How a Car is Made: Every Step from Invention to Launch

November 18, 2015 at 4:01 pm by Don Sherman |

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From the January 2016 issue

You may not be surprised to hear that cars do not spring all shiny and dew-studded from beneath lily pads, ready to hit the road. In fact, the car-creation odyssey makes NASA’s Journey to Mars program seem like a Caribbean luxury cruise. While we frequently address elements of the design and development process on this page, this is the first time we’ve presented the entire start-to-finish plan; this year’s 10Best celebration seemed like the perfect time and place to do so. One domestic and one import manufacturer—both requesting anonymity for competitive reasons—helped compile this guide to how cars are made.
We gathered related tasks under five headings.
The time required is the most interesting and secretive part of a car’s gestation; a crash program to replace a dead-on-its-wheels product may take only half the time invested in a normal, full-redesign effort.
In our illustrations, the clock begins when the generals gather to spur their troops to action. The end is when the new model reaches showrooms. On average, the entire process takes 72 months. There’s overlap to save time, as revealed by the start and finish months listed in each of the five category headings. After-sale activities—including service issues, continuous improvement, and midlife face lifts—are not included in this account. That’s for another 10Best.

1. INVENTION MONTHS 0–72 Research market, including in-house and field investigations, to identify the role of this product and its components in the global portfolio; define separation from similar models sold by sister brands Identify special features, advantages, and potential world, U.S., or segment firsts Define competitive set, target customers; set curb-weight, fuel-economy, and performance goals Competitive assessment Powertrain selection Budget, funding, pricing, investment considerations Computer-aided-engineering (CAE) analysis Customer, press, analyst clinics

2. DESIGN MONTHS 0–72 (FOLLOWING MARKET RESEARCH) Interior—sketches, theme selection, model build, continuous reviews Exterior—same as above until design freeze Exterior colors, interior-trim materials selection Wind-tunnel assessment of theme models Concept creation for management presentation, potential auto-show use Additional CAE Management and engineering reviews

3. ENGINEERING MONTHS 0–72 (CONCURRENT WITH DESIGN) Additional CAE Customer clinics aimed at gathering current model feedback, suggestions for improvements Research advanced technologies—engines, transmissions, motors, electronic controls, manufacturing techniques (painting, metal forming, plastic molding), and emerging trends Package, layout studies Body design and development for crashworthiness, weight, durability (in conjunction with CAE efforts) Aerodynamic development Design, development, tuning, validation (in-lab and on-road) of: Powertrain Chassis HVAC, infotainment, seats, lighting systems Hot-, cold-, wet-weather tests Crash tests Fuel-economy evaluations Design for manufacturing and assembly studies Component and manufacturing cost analysis Collaborate with suppliers for R&D of purchased components Safety and emissions certification

4. MANUFACTURING MONTHS 36–72 Design for manufacturing and assembly Construct or modify production facilities Tooling design, construction, validation Pilot builds to validate process and parts On-line preproduction builds Quality improvements Confirm that production vehicle meets performance targets Train workforce Collaborate with suppliers Commence production of saleable autos

5. LAUNCH MONTHS 60–72 Market research Naming research (if needed) Define pricing Develop marketing theme Introduce product to dealer body Plan logistics (flow of vehicles to dealers) Create promotional (media and advertising) materials Craft presentations for management, auto shows, press, social media, dealers, analysts