OREANDA-NEWS. March 31, 2016. Despite being a concept car, the Setsuna offers basic vehicular performance and is able to drive, turn, and stop. In order to achieve this, each type of wood—including wood selected for use in components—was selected for a specific application. For the exterior panels, Japanese cedar was selected for the vividness and refinement of its wood grain and its flexibility as a material. For the frame, Japanese birch was selected for its strong rigidity; for the floor, Japanese zelkova was selected for its strength and excellent durability, and for the seats, the smooth-textured castor aralia was selected.

To fully express the beauty of certain wood grains, two patterns of Japanese cedar can be exchanged to make up the exterior panels of the Setsuna. These two patterns are the straight grain, cut toward the center of the logs, and the cross grain, cut at an appropriate distance from the center of the logs. The straight grain gives a formal impression with the grain showing sharply and evenly. In contrast, the cross grain is softer and more irregular, with different types of grain visible in each piece of wood, creating a quaint and friendly impression.