyota made of wood... But don't worry, the Setsuna is a prototype

The prototypes of major brands are usually designed to surprise us all. That is what they are for: to show everything a brand’s designers and engineers can do to improve the models on the market, and they can bring us many interesting things to make us dream of getting behind the wheel of those cars. And now, Toyota joins the group of those presenting impossible, yet undeniably impressive, cars.

The Toyota Setsuna is a prototype from the Japanese brand with a very special feature: its main material is wood. A real challenge for the designers, but for a good cause. It is an exhibition model that will be on display at the Milan Design Week, the leading showcase for design, where there is always room for proposals from the automotive industry.

The idea Toyota wants to convey with this model is that the time we spend with our car allows us to accumulate experiences and moments that must be cared for and treasured. Hence the use of wood, a material that is hard yet at the same time delicate, which must be maintained and protected with great care.

A design meant to keep memories for several generations

The wood used comes in several types, depending on where it sits in the car, since the exterior does not take the same punishment as the interior. The bodywork is “alive“, in the sense that the wood does not stay unchanged over time: external conditions such as temperature and humidity make it change color and appearance, something the designers want to emphasize with this car.

It is Design Week, so they also wanted to showcase emission-free propulsion technology. This car, meant to be looked after across several generations, is fully electric. Once again, the worlds of design and the driving experience join forces. Just don’t expect to see it on the streets, because it is not a car that will ever go into production. Or so we believe…

Source | Toyota