0:00:07 > 0:00:10We just want to be the best at what we do.
0:00:10 > 0:00:12And we don't engage in any programme,
0:00:12 > 0:00:16be it Formula 1 or the production of the McLaren 12C,
0:00:16 > 0:00:20unless we can realistically expect to be the best in the world.
0:00:27 > 0:00:28If you built a Formula 1 car and you wanted it
0:00:28 > 0:00:33to go as quick as it possibly could with massive amounts of horsepower,
0:00:33 > 0:00:36these are the trick bits you'd put on a Formula 1 car.
0:00:36 > 0:00:40It's British engineering at its best.
0:00:40 > 0:00:41We're taking on the world of sports cars.
0:00:45 > 0:00:49Formula 1 has the most technically-advanced gadgets,
0:00:49 > 0:00:52you know, it's like NASA of motorsport.
0:00:52 > 0:00:56I think NASA would compare themselves to us, to be honest.
0:00:56 > 0:01:01The temperatures coming out of the exhausts are approximately about 800 degrees,
0:01:01 > 0:01:04so we've seen problems with the bumpers melting before.
0:01:07 > 0:01:09To actually be here looking at the car like this,
0:01:09 > 0:01:12at this stage of the programme, is unheard of.
0:01:12 > 0:01:14This is almost as if it's in the womb of the mother,
0:01:14 > 0:01:16and not even the doctor has seen it yet.
0:01:17 > 0:01:21This is a dirty job, but somebody's got to do it.
0:01:21 > 0:01:24Heavy most of the time, hot some of the time.
0:01:27 > 0:01:29It's more than just one person's dream,
0:01:29 > 0:01:33this holds really the future key to 800 jobs in automotive.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35There's a lot riding on this working.
0:01:45 > 0:01:47Hidden amongst the Surrey countryside
0:01:47 > 0:01:49lies a building like no other.
0:01:50 > 0:01:55The glass-and-steel structure is the brainchild of both the architect
0:01:55 > 0:02:00and one of Britain's best automotive engineers, McLaren boss Ron Dennis.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03Lots of people visit this facility and sort of cross-reference us
0:02:03 > 0:02:05to a sort of Bond film or something.
0:02:05 > 0:02:09I haven't quite had a stuffed white cat presented to me
0:02:09 > 0:02:14to stroke at my desk, but those comparisons have been drawn.
0:02:14 > 0:02:16Is that such a bad thing, though?
0:02:16 > 0:02:19I mean, what's being portrayed is someone who is
0:02:19 > 0:02:21clearly looking to have
0:02:21 > 0:02:24an incredible environment in which to take on the world.
0:02:25 > 0:02:27And it's an environment
0:02:27 > 0:02:30where every detail is thoroughly thought through.
0:02:32 > 0:02:34Ron is obsessed with perfection.
0:02:37 > 0:02:39Now here there's a broken tile.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42Most people would be annoyed and just, as I am, thinking,
0:02:42 > 0:02:44"Oh, that's a broken tile."
0:02:44 > 0:02:48But the reality is that when it's changed it will be imperfection
0:02:48 > 0:02:51because effectively the colour won't match.
0:02:51 > 0:02:55It's impossible. Tiles come in batches, therefore...
0:02:55 > 0:02:58you can see here, this one's been changed. Doesn't that bug you?
0:02:58 > 0:03:00It bugs me. Big time.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05It's 7.30am and one of McLaren's newest recruits
0:03:05 > 0:03:06is on her way to work.
0:03:06 > 0:03:12My name's Rachel, I'm 19 and I'm currently a trainee at McLaren,
0:03:12 > 0:03:17so after I've done that, I'll become a full-time production member. There's
0:03:17 > 0:03:20the big McLaren sign there, which is lit up red
0:03:20 > 0:03:24when either Jenson or Lewis wins at a Grand Prix.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29Rachel Melvin is an apprentice production engineer.
0:03:29 > 0:03:34It really does look like a Batcave entrance with the spiral staircase going down
0:03:34 > 0:03:37and you can't really see anything
0:03:37 > 0:03:40until you get back up inside the building.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46This is not really a general entrance corridor,
0:03:46 > 0:03:49like any other building would have.
0:03:49 > 0:03:53I thought at first it looked like Charlie And The Chocolate Factory.
0:03:53 > 0:03:55You know, when they've got that massive white door
0:03:55 > 0:03:57that goes into nowhere.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00There's no question in my mind you are being mentally de-cluttered,
0:04:00 > 0:04:03and it's a cleansing experience.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06You are stimulated by the whiteness.
0:04:06 > 0:04:10I think there's a slightly sterile feel, but it's a small price to pay
0:04:10 > 0:04:14for someone coming into the building and then having the impact
0:04:14 > 0:04:18of all the colour that comes as a result of the products that we make.
0:04:18 > 0:04:22Comfy trainers off, big, clumpy work boots on.
0:04:22 > 0:04:26Not really a girlie-type shoe, but have to put up with it.
0:04:27 > 0:04:31It really is a maze, it's unbelievable.
0:04:31 > 0:04:33Unless you know where your going you'll definitely get lost.
0:04:33 > 0:04:35If you look at these two sides, you can see
0:04:35 > 0:04:38that side is exactly the same as that side.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41It's very easy to look at things in this building and question
0:04:41 > 0:04:46what anal mind is behind it and what is the thinking behind it.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49Of course, it's very apparent that it's very clean.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52It's less apparent that it is odourless.
0:04:52 > 0:04:54It is also a constant temperature.
0:04:54 > 0:04:59We hold the whole building within one degree of 22 degrees.
0:04:59 > 0:05:04There's no clutter in this building. Cluttered building, cluttered minds.
0:05:04 > 0:05:09It's the attention to detail that I'm really quite well known for.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12And in his search for perfection, Ron hopes the building's message
0:05:12 > 0:05:16can translate into McLaren's newest venture.
0:05:16 > 0:05:18I've worked in a few garages before,
0:05:18 > 0:05:20which is a lot more of a mucky environment,
0:05:20 > 0:05:21which I didn't like too much.
0:05:21 > 0:05:24This is a much better environment to work in,
0:05:24 > 0:05:25you don't smell of grease,
0:05:25 > 0:05:28you go home cleaner than you were before you came into work.
0:05:29 > 0:05:32The company is branching out of Formula 1
0:05:32 > 0:05:33and, for the first time ever,
0:05:33 > 0:05:38they aim to create and produce a range of road cars.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41I'm the privileged one that's orchestrating it.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44But I'm certainly not the only one.
0:05:44 > 0:05:47I am merely a chapter in the book.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50The first is the MP4-12C,
0:05:50 > 0:05:54which is being built in a special production line
0:05:54 > 0:05:56right next door to the company's Formula 1 cars.
0:05:58 > 0:06:00This is the production hall
0:06:00 > 0:06:02where the whole car is built from start to finish.
0:06:02 > 0:06:06This car doesn't really look like a car at the moment.
0:06:06 > 0:06:07As you can see, great big hole there
0:06:07 > 0:06:09where the engine will go when it's fitted.
0:06:09 > 0:06:13Gearbox also attached to engine.
0:06:13 > 0:06:15There is some interior, such as the dash
0:06:15 > 0:06:19and some of the carpet inside, you've got a lot of the wiring
0:06:19 > 0:06:22going on here, which obviously has to go in first.
0:06:22 > 0:06:23Moving down to this car,
0:06:23 > 0:06:27we've got some brake discs and callipers on it.
0:06:27 > 0:06:29These are the carbon ceramic brake discs.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32The car's now looking more like a car.
0:06:34 > 0:06:36It opens this way.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39If you move round to the front, you can also see that the bonnet's on
0:06:39 > 0:06:42and the front side panels are also on.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45This new venture is a big risk. The company has already invested
0:06:45 > 0:06:46nearly £800 million
0:06:46 > 0:06:51into what is a very competitive and established industry.
0:06:51 > 0:06:53It's great for engineering within the UK
0:06:53 > 0:06:57to have a real brand that's exciting, can really take the fight
0:06:57 > 0:06:58to a lot of brands around the world
0:06:58 > 0:07:00and supercars around the world.
0:07:02 > 0:07:04At £168,500 each, the new car
0:07:04 > 0:07:09is clearly aiming at high-end, luxury customers,
0:07:09 > 0:07:10customers who just might want
0:07:10 > 0:07:14a piece of Formula 1 engineering for themselves.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21But it's a big gamble for the company.
0:07:21 > 0:07:23I think this represents the best of world engineering
0:07:23 > 0:07:25because there is nowhere else in the world
0:07:25 > 0:07:28they're going to be able to match what our team's able to do.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37At this end of the building, we have the Formula 1 team
0:07:37 > 0:07:39with all the inherent technologies
0:07:39 > 0:07:42that are needed to support it.
0:07:42 > 0:07:46Here are the cars that were racing just two days ago.
0:07:46 > 0:07:50Engineering innovations from over 50 years of experience
0:07:50 > 0:07:53have often placed McLaren on the winning podium,
0:07:53 > 0:07:58but Ron knows he'll have to enjoy the same success with his new venture
0:07:58 > 0:08:00if it's to pay off.
0:08:00 > 0:08:03I've never really embraced coming second.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06I've always considered coming second as being the first of the losers.
0:08:06 > 0:08:10Formula 1 technology means the company builds
0:08:10 > 0:08:14some of the fastest and most sophisticated cars in the world,
0:08:14 > 0:08:20but mass-producing this car is going to be a whole new ball game.
0:08:26 > 0:08:31The car started life in the hands of this man and his team -
0:08:31 > 0:08:33chief designer Frank Stephenson.
0:08:33 > 0:08:35We're the guys that sit on the airplane,
0:08:35 > 0:08:39we don't watch movies, we sketch or we're sitting at a table in a restaurant,
0:08:39 > 0:08:43we're sketching on the napkin, we sketch in our heads.
0:08:43 > 0:08:48Designers, I think that's just a normal thing to sketch, sketch, sketch.
0:08:48 > 0:08:52Car designers like Frank use all sorts of inspiration.
0:08:52 > 0:08:57I personally keep some of my favourite animals in the studio.
0:08:57 > 0:09:01Sharks, there's a horse.
0:09:01 > 0:09:09I love that. I love shapes, so this is one of my favourite shapes.
0:09:09 > 0:09:13I get a lot of inspiration from looking at sculptures such as that.
0:09:13 > 0:09:15I'm never bored. Just walking down the street,
0:09:15 > 0:09:17you can find so many things,
0:09:17 > 0:09:20not just the shops, you can find things on the sidewalk,
0:09:20 > 0:09:23the type of tiles, the paintings on the signs,
0:09:23 > 0:09:26there's always something to inspire you.
0:09:26 > 0:09:28So where'd my bike go?
0:09:32 > 0:09:34My big interest since I was a kid was motorcycles.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37This just keeps me inspired because I look at it and think,
0:09:37 > 0:09:40if I had done it I probably would have ended up with something
0:09:40 > 0:09:41a bit different than that.
0:09:43 > 0:09:44I love that guy.
0:09:44 > 0:09:46You know, you'd think we're kids,
0:09:46 > 0:09:49because we're allowed to have these toys in front of us -
0:09:49 > 0:09:50that's the nature of any designer,
0:09:50 > 0:09:53you'll find they have a toy shop around them.
0:09:53 > 0:09:55The Fokker Dr.I, this is my favourite plane.
0:09:56 > 0:09:57Morning, Mark.
0:09:57 > 0:09:59Hi, Frank.
0:10:00 > 0:10:04And Frank's inspiration doesn't stop with his toys.
0:10:06 > 0:10:08I mean, if you look at the animal kingdom
0:10:08 > 0:10:11you'll see a lot of animals that were build for speed.
0:10:11 > 0:10:13None of them have fat on them, they're all shrink-wrapped.
0:10:13 > 0:10:18I mean, you could really relate to all the energy being coiled over the rear wheels,
0:10:18 > 0:10:21especially because that's the driving part of our car at the back,
0:10:21 > 0:10:22as an animal, or a cheetah or whatever,
0:10:22 > 0:10:25they're driving off their rear legs most of the time
0:10:25 > 0:10:28and you get the undulations of the skin
0:10:28 > 0:10:31and the muscles actually pushing through. That's an element
0:10:31 > 0:10:34that we're starting to actually bring into the design.
0:10:34 > 0:10:39Animals that have gone through hundreds of thousands of years of evolution, are still around,
0:10:39 > 0:10:41still look extremely beautiful,
0:10:41 > 0:10:44nobody says that a cheetah doesn't look beautiful.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47You know, it's an optimised design of what works.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50And therein lies the beauty of perfected design.
0:10:50 > 0:10:55While computers help Frank conceptualise his designs,
0:10:55 > 0:11:00it's vital for him to bring his computer images to life. Something he can physically touch.
0:11:00 > 0:11:02Good. Now I'm going to take you into the design studio.
0:11:02 > 0:11:04It's probably the most restricted area
0:11:04 > 0:11:06in the McLaren Technology Centre,
0:11:06 > 0:11:10very rare that people come in here even within McLaren itself,
0:11:10 > 0:11:14so what I'll show you is what we actually do in here.
0:11:14 > 0:11:16And when you come in,
0:11:16 > 0:11:18you'll notice there's a very sticky pad here.
0:11:18 > 0:11:20That collects anything that's on your feet,
0:11:20 > 0:11:24so we have a very, very clean area here to work in.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27What you are going to see is the clay model
0:11:27 > 0:11:29and, contrary to popular belief,
0:11:29 > 0:11:32it's actually done by people who build it by hand
0:11:32 > 0:11:34so mostly they're like trained sculptors
0:11:34 > 0:11:37who are very, very efficient at creating a physical object
0:11:37 > 0:11:41from a sketch and they are masters at what they do.
0:11:41 > 0:11:46McLaren are incredibly secretive when it comes to showing off their clay designs,
0:11:46 > 0:11:52because they are constantly experimenting with the finer shapes and contours for their cars.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55To actually be here looking at the car like this
0:11:55 > 0:11:57is unheard of, we don't let anybody in.
0:11:57 > 0:11:59I mean, for us, it's a joy to come in
0:11:59 > 0:12:01and see the baby sort of being developed.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04This is almost as if it's in the womb of the mother.
0:12:04 > 0:12:06The advantage of clay,
0:12:06 > 0:12:08it's been around for the whole history of car design,
0:12:08 > 0:12:11is because you can actually put it on the model
0:12:11 > 0:12:14and then if you put too much on you can take it off,
0:12:14 > 0:12:17if you need more, you can put it on. It's almost a labour of love.
0:12:17 > 0:12:19You have to actually get very close to the model
0:12:19 > 0:12:22and feel how the transition from a hard radius
0:12:22 > 0:12:25goes to a softer radius. We can't do that on a computer screen.
0:12:25 > 0:12:27It's almost as if you could design the car blind.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30You don't have to see it you, have to feel it,
0:12:30 > 0:12:33and by feeling it, you feel if it's right or if it's not right.
0:12:34 > 0:12:39The design work is obviously the first thing a customer sees.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42But underneath the skin, engineers have taken advantage
0:12:42 > 0:12:45of some of their Formula 1 innovations.
0:12:45 > 0:12:50Chief mechanic to racing legends Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost,
0:12:50 > 0:12:54Neil Trundle has worked with McLaren for over four decades.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57You do 10, 15, 20 years of travelling
0:12:57 > 0:13:00and then you kind of think you've seen every hotel and track.
0:13:00 > 0:13:04The passion doesn't go but then you want to find a job at base,
0:13:04 > 0:13:06see the family.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09This is the F1 preparation area,
0:13:09 > 0:13:15where we prepare the cars for demonstrations, for testing,
0:13:15 > 0:13:18and also, we prepare our old historic cars.
0:13:18 > 0:13:23This is MP4/1, the first carbon-chassis car ever made.
0:13:23 > 0:13:25This is an old friend of the family.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28The new car has its genesis in this Formula 1 car,
0:13:28 > 0:13:31the first to use a lightweight material
0:13:31 > 0:13:33borrowed from the aerospace industry -
0:13:33 > 0:13:34carbon fibre.
0:13:34 > 0:13:39Everyone had narrow chassis, same kind of shape as this,
0:13:39 > 0:13:42but because of this inherently weak area here,
0:13:42 > 0:13:46the aluminium chassis were twisting. When we did the carbon chassis,
0:13:46 > 0:13:50we realised we achieved a 100% stiffer chassis
0:13:50 > 0:13:51than had been made before,
0:13:51 > 0:13:56so suddenly our car was, you know, the leading technology.
0:13:56 > 0:14:00Some of the other teams said that it was a fragile material,
0:14:00 > 0:14:01that it would shatter,
0:14:01 > 0:14:06but all the accidents we've had in it proved that it was up to the job.
0:14:06 > 0:14:10And since then, carbon chassis have got stronger and stronger
0:14:10 > 0:14:11and safer and safer.
0:14:11 > 0:14:13But this was the start of it.
0:14:13 > 0:14:17Not only was the company's carbon chassis stronger and safer,
0:14:17 > 0:14:18it was also a lot lighter,
0:14:18 > 0:14:22which meant acceleration and handling were greatly improved.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25And applying these design features to the new road car
0:14:25 > 0:14:27has obvious advantages.
0:14:29 > 0:14:32In the 1990s, McLaren set the land-speed record
0:14:32 > 0:14:35for the fastest road car at the time -
0:14:35 > 0:14:39240mph in this, the XP5.
0:14:40 > 0:14:44The secret was the carbon-fibre chassis, called a monocell.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47But it took 4,000 man hours to make
0:14:47 > 0:14:50and cost the lion's share of the £600,000 price tag,
0:14:50 > 0:14:53so production numbers were limited.
0:14:53 > 0:14:55But through precision engineering,
0:14:55 > 0:14:59strength like this can now be mass-produced by the company
0:14:59 > 0:15:01at a much lower cost.
0:15:01 > 0:15:05How do you make a composite car, which is normally unaffordable,
0:15:05 > 0:15:08ie north of 500,000 euros,
0:15:08 > 0:15:13how can you make the same car for 2,000 euros?
0:15:13 > 0:15:17Well, that remains a closely-guarded secret at McLaren.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20But, all of the new road cars start life like this,
0:15:20 > 0:15:22a carbon-fibre tub.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28This is the very first component that goes to making the car.
0:15:28 > 0:15:29Without the tub,
0:15:29 > 0:15:31the interior doesn't have anywhere to fit
0:15:31 > 0:15:33and you can't put the crash structure on,
0:15:33 > 0:15:36you can't put the engine in, you can't put the body panels on.
0:15:36 > 0:15:37Everything about this tub
0:15:37 > 0:15:40is maximised to combine as many functions as possible
0:15:40 > 0:15:42into a single component.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45Everything has to be perfect in order for us
0:15:45 > 0:15:47to be able to build the car.
0:15:48 > 0:15:54The tub is made away from prying eyes in a factory in Austria.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03Now what I have here is a Biax material,
0:16:03 > 0:16:06which means that on one side, you have fibres running that way,
0:16:06 > 0:16:09and on the other side, you have fibres running that way.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12That's held together by the stitching that you can see here.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15Now, by layering this up in different ways,
0:16:15 > 0:16:18by using the Triax material and the Biax material,
0:16:18 > 0:16:21we can orientate the strength in the direction that we want it
0:16:21 > 0:16:24without adding additional weight.
0:16:24 > 0:16:29Pieces of carbon fibre are layered until they form the correct shape.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32This is the part of the process that I'm really excited about.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35It's where we actually combine the carbon-fibre pre-forms
0:16:35 > 0:16:39with the resin that will hold the whole lot together
0:16:39 > 0:16:40and form the carbon monocell.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43So, we have three different areas of this system.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46We have the pre-form loading section,
0:16:46 > 0:16:48which is what you can see behind me,
0:16:48 > 0:16:50we have the transfer system,
0:16:50 > 0:16:53which will then take the tool from this area into the press
0:16:53 > 0:16:56and we then have the resin injection system,
0:16:56 > 0:17:00and that is where all of the clever bits are done.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04This machine is where a secret process
0:17:04 > 0:17:08injects a resin into the mould under intense pressure.
0:17:08 > 0:17:11Unfortunately, I can't go into too many details
0:17:11 > 0:17:14because it is top secret, it's the sensitive area of the tub
0:17:14 > 0:17:16where we really don't want everyone to understand
0:17:16 > 0:17:21exactly how we make what is effectively the recipe for the tub.
0:17:21 > 0:17:23This secret system is completely unique to McLaren
0:17:23 > 0:17:27and means a new tub can now be produced about every four hours.
0:17:29 > 0:17:35With this process, we've reduced the number of man hours it takes
0:17:35 > 0:17:37to build the chassis from 4,000 on the F1 road car
0:17:37 > 0:17:42down to four hours on the MP4-12C, which makes me really proud.
0:17:42 > 0:17:46Once the engineers have the monocell back in the UK,
0:17:46 > 0:17:49the rest of the car can start to be built.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52The first stage of the assembly takes place at Unit 22,
0:17:52 > 0:17:54two miles from the main building.
0:17:54 > 0:17:56Welcome to body assembly.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59So this is the start of the MP4-12C.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02This is where we get the first components,
0:18:02 > 0:18:04the start of the production line for us.
0:18:04 > 0:18:06So within this unit, we're completing that monocell
0:18:06 > 0:18:08prior to it going to paint.
0:18:08 > 0:18:12The first things added to the tub are the crash structures,
0:18:12 > 0:18:15which help absorb energy in the event of an impact.
0:18:18 > 0:18:19Every car is hand-built
0:18:19 > 0:18:22and assembled by a team of engineers.
0:18:23 > 0:18:27You load these longies, you load them into here,
0:18:27 > 0:18:30with the clamps and so what, slide it in, slide it in,
0:18:30 > 0:18:33put the bolts in, tighten the bolts up.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36Job's a good 'un, out it comes.
0:18:36 > 0:18:38It looks all technical and tricky and that,
0:18:38 > 0:18:40but it's just three parts there.
0:18:40 > 0:18:42All that, just to put three parts on, that's what the jig's for,
0:18:42 > 0:18:44to make sure they're all in the right position.
0:18:44 > 0:18:49Many of the body parts are made from a special, lightweight plastic material
0:18:49 > 0:18:52and are secured using an extremely strong adhesive.
0:18:52 > 0:18:56This allows them to bond plastic, carbon fibre and aluminium together
0:18:56 > 0:18:58and is the same bonding technique
0:18:58 > 0:19:00used in the aircraft and space industries.
0:19:00 > 0:19:04Better than superglue. But you've got two parts to it -
0:19:04 > 0:19:06you've got the orange and the yellow sides.
0:19:06 > 0:19:10One is harder. Once it's bonded, it doesn't come apart.
0:19:10 > 0:19:12Once you've applied all the adhesive
0:19:12 > 0:19:15then you've got to put the parts into the jig.
0:19:15 > 0:19:17You line it up on these two holes here,
0:19:17 > 0:19:20which line up on these two pins here
0:19:20 > 0:19:24and then you put that in, pull the clamp round and locks it into place.
0:19:24 > 0:19:27With the body panels attached,
0:19:27 > 0:19:29the car is moved from jig to jig,
0:19:29 > 0:19:32where the various other parts are fitted into place.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35It's like a big Airfix kit, really, you know,
0:19:35 > 0:19:37it's a similar thing, obviously a bit more complicated.
0:19:37 > 0:19:39There's so many clamps and heaters,
0:19:39 > 0:19:42you've just got to make sure they're all on.
0:19:42 > 0:19:44With the car's outer pillars in place,
0:19:44 > 0:19:48the rear body upper structure is attached.
0:19:48 > 0:19:52Then the side panels, which attach to the lower side of the car.
0:20:02 > 0:20:06And with the rear panels fitted, the roof tops the list and the body is complete.
0:20:17 > 0:20:20The body is then taken to a huge robot arm,
0:20:20 > 0:20:26which measures 356 points to make sure everything is in place to within thousandths of a millimetre.
0:20:26 > 0:20:30The process time within body assembly, from getting that carbon fibre tub
0:20:30 > 0:20:35to a completed monocell that you see on the CMM is a total of 495 minutes.
0:20:35 > 0:20:40Our main aim in the facility in MPC is to get one car out every 45 minutes.
0:20:40 > 0:20:45Currently, the new car is assembled within two separate buildings,
0:20:45 > 0:20:51but to streamline the process, a new facility is being built to house everything under one roof.
0:20:51 > 0:20:55And if the company's to make this a viable project,
0:20:55 > 0:20:59they need to ramp up production from 10 to over 80 cars a week.
0:21:00 > 0:21:08One of the biggest challenges when you're trying to build a super car, is without question, paint quality.
0:21:08 > 0:21:12Painting cars is often an automated process,
0:21:12 > 0:21:15but here, even this is done by hand.
0:21:15 > 0:21:20It's going to take over 12 hours from the body first entering the paint shop until it leaves.
0:21:20 > 0:21:23And in this facility, attention to detail is everything.
0:21:23 > 0:21:25We do it until it's perfect,
0:21:25 > 0:21:27until every surface on this car is flat.
0:21:27 > 0:21:31Until all the imperfections are sorted, we won't let it go through.
0:21:31 > 0:21:35It can be tough but we don't stop until we get it right.
0:21:35 > 0:21:39You're just fighting against dust, dirt, sweat, water...
0:21:39 > 0:21:41That's why we wear gloves.
0:21:41 > 0:21:43Everything that can contaminate paint,
0:21:43 > 0:21:46no matter how small it is, will contaminate it.
0:21:49 > 0:21:54We all take pride in making sure it is perfect and some, you know.
0:21:54 > 0:21:59After day's work you can't wait to jump in the shower or bath.
0:21:59 > 0:22:04Plenty of deodorant. But the correct stuff because some deodorants can contaminate the paintwork.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07Some hair gels do affect the paint work as well,
0:22:07 > 0:22:09but some people don't have to worry about that.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12I don't have to worry about that, no. Thank you, John(!)
0:22:33 > 0:22:39Behind the booths, paint mixer David Carter has worked in the trade for over 30 years.
0:22:39 > 0:22:40This is called a paint kitchen
0:22:40 > 0:22:46because you make stuff and create masterpieces, if you like.
0:22:46 > 0:22:51Different tinters and Xirallics, metallics, straight colours, reds, greens.
0:22:51 > 0:22:54All colours of the rainbow and some.
0:22:54 > 0:22:59I would imagine with these tinters we can reproduce any colour that you could ever imagine.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02Today, Dave is hand mixing volcano orange.
0:23:05 > 0:23:09Gently stir it in, trying not to splash any out or onto the side,
0:23:09 > 0:23:14and with the special colours, the extra sparkle as well.
0:23:14 > 0:23:17Sometimes it may just sit on the bottom there
0:23:17 > 0:23:22and using a clear cup you can see those last bits in there.
0:23:22 > 0:23:24You don't want to get to a point where you pour it out
0:23:24 > 0:23:28and half the ingredients are still stuck to the side or bottom.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31But before the paint goes on, there's one last job to do.
0:23:36 > 0:23:38This is an anti-static gun.
0:23:43 > 0:23:47We pass it over the vehicle and it takes away the static electricity,
0:23:47 > 0:23:54which draws particles to the body and will end up as dirt inclusion.
0:23:54 > 0:23:57Finally, the paint can be applied.
0:23:57 > 0:24:01This is a pressure-pot system where all the paint is in a pot at the front there.
0:24:01 > 0:24:07The pot is charged and paint is fed through the line at a constant rate.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18The cars come in a variety of colours,
0:24:18 > 0:24:22but whatever the customer chooses, they have to pass an eagle eye.
0:24:22 > 0:24:26My name is Claude but my nickname in the business
0:24:26 > 0:24:28is either Hawkeye or The Master.
0:24:29 > 0:24:33If I see something, I have to pull it up. I just can't leave it.
0:24:33 > 0:24:39I am fussy. I have to be for these sort of jobs.
0:24:39 > 0:24:41Customers are looking for perfection and I have to deliver that.
0:24:43 > 0:24:46I'm looking through the centre of the door.
0:24:46 > 0:24:51I'm looking for flat marks, which will be where I've DA'd the panel.
0:24:51 > 0:24:55I'm going to look through there to see if the panel is uniform all the way through.
0:25:00 > 0:25:02It's going to be one of those days
0:25:02 > 0:25:04where this panel is going to be spot on.
0:25:04 > 0:25:05HE LAUGHS
0:25:05 > 0:25:10Once painted, the car is ready for the rest of the assembly process.
0:25:10 > 0:25:14First, is the electrics, which come in something called a loom.
0:25:14 > 0:25:18In this box is the wiring loom for the car, in its entirety.
0:25:18 > 0:25:22With over 2km of cable and 2,000 individual circuits,
0:25:22 > 0:25:25it takes a team of three men to put it in place.
0:25:28 > 0:25:32The way we put the loom in is, operator one sits in the middle
0:25:32 > 0:25:35and feeds the loom from the inside of the car to the rear,
0:25:35 > 0:25:37and then feeds it to me, operator three,
0:25:37 > 0:25:40from the inside of the car to the front.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43I am, literally, the middle man.
0:25:43 > 0:25:45One feeds and one tugs.
0:25:45 > 0:25:47Your knees and your back, they tend to hurt
0:25:47 > 0:25:51after about 10, 15 minutes, but it's not too bad.
0:25:51 > 0:25:52You get used to it.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55I run it across the back and then make sure it's not twisted,
0:25:55 > 0:25:57and once I've made sure it's not twisted,
0:25:57 > 0:26:00there's a fir tree up here which I plug in,
0:26:00 > 0:26:03and then I drop it through this gap here,
0:26:03 > 0:26:05work out which wires go where.
0:26:05 > 0:26:07It's not too bad once you've done it a few times.
0:26:07 > 0:26:11You get the hang of it. You get to know which plugs go which side,
0:26:11 > 0:26:13which side the wiring loom's got to go in.
0:26:13 > 0:26:15It's the nervous system, the veins.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18Without a loom, nothing's going to work.
0:26:18 > 0:26:21You have to be careful of the plugs, because they can break easily
0:26:21 > 0:26:26if you're a bit ham-fisted with it, but other than that, it's all right.
0:26:26 > 0:26:30We just work all right as a team. Everyone sort of mucks in
0:26:30 > 0:26:33and you just get the job done, really.
0:26:33 > 0:26:36Help each other out where needed.
0:26:36 > 0:26:41It's all compact. It's like moving a stick without breaking it.
0:26:41 > 0:26:43It's just a bit hard to move, get into place,
0:26:43 > 0:26:48try and get the plugs coming out in the right directions, just getting it sitting nice,
0:26:48 > 0:26:51so you can put the rest of the interior on top of it
0:26:51 > 0:26:54without wires bulging out everywhere.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56It can be tricky.
0:26:57 > 0:26:59The team fit out a loom in just two hours,
0:26:59 > 0:27:02but to hit the targets for the future,
0:27:02 > 0:27:05they'll be trying to do this job in 45 minutes,
0:27:05 > 0:27:08which means more workers and more space.
0:27:10 > 0:27:14Since March 2010, this purpose-built production line has emerged on
0:27:14 > 0:27:18the landscape right next to the main building for exactly that reason.
0:27:20 > 0:27:24Operations Director Alan Foster is in charge of the build.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27It's really only when you stand up on the hill that you actually
0:27:27 > 0:27:29see the true scale of the production centre.
0:27:29 > 0:27:33All you see is the top one-third. I mean, there's a basement underneath here.
0:27:33 > 0:27:37For McLaren to succeed with their ambitious business plan
0:27:37 > 0:27:40and recoup their costs, the new facility has to increase production
0:27:40 > 0:27:43to at least 2,000 cars a year.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46So, what you've got here is general assembly.
0:27:46 > 0:27:48It's just a larger version of what we saw previously
0:27:48 > 0:27:50in the technology centre.
0:27:50 > 0:27:52It's a row of 18 cars on the right-hand side,
0:27:52 > 0:27:5314 cars on the left-hand side.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56They come back towards us before they move off into completion.
0:27:58 > 0:28:03When you open this door, you'll walk onto the production floor of McLaren Automotive.
0:28:03 > 0:28:06This is the new production centre for the 12C.
0:28:06 > 0:28:10So we've got body construction, which is just to the right of me,
0:28:10 > 0:28:12just behind the wall is the new paint shop,
0:28:12 > 0:28:14and then general assembly,
0:28:14 > 0:28:18and then final vehicle and line certification for the cars
0:28:18 > 0:28:20before they go out to the customers.
0:28:20 > 0:28:24You can create a facility to do today's job,
0:28:24 > 0:28:29but in five years' time, that facility possibly won't be able to do what you want to do,
0:28:29 > 0:28:30so then you're into large structural changes,
0:28:30 > 0:28:35equipment changes - very expensive - so what we've tried to do is maintain openness,
0:28:35 > 0:28:38and there's only really three hard points in the facility -
0:28:38 > 0:28:41the rolling road, the monsoon and the paint shop.
0:28:41 > 0:28:46Everything else is completely interchangeable, at almost within a week's notice.
0:28:49 > 0:28:53The carbon-fibre mono-cell tub is not the only F1 innovation
0:28:53 > 0:28:56to cascade into the new car.
0:28:56 > 0:29:01They've also included a technology that was actually banned from Formula 1.
0:29:01 > 0:29:04We've introduced some very innovative ideas over the years.
0:29:04 > 0:29:07Brake steer was our secret weapon.
0:29:07 > 0:29:11Brake steer was a fourth pedal, inside the cockpit.
0:29:11 > 0:29:15So, conventionally, you had three pedals - the throttle,
0:29:15 > 0:29:17the brake and the clutch.
0:29:17 > 0:29:19We introduced a fourth pedal on the left,
0:29:19 > 0:29:23and in the corner, the driver could squeeze that pedal
0:29:23 > 0:29:27and it biased the drive to the outside wheel
0:29:27 > 0:29:30and enhanced the turning of the car.
0:29:30 > 0:29:34Well, we kept it a secret for, I think, about six races,
0:29:34 > 0:29:38and then a journalist put his camera down inside the car
0:29:38 > 0:29:42and he got a picture of that fourth pedal, and the secret was out.
0:29:42 > 0:29:45But it's a great method of improving the cornering.
0:29:45 > 0:29:51Neil's car had an extra pedal, but the 12C does this all via computer.
0:29:51 > 0:29:55At this speed, the car would normally follow this line,
0:29:55 > 0:29:59but using brake steer allows it to follow this line,
0:29:59 > 0:30:03holding the apex of the corner and killing any understeer.
0:30:03 > 0:30:07By taking into account the speed and steering angle,
0:30:07 > 0:30:10the computer works out the correct trajectory.
0:30:10 > 0:30:14Located in the front luggage compartment, it sends a signal
0:30:14 > 0:30:16to the inside rear brake when cornering,
0:30:16 > 0:30:20allowing the car to effectively pivot around the desired path.
0:30:20 > 0:30:23So all you feel is like someone's grabbed hold of
0:30:23 > 0:30:26a pole on the inside and you're swinging around it,
0:30:26 > 0:30:27so it just buys you
0:30:27 > 0:30:31massive cornering performance without having to compromise high-speed stability,
0:30:31 > 0:30:34and so we've got the best of both worlds.
0:30:34 > 0:30:37But it's not just the brake steer that helps with handling.
0:30:37 > 0:30:42The braking system on the 12C means it can come to a complete stop
0:30:42 > 0:30:45from 124mph in just five seconds.
0:30:46 > 0:30:51Making sure the car will stop quickly and safely is a big responsibility,
0:30:51 > 0:30:55and today, it falls to trainee Rachel, who's about to fit the brakes.
0:30:55 > 0:30:57I've taken the brakes apart before,
0:30:57 > 0:31:00I've taken the callipers off and a couple of the discs,
0:31:00 > 0:31:01but I haven't done it to process.
0:31:01 > 0:31:04- One EPB.- Cool.
0:31:04 > 0:31:09As an apprentice, Rachel is under the watchful eye
0:31:09 > 0:31:11of a more-experienced assembly engineer.
0:31:14 > 0:31:18The torque values are set for each bolt and for whatever material it's going into.
0:31:18 > 0:31:21It just ensures that it's not going to come undone
0:31:21 > 0:31:26and it's at the highest tightness sort of thing that the car can go for,
0:31:26 > 0:31:28and now it's going to be checked by the quality engineers.
0:31:28 > 0:31:31- Charlie! - Here's our quality man. - He is a quality man.
0:31:31 > 0:31:35I have to make sure that their bolts are done up to...
0:31:35 > 0:31:37within minimum tolerance.
0:31:37 > 0:31:40Because it's an EPB, it's a safety critical part.
0:31:40 > 0:31:44The parking brake has to be doubly checked,
0:31:44 > 0:31:49- just to ensure that it is at the right torque.- 354, all good. - Cool.- That's fine.
0:31:50 > 0:31:54That's probably about the size of the wheel of my car, let alone the disc.
0:31:54 > 0:31:57The disc has to sit completely flush on the hub,
0:31:57 > 0:32:01otherwise it can cause juddering when the car's braking.
0:32:01 > 0:32:04You want to stop pretty quickly from 150,
0:32:04 > 0:32:06so you don't want it juddering when you're trying to stop.
0:32:06 > 0:32:10It's all done hydraulically, so the fluid comes in here,
0:32:10 > 0:32:12and when you put your foot on the brake pedal,
0:32:12 > 0:32:14pushes the fluid round the system
0:32:14 > 0:32:16and then that'll push the piston closed,
0:32:16 > 0:32:19which will clamp the two pads onto the disc.
0:32:19 > 0:32:21That's a quick explanation, really.
0:32:21 > 0:32:26Just make the holes are lined up with the disc before you start putting the bolts in.
0:32:26 > 0:32:28That's it, yeah.
0:32:34 > 0:32:37I've found that having small hands is quite an advantage
0:32:37 > 0:32:40as a lot of the guys have ended up coming round here
0:32:40 > 0:32:42and going "Oh, can you just get that for me,"
0:32:42 > 0:32:46or, "Can you just plug that in," or, "Can't reach it," so it is quite good in that respect.
0:32:46 > 0:32:49Yeah, I worked my way up through apprenticeship,
0:32:49 > 0:32:52and then it's nice to see young people like Rachel
0:32:52 > 0:32:54coming through and doing good stuff,
0:32:54 > 0:32:56and it'll be nice to see them
0:32:56 > 0:32:57work their way up as well.
0:32:57 > 0:33:00Doing the brakes on the car is quite tricky.
0:33:00 > 0:33:04You've got to make sure everything's aligned and sitting right on the car,
0:33:04 > 0:33:05and she does it perfectly, really.
0:33:05 > 0:33:09Hopefully, when I've worked out how to do it today,
0:33:09 > 0:33:11I'll be more confident in changing any of the brakes,
0:33:11 > 0:33:14and it'll be a lot easier when a job comes in.
0:33:14 > 0:33:18Hopefully, I'll get it done a lot quicker. That's job done for the brakes.
0:33:18 > 0:33:22While McLaren have been adapting their F1 technology for many things,
0:33:22 > 0:33:25it's different for the engine.
0:33:25 > 0:33:30The car's 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 is the first engine
0:33:30 > 0:33:33the company has ever designed themselves.
0:33:34 > 0:33:37A V8 is basically two four-stroke engines
0:33:37 > 0:33:40bolted together with a single crank.
0:33:40 > 0:33:43A four stroke-engine works by allowing air and fuel
0:33:43 > 0:33:46to mix in the cylinder.
0:33:46 > 0:33:49At the first stroke, a vacuum is created.
0:33:50 > 0:33:52At the second stroke, all valves close,
0:33:52 > 0:33:55allowing the pistons to compress the air and fuel mixture
0:33:55 > 0:33:59ready for detonation by the spark plug.
0:33:59 > 0:34:02The explosion forces the piston down,
0:34:02 > 0:34:04transferring its energy to the crankshaft,
0:34:04 > 0:34:08which, in turn, powers the flywheel, the gears and the wheels.
0:34:08 > 0:34:10The last upward movement of the piston
0:34:10 > 0:34:14forces open the exhaust valve, releasing used gases.
0:34:15 > 0:34:20The pistons are just one of the 1,100 hand-made parts in the engine.
0:34:20 > 0:34:25And they're made at a specialist factory in Basingstoke.
0:34:25 > 0:34:28It's the job of Shaun Ward to turn these blocks of aluminium,
0:34:28 > 0:34:31called "billets", into pistons.
0:34:31 > 0:34:32I've only been in engineering
0:34:32 > 0:34:34ten-and-a-half years.
0:34:34 > 0:34:37Before that, I spent nine years as a lorry driver,
0:34:37 > 0:34:40and before that, I was 12 years serving King...
0:34:40 > 0:34:42Queen and country, I should say!
0:34:42 > 0:34:44Not King and country! I'm not that old.
0:34:47 > 0:34:51The lube we use is a graphite-based lube,
0:34:51 > 0:34:54sprayed on with a carrier, which is GTX.
0:34:56 > 0:35:01The billet is first heated to 460 degrees C, or gas mark 21,
0:35:01 > 0:35:05to make the alloy malleable enough for Shaun to forge.
0:35:05 > 0:35:09And the lube we use to paint on the brush is also graphite based,
0:35:09 > 0:35:13and it just stops everything from sticking onto the tool.
0:35:15 > 0:35:21The hydraulic forge press has squeezed up with the equivalent weight of 88 elephants
0:35:21 > 0:35:24onto the pre-heated aluminium billet,
0:35:24 > 0:35:28creating the basic shape of the underside of the piston.
0:35:30 > 0:35:34Quick visual check - yep, everything's OK.
0:35:36 > 0:35:38It's like baking a cake, this job.
0:35:38 > 0:35:42You've got to get the temperatures right, the ingredients right,
0:35:42 > 0:35:45otherwise you don't get no cake!
0:35:45 > 0:35:50In here, we have enough pistons for 29 engines,
0:35:50 > 0:35:53with a few left over.
0:35:53 > 0:35:59So, this week, I've produced enough pistons for 60 cars.
0:35:59 > 0:36:03I don't normally look at it in that perspective, so I'm quite chuffed with that.
0:36:03 > 0:36:06But when production ramps up in the new building,
0:36:06 > 0:36:10Shaun will need to build nearly double the amount of pistons.
0:36:11 > 0:36:14Basically, this is what we call the 600 oven.
0:36:14 > 0:36:18It's the main heat-treat quench oven.
0:36:22 > 0:36:24When I can get it through the gate!
0:36:24 > 0:36:26It's a bit of a tight squeeze, and they're quite heavy.
0:36:26 > 0:36:30To optimise the piston's basic metallic structure,
0:36:30 > 0:36:35the forgings are cooked again, at 485 degrees C for ten hours.
0:36:35 > 0:36:38The parts are then dropped into a secret solution.
0:36:38 > 0:36:42This type of alloy increases in strength as it cools.
0:36:42 > 0:36:44Then they're cleaned through an acid line,
0:36:44 > 0:36:48removing the graphite lubricant that was used in the forging process.
0:36:48 > 0:36:53It can burn you, so it's best to wear your apron, long gloves and the visor.
0:36:55 > 0:37:00They're placed in acid for four minutes and then washed off
0:37:00 > 0:37:02before they go into another special solution.
0:37:02 > 0:37:05In here, we have tiger juice. Put it this way -
0:37:05 > 0:37:08if I was to put some on the concrete,
0:37:08 > 0:37:12we'd see bubbling, and it would disappear down towards the centre of the Earth.
0:37:12 > 0:37:18It is like washing up, but don't tell the wife,
0:37:18 > 0:37:20otherwise she'll have me doing it home as well.
0:37:20 > 0:37:25As you can see - before acid, after acid.
0:37:25 > 0:37:31Now we come to the fun bit - pushing this into the ageing oven.
0:37:31 > 0:37:33Something you have to put your back into.
0:37:37 > 0:37:42Close the door, check the temperature...
0:37:44 > 0:37:47185 - job done.
0:37:47 > 0:37:54At full speed, each piston travels up and down 140 times a second,
0:37:54 > 0:37:57so precision engineering is essential.
0:37:57 > 0:38:01The piston goes through a process of further ageing,
0:38:01 > 0:38:04milling and machining before being put together.
0:38:20 > 0:38:25So this is where we actually put the piston together, with the piston rings,
0:38:25 > 0:38:28gudgeon pin, and all the pins that go with it.
0:38:28 > 0:38:31And this is ready just to be packed up in the packaging
0:38:31 > 0:38:33and sent to the engine-builder.
0:38:33 > 0:38:37So, we have a full set of engine pistons and a set of engine liners.
0:38:37 > 0:38:41The engine liner goes in the block, the piston gets connected
0:38:41 > 0:38:43and then assembled together,
0:38:43 > 0:38:47and that, basically, is what you've got at the heart of a supercar.
0:38:47 > 0:38:50Then you turn the key - 170mph, and away you go.
0:38:56 > 0:39:01Just up the road at a specialist engine manufacturer,
0:39:01 > 0:39:06the rest of the parts are assembled, with the pistons taking their place in the engine head.
0:39:18 > 0:39:21But this company doesn't just build the engine.
0:39:21 > 0:39:24They also create what it will actually sound like.
0:39:24 > 0:39:27My name's Matt Maunder.
0:39:27 > 0:39:31My job is to make cars go "vroom-vroom" as nicely as possible.
0:39:31 > 0:39:33That's my job.
0:39:33 > 0:39:36You might think the sound of the engine
0:39:36 > 0:39:40is a by-product of the moving mechanical parts, but it's been designed by an engineer.
0:39:40 > 0:39:42If you've paid extra money for a sports car,
0:39:42 > 0:39:47you really want something that's going to make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.
0:39:47 > 0:39:49A bit more vroom-vroom.
0:39:49 > 0:39:53And when it comes to how a car should sound, this man is obsessed!
0:39:53 > 0:39:58This is the Ricardo car park. We'll have a look round, see what cars we can see.
0:39:58 > 0:40:01That's a Japanese car. That's probably pretty quiet.
0:40:01 > 0:40:05The BMW - that will be tuned up for the American market. A bit more rumbly.
0:40:05 > 0:40:09That's a Lotus Esprit, isn't it? I think they have a turbo engine
0:40:09 > 0:40:13and are pretty much a high-speed, European-style screamer.
0:40:13 > 0:40:18They're all four-cylinder cars, and they're all a bit dull.
0:40:18 > 0:40:20British people definitely like a bit more exhaust sound
0:40:20 > 0:40:23coming out of their car.
0:40:23 > 0:40:27It's a throwback to the motor-racing history that we've got in this country.
0:40:27 > 0:40:30Yeah, Americans tend to like more of a burbly V8 sound.
0:40:30 > 0:40:33Italian cars tend to be a bit kind of shiny, pointy shoes,
0:40:33 > 0:40:35and a bit girly sometimes,
0:40:35 > 0:40:40but they kind of squeal beautifully, Italian cars do.
0:40:40 > 0:40:42Japanese don't seem to care about the sound of their cars
0:40:42 > 0:40:46so they're quite happy to have something that's just quiet and innocuous.
0:40:46 > 0:40:52There's a Honda there. Maybe they are too polite to have a raunchy car sound.
0:40:52 > 0:40:53CAR ROARS
0:40:53 > 0:40:57We did a study that showed that sound made up basically
0:40:57 > 0:41:00half of the feeling of sportiness, so part of it
0:41:00 > 0:41:04is the feeling of acceleration, being pushed back into the chair,
0:41:04 > 0:41:08but the other part is the aural onslaught you get from the engine.
0:41:08 > 0:41:10McLaren's brief was concise.
0:41:10 > 0:41:14They wanted it to sound really extreme as a sports car, in fact,
0:41:14 > 0:41:17so first part of the work we did was to find out what that meant,
0:41:17 > 0:41:20so we've got here the most boring sounds...
0:41:20 > 0:41:23CAR REVS SOFTLY
0:41:23 > 0:41:26So, McLaren thought this was dull normal and weak.
0:41:26 > 0:41:31No character. Like a Kylie Minogue pop tune, you know?
0:41:31 > 0:41:36And then this one is the kind of Kanye West -
0:41:36 > 0:41:41very well produced, smooth, precise, pleasant. I quite like that one.
0:41:41 > 0:41:44Whereas this one is a bit more extreme, you know?
0:41:44 > 0:41:48A bit more rough round the edges. A bit of a Dizzee Rascal, that one.
0:41:48 > 0:41:49ENGINE ROARS
0:41:52 > 0:41:55Welcome to the least echo-y room in the world.
0:41:55 > 0:41:58Basically, these wedges are made out of absorbent foam,
0:41:58 > 0:42:02and they actually the absorb sound. Because of the shape of the wedges,
0:42:02 > 0:42:07as the sound comes in, it bounces further into the cracks,
0:42:07 > 0:42:11so it also hits a foam multiple times and never comes out again. That's the idea.
0:42:11 > 0:42:15Which is the same effect as you would get if you were in an open field,
0:42:15 > 0:42:20where sound travels away and there's nothing to reflect it back. That's why it sounds a bit strange.
0:42:20 > 0:42:25So this is our workhorse car, which we've been using for the development of the sound of the car.
0:42:25 > 0:42:28The business end is at the back, of course.
0:42:28 > 0:42:33The 12C has a relatively small 3.8 litre engine.
0:42:33 > 0:42:36To get the power associated with a supercar,
0:42:36 > 0:42:38engineers have bolted on twin turbo-chargers,
0:42:38 > 0:42:40which force more air into the cylinders,
0:42:40 > 0:42:43creating an even higher combustion level.
0:42:43 > 0:42:47The turbo-charger cuts down a lot of the sound that comes out of the exhaust pipes,
0:42:47 > 0:42:52which isn't good for a sports car. We want to have as much noise as we can coming out of there,
0:42:52 > 0:42:56and a tuned to a nice sound. So, one of the key things we've had to do on this car
0:42:56 > 0:42:59is to tune the exhaust system to match up with the turbo-chargers,
0:42:59 > 0:43:02so we can get the right sound out of the car.
0:43:02 > 0:43:05The engine is like the breathing and spitting heart of the car,
0:43:05 > 0:43:07then it's got two saxophones on the back of it,
0:43:07 > 0:43:12and by tuning the exhaust system to get the right kind of mixing between the different cylinders,
0:43:12 > 0:43:17that gives us the Metallica sound that we were looking for earlier on.
0:43:17 > 0:43:19ENGINE STARTS
0:43:22 > 0:43:24ENGINE REVS POWERFULLY
0:43:25 > 0:43:30So that has got a bit of oomph to it, hasn't it? I really like that.
0:43:30 > 0:43:32ENGINE ROARS
0:43:32 > 0:43:35I can really say I did that, I made that car sound like this,
0:43:35 > 0:43:38and that does make me feel quite proud.
0:43:40 > 0:43:42BEEPING
0:43:42 > 0:43:45BOTH ENGINES REV
0:43:50 > 0:43:55- How do you feel the sound is? - I like it.- Yeah?- It's sports mode. - Really? I can't hear it.
0:43:55 > 0:44:00If you put it in track, it's good. Oh, he's going. See you.
0:44:00 > 0:44:04Give it some, so I can hear what it sounds like from here.
0:44:04 > 0:44:06ENGINE ROARS
0:44:10 > 0:44:17OK. We're on the runway. Slippery as hell. 4,000rpm now. Now I'm dumped.
0:44:31 > 0:44:36Professional racing drivers might have pushed the new car to its limit,
0:44:36 > 0:44:39but most customers won't be driving it on a race track.
0:44:40 > 0:44:47It's a road car, so how it handles on different surfaces all round the world is a top priority.
0:44:51 > 0:44:53We use these secret proving grounds for two reasons.
0:44:53 > 0:44:55One is confidentiality,
0:44:55 > 0:44:59so we can develop our product to a level where we're happy to sell it,
0:44:59 > 0:45:02so, if we're going to make any mistakes,
0:45:02 > 0:45:05we want to make them in relative secrecy.
0:45:05 > 0:45:07The second reason we come to proving grounds
0:45:07 > 0:45:09is that you can do what you want with the car
0:45:09 > 0:45:12in terms of speeds and how fast you go round corners,
0:45:12 > 0:45:15and, obviously, you can't do that on a public road.
0:45:15 > 0:45:20This kind of testing allows them to find and fix faults before customers do,
0:45:20 > 0:45:23and they use specially-built roads to do it.
0:45:25 > 0:45:29So, this surface is a specifically designed badly-maintained road.
0:45:29 > 0:45:31It will expose any squeaks and rattles.
0:45:33 > 0:45:36We're now going onto the Belgium pave surfaces,
0:45:36 > 0:45:39so these generally give shorter wavelength inputs into the car
0:45:39 > 0:45:42and expose any secondary ride issues that it might have,
0:45:42 > 0:45:47or if anything is going to drop off the car, it would be here.
0:45:47 > 0:45:50It does rattle you around a little bit, driving over these things.
0:45:50 > 0:45:53These are the washboard surfaces, which are...
0:45:53 > 0:45:54JUDDERING
0:45:54 > 0:46:00..quite harsh, and not dissimilar to cat's eyes on a motorway, but more severe.
0:46:00 > 0:46:03It's quite difficult with a sports car that needs to be
0:46:03 > 0:46:08stiff in the corners to also be compliant on the bumps.
0:46:08 > 0:46:11The new car has some very clever engineering, which should
0:46:11 > 0:46:14allow it to cope with most road conditions.
0:46:14 > 0:46:19At each corner of it, there are independent spring and hydraulic dampers.
0:46:19 > 0:46:23Fluid-filled chambers are linked to each other.
0:46:23 > 0:46:26As high pressure meets high pressure under roll, the chassis stiffens.
0:46:26 > 0:46:30But to have a more comfortable ride on a badly-maintained road,
0:46:30 > 0:46:36hydraulic lines connect the front and back, allowing each wheel to operate independently.
0:46:44 > 0:46:47The car has got a number of discrete suspension settings,
0:46:47 > 0:46:51which allow it to become moderately firm on rough surfaces,
0:46:51 > 0:46:55but at the flick of a switch, you can turn it into something that's also very responsive
0:46:55 > 0:46:57on race-track environments,
0:46:57 > 0:47:02so Jekyll and Hyde, I think, is probably the best description you can give.
0:47:02 > 0:47:05The team work with a fleet of over 50 prototypes,
0:47:05 > 0:47:09and one of the oldest is maintained by engineers like Richard Yeo.
0:47:11 > 0:47:14It's a workhorse, basically, so it's just kept running,
0:47:14 > 0:47:16patched up
0:47:16 > 0:47:18and does its job.
0:47:18 > 0:47:23Temperatures coming out of the exhausts are approximately 800 degrees,
0:47:23 > 0:47:26so we've seen problems with the bumpers melting before,
0:47:26 > 0:47:31so it's just a way of bypassing that and just carrying on.
0:47:31 > 0:47:34When the team discover problems like melting bumpers,
0:47:34 > 0:47:38tweaks and adjustments can be fed back to base to fix them.
0:47:38 > 0:47:40This car does look proper Mad Max,
0:47:40 > 0:47:45but I can assure you, all of the equipment in the car is top notch,
0:47:45 > 0:47:48and it's the highest spec you can get.
0:47:48 > 0:47:53As you can see, it's quite different to a production car that you would see on the line.
0:47:53 > 0:47:57We run quite a lot of data-logging - two screens here -
0:47:57 > 0:48:00so the driver can see everything that's going on in the engine,
0:48:00 > 0:48:02and also all these switches here
0:48:02 > 0:48:05are bespoke to nearly all the test cars.
0:48:05 > 0:48:09So you have here fire extinguisher, armed, engine kill,
0:48:09 > 0:48:12battery kill, and this will be for just
0:48:12 > 0:48:16recording their laps during the durability cycle,
0:48:16 > 0:48:21and on the rear shelf is where the data-logging computer normally sits.
0:48:21 > 0:48:27Having worked on this project for nearly five years, Richard has become attached to this prototype.
0:48:27 > 0:48:28Yes, my baby!
0:48:30 > 0:48:34- I've worked with it for a long time now. - What will happen to it, eventually?
0:48:34 > 0:48:41It's going to get crushed. It will die eventually, this car, although it keeps refusing to.
0:48:47 > 0:48:52The first time I went on this curve, I thought was going to crash.
0:48:52 > 0:48:57To expose any weakness from high-mileage wear and tear,
0:48:57 > 0:48:59the team put the car through the kind of stresses
0:48:59 > 0:49:02it would accumulate over several years.
0:49:02 > 0:49:05We're doing maintenance checks before we hand it over
0:49:05 > 0:49:07to the night-time driver.
0:49:07 > 0:49:10We do sometimes work 24 hours if the job needs to be done.
0:49:10 > 0:49:13We can't hold up production, so it's imperative we keep going.
0:49:13 > 0:49:17Hopefully, I'll get home before my girlfriend goes to sleep!
0:49:23 > 0:49:26The testing programme is not a nine-to-five job.
0:49:26 > 0:49:30Continuously on the road, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,
0:49:30 > 0:49:35the car can accumulate more than 50,000km a month.
0:49:35 > 0:49:40Tonight, it's the job of Rob to do the first three-hour night shift.
0:49:48 > 0:49:52If we ran just during the day, we'd get half the amount done.
0:49:52 > 0:49:54And in such a short period of time,
0:49:54 > 0:49:56we've managed to gain a lot of information.
0:49:59 > 0:50:04I suppose a lot of us are just a bit frustrated Formula One drivers.
0:50:05 > 0:50:10Didn't get that opportunity, so, er...we'll keep on pushing and pretending.
0:50:10 > 0:50:16Tests like this are the only way McLaren can know how the car will last during its lifetime.
0:50:19 > 0:50:21Back at the assembly line,
0:50:21 > 0:50:25the new cars are about to have their engines fitted.
0:50:28 > 0:50:32To save on weight and space, the engine and all its ancillaries
0:50:32 > 0:50:34have been packed extremely tight.
0:50:34 > 0:50:40The assembly engineers must take utmost care when bringing the car down -
0:50:40 > 0:50:44guiding everything into place and making sure nothing clashes.
0:50:45 > 0:50:49Bolts are put in underneath the frame
0:50:49 > 0:50:51and the engine is fixed in place.
0:50:53 > 0:50:57On other stations, the interiors, final body panels
0:50:57 > 0:51:00and wheels are also fitted.
0:51:00 > 0:51:04Currently, around ten cars are rolling off the production line every week.
0:51:04 > 0:51:08But Operations Director Alan Foster will need to quadruple this output
0:51:08 > 0:51:12to meet the initial demands for delivery, and is looking forward
0:51:12 > 0:51:15to moving into the new McLaren Production Centre -
0:51:15 > 0:51:17or MPC for short.
0:51:17 > 0:51:18It's getting very busy.
0:51:18 > 0:51:22We're only about two weeks away from the planned move now to MPC
0:51:22 > 0:51:26and, frankly, we need to get into the new building very, very quickly now.
0:51:26 > 0:51:29My goodness! Everywhere you see, there are car parts.
0:51:29 > 0:51:33I think you could call that a pretty congested end-of-paint facility.
0:51:33 > 0:51:37Obviously, we're limited for space here - we've only got five spray booths,
0:51:37 > 0:51:39therefore we can't get as much output as we would like,
0:51:39 > 0:51:44so the new facility should speed things up a great deal.
0:51:44 > 0:51:46It's like a car park at the moment.
0:51:49 > 0:51:53McLaren need to start selling these cars as soon as possible,
0:51:53 > 0:51:56in order to recoup their multi-million pound investment.
0:51:58 > 0:52:00Bottom line is, we need to move cars
0:52:00 > 0:52:04so I want the transition from this pre-production facility
0:52:04 > 0:52:07into the production facility as smooth as possible.
0:52:07 > 0:52:09Despite the mounting pressure,
0:52:09 > 0:52:12the company remains a stickler for detail
0:52:12 > 0:52:15and continues with its drive for perfection.
0:52:15 > 0:52:19The castors have arrived and the suppliers changed the colour of the rubber
0:52:19 > 0:52:23and that's not acceptable. It's not the colour that I ordered.
0:52:23 > 0:52:27So, it's going back and they're going to change them.
0:52:27 > 0:52:31That times 400 throughout the build facility would just look too dark
0:52:31 > 0:52:34against the background that we've developed within MPC.
0:52:34 > 0:52:37The colour it should be matches the cabinet
0:52:37 > 0:52:39and the walls in this room.
0:52:39 > 0:52:43As you can see, a couple of shades too dark.
0:52:43 > 0:52:45With the new castors in the post, it's now just weeks
0:52:45 > 0:52:48before McLaren need to start delivering cars to customers.
0:52:48 > 0:52:51And today is the day of the big move.
0:52:51 > 0:52:53My plan is we will take them over in groups of 20,
0:52:53 > 0:52:57so that we can give them an induction.
0:52:57 > 0:53:00Kind of show them station locations, et cetera.
0:53:00 > 0:53:04Cars will be going after lunch from here.
0:53:04 > 0:53:08By the end of play today, I expect all of my team
0:53:08 > 0:53:12to be out of their lockers and go to work in there tomorrow morning.
0:53:12 > 0:53:15OK. Thank you very much, guys.
0:53:15 > 0:53:17It's taken 14 months to build,
0:53:17 > 0:53:20and Alan realises the hard part still lies ahead.
0:53:20 > 0:53:25It is quite a massive move. To think you're going to move a whole factory in less than eight hours is...
0:53:25 > 0:53:27Is quite insane, really.
0:53:29 > 0:53:32Body assembly and the paint teams are the first to move in,
0:53:32 > 0:53:37and Executive Chairman Ron Dennis is on one his frequent inspections.
0:53:42 > 0:53:45What we have here is our, er,
0:53:45 > 0:53:50assembly hall for the 12C, rapidly nearing completion.
0:53:50 > 0:53:53This side of the factory is dedicated to the assembly
0:53:53 > 0:53:58of the mono-cell and crash structures. And then into the paint facilities.
0:53:58 > 0:54:02In the old building, five booths painting body parts
0:54:02 > 0:54:04meant around three cars a day could be finished.
0:54:04 > 0:54:08But in the new facility, this can be increased tenfold.
0:54:08 > 0:54:14The whole objective of having the level of detail that we strive for
0:54:14 > 0:54:16is to get the perfection in the finished product.
0:54:18 > 0:54:22It's sort of like a second home to me. I have a sense of order
0:54:22 > 0:54:25and attention to detail -
0:54:25 > 0:54:27a desire to do things really well.
0:54:27 > 0:54:32And, er, time will tell whether the approach we've taken
0:54:32 > 0:54:36to producing this very unique car has worked or not.
0:54:36 > 0:54:40If all goes according to plan, then this new facility will enable
0:54:40 > 0:54:43the company to add 300 new jobs to its workforce
0:54:43 > 0:54:45and produce 80 cars a week
0:54:45 > 0:54:51to help them meet the orders they already have, and the targets for future sales.
0:54:55 > 0:54:58But now it's time to unveil the new car
0:54:58 > 0:55:01at the new dealership in London's Knightsbridge.
0:55:01 > 0:55:05In the end, I think it's all about selling cars to real people
0:55:05 > 0:55:08and this is where it starts.
0:55:08 > 0:55:11I think it looks fantastic. Looks absolutely amazing.
0:55:11 > 0:55:14It's a big night. We've been looking forward to this for a long, long time.
0:55:14 > 0:55:17Personally, it's like going to the hospital
0:55:17 > 0:55:21to see your baby finally being born and brought out into the daylight.
0:55:21 > 0:55:24I like the way how the doors open as well. It's really cool.
0:55:24 > 0:55:26Keep smiling.
0:55:28 > 0:55:34When the doors open for business, the first customer that comes through the door will be told,
0:55:34 > 0:55:37"We're very sorry, it's a two-and-a-half-year waiting list,"
0:55:37 > 0:55:41which in this world, in this market, is a great thing to hear.
0:55:41 > 0:55:43I've ordered three, obviously.
0:55:43 > 0:55:47This is the point we've all been working for for the past four or five years.
0:55:47 > 0:55:51So, very, very, very excited. Difficult to put into words.
0:55:51 > 0:55:54The phrase that comes to mind is, "I'm clearly in on this one."
0:55:54 > 0:55:56That's when you know you've got it right -
0:55:56 > 0:56:00when everyone looks at it and says, "I wish I could have something like that."
0:56:00 > 0:56:03There may be glitz and glamour at the launch but for the engineers,
0:56:03 > 0:56:07there's an important message to be understood.
0:56:07 > 0:56:10People say manufacturing is dying a death in this country, but anything but.
0:56:10 > 0:56:12Manufacturing's getting busier and busier.
0:56:12 > 0:56:14We're a nation of inventors.
0:56:14 > 0:56:18We've had a long history of being the best at what we do.
0:56:18 > 0:56:21Basically, I'm just trying to carry it on.
0:56:25 > 0:56:29There comes a point where we need to share it and take it.
0:56:29 > 0:56:31Whatever comes - be it critical or praise -
0:56:31 > 0:56:33it will go to the market.
0:56:33 > 0:56:36The first car was delivered. That is the first car.
0:56:36 > 0:56:39The dealers will receive all of their cars by the end of the month.
0:56:39 > 0:56:42We will ramp production to 4,000 a year
0:56:42 > 0:56:44over the course of the next four years.
0:56:44 > 0:56:48We are going to be criticised, but I can tell you we are going to succeed.
0:56:48 > 0:56:50Thank you very much.
0:56:50 > 0:56:54With the creation of their new car and the facility it's built in,
0:56:54 > 0:56:57McLaren know the stakes are high.
0:56:57 > 0:56:59The place is so big, it's amazing.
0:56:59 > 0:57:04I can't believe how clean and white and sparkling, brand new, everything is.
0:57:04 > 0:57:08I said to one of the guys today, "If you went down the hospital with your arm cut off,
0:57:08 > 0:57:11"you'd rather be here having it tended to than there."
0:57:11 > 0:57:15- ENGINE PURRS - I made that car sound like this.
0:57:15 > 0:57:17And that does make you feel quite proud.
0:57:17 > 0:57:18ENGINE REVS
0:57:18 > 0:57:21They'll see it driving down the road and everyone's going to be like,
0:57:21 > 0:57:23"Yeah, my friend Terry fitted that car."
0:57:23 > 0:57:26We've made cars in Britain for decades
0:57:26 > 0:57:28and although some argue we have passed our heyday,
0:57:28 > 0:57:35taken as a whole, the automotive industry still accounts for around 10% of all UK exports
0:57:35 > 0:57:38in a highly-competitive international market.
0:57:38 > 0:57:41You can feel the passion in this place.
0:57:41 > 0:57:44There's people that have been here a long time
0:57:44 > 0:57:47and we're not just here for the money.
0:57:47 > 0:57:49McLaren's new car may be the latest,
0:57:49 > 0:57:51but it certainly won't be the last.
0:57:57 > 0:57:58In the next programme,
0:57:58 > 0:58:02we meet the engineers in one of Britain's most hi-tech industries,
0:58:02 > 0:58:04and discover how to build a satellite.
0:58:09 > 0:58:13From sketch to structure, see how designs come to life by visiting...
0:58:17 > 0:58:20..and follow the links to the Open University.
0:58:47 > 0:58:50Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:58:50 > 0:58:53E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk