Venturing into the automotive business takes a lot more than building some prototypes, launching a new model and then waiting for the orders to come in. Even more so if you intend to compete on the top level and establish yourself as a supercar manufacturer.
This is why McLaren Automotive didn’t only build its first supercar after the iconic F1 of the ‘90s, but also invested close to £50 million (€58.2 or US$77.3 million) in developing a brand-new, state-of-the-art factory – or rather, as the company names it, the McLaren Production Center (MPC).
UK Prime Minister, David Cameron, opened the MPC in which both McLaren’s race and road cars will be built, just last week. The company has also initiated a “See Inside Manufacturing” campaign in order to raise awareness of the importance of engineering in Britain by encouraging the young to get a view into the inside workings of the technical center.
The first step in this campaign was the “McLaren Manufacturing Challenge” competition, in which students had to design and build a motor-less vehicle that could carry an object over a 10 m distance as quick as possible.
The mousetrap-propelled vehicle engineered by the Woking College won the challenge, recording a time of just 2.28 seconds and was invited to the MPC, where students received the award from the UK Prime Minister.
You can follow the jump to watch the video showing the brand-new McLaren Production Center, as well as a comprehensive image gallery.
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