Japanese car manufacturer Toyota has shared a sneak peek at its new concept vehicle which is constructed primarily out of wood.
Japanese car manufacturer Toyota has shared a sneak peek at its new concept vehicle which is constructed primarily out of wood.
toyota
The car is dubbed the Setsuna, and although it is not road approved, it is a fully functional motor vehicle.
The car is dubbed the Setsuna, and although it is not road approved, it is a fully functional motor vehicle.
toyota
The Setsuna can run at 28 mph and seats two people.
The Setsuna can run at 28 mph and seats two people.
toyota
86 wooden panels make up the car's body.
86 wooden panels make up the car's body.
toyota
The wooden panels are secured using traditional Japanese techniques known as <em>okuirari </em>and <em>kusabi.</em>
The wooden panels are secured using traditional Japanese techniques known as okuirari and kusabi.
toyota
These interlocking techniques allow for multiple panels to be joined together without the use of nails or screws.
These interlocking techniques allow for multiple panels to be joined together without the use of nails or screws.
toyota
Therefore, each individual wooden panel can be easily removed and replaced.
Therefore, each individual wooden panel can be easily removed and replaced.
toyota
The interior of the car is also composed primarily of wood, but it features leather finishes at some parts for comfort.
The interior of the car is also composed primarily of wood, but it features leather finishes at some parts for comfort.
toyota
The designers also used aluminum on the wheel caps, seat frames and steering wheel.
The designers also used aluminum on the wheel caps, seat frames and steering wheel.
toyota
The dashboard features a unique clock that not only counts hours and minutes, but also the years.
The dashboard features a unique clock that not only counts hours and minutes, but also the years.
toyota
Toyota's wood car fits like a jigsaw puzzle

Story highlights

Toyota debuts Setsuna, a new concept car

It is built using 86 handmade wooden panels

CNN  — 

Japanese car manufacturer Toyota, has revealed a brand new ride. But this contraption looks more like a toy car than a fully functioning vehicle.

The Toyota Setsuna is a concept vehicle crafted entirely of wood.

The two-seater is due for an official reveal at Milan Design Week next Tuesday, but with a mere 28 mph capacity for speed, the car is designed more so as a symbolic gesture rather than for use on the road.

Not your average family car

Described by Toyota as an “heirloom crafted in wood,” the Setsuna represents a timeless family car.

A clock on the dashboard also counts years
A clock on the dashboard also counts years
courtesy toyota

“When we created Setsuna, we envisaged a family pouring its love into it over generations, so that the car gains an irreplaceable value,” Toyota said in a statement.

Wood was chosen as the primary material for the car’s body.

Read: Discover the ‘origami-inspired’ car made out of cardboard

“As time passes, wood changes in color – the physical changes in its wooden bodywork reflect the bond it has built with its owners and their shared experiences.”

The dashboard also features a clock that records the number of years (up to a hundred) that it has been with a particular family.

Traditional techniques meet functionality

The body of the car is made of 86 handmade wooden panels, each of which are joined together using traditional Japanese interlocking techniques known as okuriari and kusabi.

The car is built using 86 wooden panels
The car is built using 86 wooden panels
courtesy toyota

Read: This car drives on ‘ice wheels’

This method allows for panels to be fitted without nails, so that when it undergoes a routine maintenance check, single panels can be removed and replaced without requiring a full overhaul.

Take a closer look at the Toyota Setsuna in the gallery above.