With most car brands racing to bring the future to the present; Toyota seems to be racing backwards to bring the past into the present with this wooden concept car—the Toyota Setsuna. The inspiration behind creating the vehicle is the Ise Grand Shrine in Japan that is torn down every 20 years. Every two decades, the Japanese build a new shrine using wood and no nail. The ritual is being followed for more than 1,300 years now, and it is a way to promote cultural continuity. Hence, instead of joining the rat race to create a self-driven futuristic vehicle, Toyota has made a car using wood, as the material symbolises aging. The brand has used an unusual Japanese technique that requires no screw or nails to put the parts of the wooden car together. Setsuna in Japanese means a ‘moment‘ that aims to symbolise the special time one spends with the vehicle. The car will be showcased at the Milan Design Week to be held in April this year.
