Materials for Design

European Walnut (Juglans regia)

Wood is for many people a status symbol. Like the metals family, wood carries with it a rich history of associations, references and stories. Combined with the decadent smell of leather, the interior of a car is one of the places where these aspirational qualities are valued most highly. Even with cuttingedge technology elsewhere in the car and the use of advanced materials, wood still occupies a strong position in creating consumer stories.

Walnut is one of those woods that is as famous for its natural decorative qualities as it is for the fruit that it bears. From the period of around 1620–1720, which became the ‘Age of Walnut’ due its use in fine English furniture, to its use in that most British of cars, the ...