Original subtitles

Narrator: TODAY ON "HOW IT'S MADE: DREAM CARS,"

THE PEUGEOT RCZ R.

SMALL, STYLISH, AND SUPERCHARGED.

-- Captions by VITAC -- www.vitac.com

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

♪♪

IN HéRIMONCOURT FRANCE IN 1810,

THE PEUGEOT FAMILY CONVERTED THEIR GRAIN MILL

INTO A STEEL MILL.

AT FIRST, THEY SPECIALIZED IN MAKING STEEL FOR SAW BLADES,

COFFEE GRINDERS, AND DRESSMAKING.

LATER, THEY BRANCHED OUT INTO BICYCLES AND AUTOMOBILES.

IN 1891, THE PEUGEOT TYPE 3

BECAME THE FIRST SERIES-MANUFACTURED CAR

IN THE WORLD.

IN 2013, THE PEUGEOT 208 T16 BROKE THE PIKE'S PEAK RECORD.

IN 1993, THE 905 MADE HISTORY

BY SWEEPING THE FIRST THREE POSITIONS AT LE MANS.

IN 2007, PEUGEOT INTRODUCED A CONCEPT CAR, THE RCZ.

IN 2014, PEUGEOT SPORT, A SPECIALIZED DIVISION,

DEVELOPED THE SUPERCHARGED RCZ R.

THE RCZ R IS ONE OF PEUGEOT'S MOST POWERFUL PRODUCTION CARS.

IT'S FRONT-MOUNTED ENGINE

IS A TURBOCHARGED FOUR-CYLINDER POWERHOUSE

THAT CAN GENERATE 270 HORSEPOWER,

MAKING IT THE MOST POWERFUL 1.6-LITER ENGINE IN THE WORLD

FOR A PRODUCTION VEHICLE.

♪♪

AT THE MAGNA STEYR MANUFACTURING FACILITIES IN GRAZ, AUSTRIA,

A TECHNICIAN TRANSFERS THE FRONT COMPARTMENT

TO THE START OF THE MAIN UNDERBODY ASSEMBLY LINE.

HE BRINGS THE REAR COMPARTMENT INTO POSITION.

AT THIS STAGE, THE MANUFACTURERS

GIVE THE CAR ITS UNIQUE I.D. NUMBER.

MAGNA ASSEMBLES THE RCZ R

IN A FLOOR WITH OTHER VERSIONS OF THE RCZ LINE,

INCLUDING THE RCZ GT.

THE BODY-ASSEMBLY PROCESS FOR THE RCZ R IS 98% AUTOMATED.

HERE, ROBOTS SPOT-WELD THE STEEL COMPONENTS

OF THE CAR'S SIDE PANELS TOGETHER.

THE RCZ R CAR BODY HAS 215 DIFFERENT PARTS,

WITH 3,451 WELD POINTS.

A ROBOT PICKS UP THE SIDE PANEL

SO A SECOND MACHINE CAN APPLY A BEAD OF SEALER.

THE ROBOTS TRANSFER THE SIDE PANELS TO SPECIALIZED FIXTURES.

THE FIXTURES RAISE THE BODY SIDES INTO POSITION

SO ROBOTS CAN WELD THE SIDES IN PLACE.

THE SPOT-WELDING ROBOTS GO TO WORK,

FIRMLY ATTACHING ALL OF THE COMPONENTS TOGETHER.

IN ADDITION TO SPOT-WELDING,

THE ROBOTS WELD 183 BOLTS ONTO THE CAR BODY.

THIS FACILITY CAN BUILD 112 CARS EVERY TWO SHIFTS.

THE BODY IS BEGINNING TO LOOK LIKE A CAR.

TWO TECHNICIANS ADD A STEEL ROOF.

THIS PANEL FORMS PART OF THE CAR'S DOUBLE-BUBBLE ROOF SHAPE,

AND IMMEDIATELY IDENTIFIES IT AS AN RCZ.

THE TECHNICIANS ATTACH THE ROOF WITH SPOT-WELDERS.

THE DOUBLE-BUBBLE ROOF RECALLS THE WORK

OF THE FAMOUS CAR DESIGNER UGO ZAGATO,

WHO DEVELOPED THE FEATURE IN THE 1950s

TO PROVIDE HEAD ROOM FOR OCCUPANTS

WEARING RACING HELMETS.

A TEAM MEMBER USES A SPECIALIZED FIXTURE

TO HELP HIM ATTACH A CAR DOOR TO THE RCZ R BODY.

TECHNICIANS CAN ONLY MOUNT THE HOOD

ONCE THE REST OF THE BODY IS BUILT.

THAT'S BECAUSE THE HOOD IS ALUMINUM,

WHILE THE REST OF THE CAR IS STEEL.

IF ANY STEEL FLECKS HIT THE HOOD DURING THE BUILD PHASE,

THEY WILL CORRODE AND MARK THE ALUMINUM.

THE RCZ R BODY TAKES A FOUR-MINUTE SOAK

IN A BATH CHARGED TO 300 VOLTS.

THIS GIVES IT AN ELECTRIC COATING THAT PROVIDES

AN IMPORTANT LAYER OF CORROSION PROTECTION ON THE INSIDE

AND OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE.

TWO PAINT SPECIALISTS EQUIPPED WITH PROTECTIVE GEAR

APPLY THE BASE COAT TO THE INSIDE SURFACES OF THE CAR.

THE AIR IN THIS BOOTH IS HEATED TO 72 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

IT'S FILTERED TO MINIMIZE AIRBORNE PARTICLES,

AND MAINTAINED AT 65% HUMIDITY

TO OPTIMIZE THE WATERBORNE PAINT'S ADHERENCE

TO THE CAR'S SURFACE.

ROBOTS APPLY A BASE COAT TO THE EXTERIOR.

THE ELECTROSTATICALLY-CHARGED PAINT DROPLETS

SPRAY FROM NOZZLES TURNING AT 50,000 REVOLUTIONS PER MINUTE.

IN JUST FOUR MINUTES, THE ROBOTS FINISH COATING THE CAR.

FROM HERE, THE CAR BODY TRAVELS TO A FLASH OVEN,

WHICH BURNS THE WATER OUT OF THE BASE COAT

BEFORE THE CLEAR COAT GOES ON.

♪♪

Narrator: AT THE HEART OF THE RCZ R IS ITS 1.6-LITER POWERHOUSE.

IT PACKS 270 HORSEPOWER,

AND A MAXIMUM TORQUE OF 244 FOOT-POUNDS

BETWEEN 1,900 AND 5,500 RPMs.

♪♪

PEUGEOT BUILDS ITS RCZ R ENGINES

IN THE SMALL TOWN OF HéRIMONCOURT IN EASTERN FRANCE.

THE COMPANY HAS OWNED AND OPERATED THE FACTORY SINCE 1824.

A TECHNICIAN LUBRICATES THE BORES

TO PREPARE FOR INSTALLATION OF THE PISTONS.

HE COLLECTS THE PISTON, ENSURES IT HAS ALL OF ITS COMPONENTS,

THEN SLIDES IT INTO A DEVICE

THAT COMPRESSES THE PISTON RINGS.

A YELLOW NETTING IS ADDED TO PREVENT THE PISTON

FROM DAMAGING THE BORE.

HE INSTALLS ALL FOUR CYLINDERS,

THEN CRANKS THE ENGINE BLOCK 180 DEGREES.

HE THEN QUICKLY LOOSENS

AND REMOVES A SERIES OF LARGE BOLTS.

THIS ALLOWS HIM TO LIFT OFF THE CRANKCASE COVER.

ONE BY ONE, HE CAREFULLY INSTALLS THE CRANKCASE BEARINGS.

HE UNSCREWS AND REMOVES THE PISTON-ROD CAPS.

THEN HE BRINGS THE CRANKSHAFT TO THE BLOCK

AND LOWERS IT INTO PLACE USING A LIFT-ASSIST DEVICE.

HE REPLACES THE PISTON-ROD CAPS OVER THE CRANKSHAFT,

THEN TIGHTENS THEM BY HAND TO HOLD THEM IN PLACE.

A SPECIALIZED TIGHTENING DEVICE GIVES THE BOLTS

THE PRECISE TORQUE PRESCRIBED THE ENGINEERS.

THE TECHNICIAN REPOSITIONS THE CRANKCASE COVER.

THE COVER HAS A BEAD OF SILICONE AROUND ITS PERIMETER

TO HELP SEAL THE JOINT.

HE AGAIN USES A PRE-PROGRAMMED DEVICE TO TIGHTEN THE BOLTS

ON THE CRANKCASE TO THE ENGINEERS' SPECIFIED TORQUE.

A COVER GOES OVER THE OIL-PUMP SPROCKET AND CHAIN.

A TECHNICIAN LOWERS THE OIL PUMP'S PLASTIC COVER

INTO POSITION, BOLTING IT SECURELY IN PLACE

WITH A TORQUE-CONTROLLED POWER DRIVER.

HE CAREFULLY POSITIONS THE CYLINDER HEAD GASKET

OVER THE BORES,

THEN BRINGS THE CYLINDER HEAD TO THE CYLINDER BLOCK.

HE USES A GUIDE DOWEL TO ENSURE PROPER ALIGNMENT.

HE ATTACHES THE CYLINDER HEAD SECURELY TO THE ENGINE BLOCK.

A TORQUE-CONTROL DEVICE LINKED TO A MONITOR

DIGITALLY GUIDES HIM

THROUGH THE PRESCRIBED FASTENING PATTERN.

THE CYLINDER HEAD HAS ALL OF ITS COMPONENTS

PRE-INSTALLED, INCLUDING THE VALVES, PUSH RODS,

ROCKER ARMS, AND TWO CAMSHAFTS.

A PLASTIC GUIDE HELPS HIM AS HE LOWERS AND INSTALLS

THE TIMING CHAIN AND SPROCKET.

HE INSERTS THE CAMSHAFT SPROCKET NEXT TO IT,

ALIGNS THE GEAR TEETH, LOOPS THE TIMING CHAIN OVER THEM BOTH,

AND TEMPORARILY SECURES THEM WITH A HANDHELD RATCHET DRIVER.

HE THEN INSTALLS THE CRANKSHAFT HUB INTO ITS POSITION.

HE CAN NOW PLACE THE COVER OVER THE CYLINDER HEAD

AND BOLT IT IN PLACE.

THE COMPOSITE PLASTIC COVER

CONTRIBUTES TO THE CAR'S LOW OVERALL WEIGHT.

THE SAME IS TRUE FOR THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD.

THE CAR'S CURB WEIGHT IS JUST 2,820 POUNDS.

FINALLY, THE TECHNICIAN MOUNTS

THE ENGINE'S TWIN-SCROLL TURBOCHARGER

TO THE CYLINDER HEAD.

IT'S TIME TO FIRE UP THE ENGINE AND CHECK ITS FUNCTIONALITY.

AN INSPECTOR STARTS THE ENGINE

AND CHECKS FOR ANY SIGNS OF LEAKS.

THE SYSTEM NOTIFIES HIM

IF IT DETECTS ANY FLAWS IN THE ENGINE'S PERFORMANCE.

A POSITIONING TOOL HELPS A TECHNICIAN

ATTACH THE FLYWHEEL TO THE CRANKSHAFT.

HE INSTALLS THE CLUTCH MECHANISM

WITH THE HELP OF A COMPRESSION TOOL,

AND SCREWS THE ASSEMBLY IN PLACE

FOLLOWING A PRESCRIBED TORQUING SEQUENCE.

AN INSPECTOR EXAMINES THE ENGINE,

CHECKING THE VISIBILITY AND CORRECTNESS

OF THE SERIAL NUMBER, THE FLUID LEVELS,

AND ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS.

TO GENERATE 270 HORSEPOWER FROM A FOUR-CYLINDER ENGINE,

PEUGEOT OPTIMIZES EVERY DETAIL,

RESULTING IN A SPORTS CAR JUST AS CAPABLE

OF COMPETING ON RACE CIRCUITS

AS IT IS OF MAKING THE DAILY COMMUTE.

♪♪

Narrator: THE POWER TRAIN MAY BE ANCHORED BY ITS ENGINE,

BUT THE SIX-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION,

MacPHERSON STRUT FRONT SUSPENSION,

AND VENTILATED DISC BRAKES

ALL CONTRIBUTE TO THE RCZ R's REMARKABLE COMBINATION

OF PERFORMANCE AND EFFICIENCY.

MAGNA IS A CANADIAN-BASED AUTOMOTIVE MANUFACTURER

WITH FACILITIES ALL OVER THE WORLD.

ASSEMBLY OF THE RCZ R TAKES PLACE HERE

AT THE MAGNA FACILITY IN GRAZ, AUSTRIA.

A TECHNICIAN LOWERS THE ENGINE

ONTO THE POWER-TRAIN-ASSEMBLY PALLET.

A TEAM MEMBER PLUGS THE RIGHT HALF SHAFT

INTO THE TRANSMISSION.

HE ATTACHES THE BRAKE DISC AND TRAILING ARM

BEFORE CONNECTING THE TIE ROD.

A TECHNICIAN ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE TRANSMISSION DOES THE SAME.

FOR THE RCZ R, PEUGEOT REWORKED THE SUSPENSION,

TUNING THE DAMPERS AND STIFFENING THE SPRINGS

TO CREATE A MORE RIGID RIDE QUALITY.

HE SLIDES A PORTION OF THE EXHAUST SYSTEM INTO POSITION.

IT WILL LATER BE ATTACHED TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER.

A TEAM MEMBER USES A LIFT ASSIST TO TRANSFER THE REAR AXLE

AND BRAKE SUBASSEMBLY TO THE PALLET, WHERE HE LOWERS IT.

TEAM MEMBERS TRANSPORT THE REST OF THE CAR'S EXHAUST SYSTEM

TO THE POWER-TRAIN PALLET FOR INSTALLATION.

PEUGEOT HAS TUNED THE SYSTEM TO CREATE AN EXHAUST NOTE

THAT'S SATISFYING FOR DRIVERS.

THE NOTE IS AGGRESSIVE, BUT CONFORMS TO SOUND REGULATIONS.

A BOX FULL OF PEUGEOT'S FAMED BRAND INSIGNIA

WARMS UNDER A HEAT LAMP.

THIS ENSURES THEIR ADHESIVE BACKINGS

WILL ATTACH FIRMLY TO THE CAR'S SURFACE.

BACK IN 1847, THE PEUGEOT BROTHERS

CHOSE THE IMAGE OF A LION TO ILLUSTRATE

THAT THEIR SAW BLADES WERE AS STRONG, SUPPLE,

AND SWIFT AS THE BIG CAT ITSELF.

THEIR FIRST EMBLEM SHOWED A LION WALKING ON TOP OF AN ARROW.

THE STANDING LION WAS ADOPTED IN THE 1970s.

THE "R" SYMBOL STANDS FOR RACING.

THE TECHNICIAN BRINGS THE BRAKE-AND-CLUTCH PEDAL SYSTEM

TO THE CAR AND INSTALLS IT.

SHE FINGER-TIGHTENS THE PEDALS TO HOLD THEM IN PLACE.

THE FINAL TORQUE COMES LATER.

THE RCZ R IS MANUAL ONLY,

BUT AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS AVAILABLE

FOR SOME OTHER VERSIONS OF THE RCZ.

TEAM MEMBERS USE A SPECIALIZED LIFT-ASSIST DEVICE

TO SLIDE THE PRE-ASSEMBLED DASHBOARD

INSIDE THE CAR'S COCKPIT.

THE LEATHER AND ALCANTARA UPHOLSTERED DASHBOARD

FEATURES RED OVERSTITCHING.

THE OVERSTITCHING IS A SIGNATURE FEATURE,

IDENTIFYING THE CAR AS AN RCZ R

RATHER THAN THE LESS POWERFUL RCZ.

AN OVERHEAD CONVEYOR SYSTEM POSITIONS THE CAR BODY

FOR ITS MARRIAGE WITH THE CHASSIS.

THE MARRIAGE IS COMPLETELY AUTOMATED.

LASERS PRECISELY ALIGN THE TWO SUBASSEMBLIES

SO THAT THEY JOIN PERFECTLY.

TEAM MEMBERS THEN VERIFY ALIGNMENT

AND COMPLETE THE ATTACHMENT OPERATION.

A TECHNICIAN USES AN EXTENSION DEVICE

TO BOLT THE CHASSIS TO THE BODY.

THE AUTOMATED CONNECTION TAKES JUST 20 SECONDS.

THE TEAM MEMBERS NEED JUST 20 MORE SECONDS

TO COMPLETE THE BOLTING PROCESS.

THE WHOLE PROCESS TAKES LESS THAN A MINUTE.

A TECHNICIAN MOUNTS THE RCZ R COOLING SYSTEM.

THIS INCLUDES THE RADIATOR

AND THE INTERCOOLER FOR THE TURBOCHARGER.

THE RADIATOR WAS DESIGNED TO KEEP THE ENGINE COOL

UNDER EXTREME HEAT CONDITIONS, LIKE THOSE FOUND IN AUSTRALIA.

LIKE ALL TURBOCHARGED ENGINES,

THE RCZ R REQUIRES AN INTERCOOLER

TO INCREASE EFFICIENCY.

THE FRONT END OF THE RCZ R IS NEARLY FINISHED,

BUT THERE'S STILL A LOT OF WORK REQUIRED

TO COMPLETE THE ASSEMBLY.

♪♪

Narrator: TO BRING A PEUGEOT RCZ R

TO THE POINT AT WHICH IT'S READY FOR ITS TEST-DRIVE,

TEAM MEMBERS AT MAGNA MUST COMPLETE

THE ASSEMBLY PROCESS USING AN OPTIMIZED PRODUCTION LINE,

TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, AND STATE-OF-THE-ART EQUIPMENT.

TECHNICIANS INSTALL THE REAR BUMPER.

IT'S MADE OF LIGHTWEIGHT COMPOSITE MATERIALS.

COMPOSITES CAN BE MOLDED TO ANY SHAPE,

ARE CHEAP TO PRODUCE, AND EASY TO SWAP OUT IF DAMAGED.

THE RCZ R BUMPER FITS NEATLY AROUND

THE CAR'S STAINLESS-STEEL TAIL PIPES.

THE REAR WINDOW CONTINUES THE DOUBLE-BUBBLE CURVES

THAT BEGIN ON THE ROOF.

PRODUCING GLASS IN THIS SHAPE AT A REASONABLE PRICE

WAS ONE OF THE MOST TECHNICALLY-DIFFICULT ASPECTS

OF THE DEVELOPMENT PHASE.

THIS MAY BE WHY THE RCZ MODELS ARE THE ONLY PRODUCTION CARS

IN THE WORLD WITH BUBBLED GLASS.

THE MATTE ALUMINUM ROOF ARCHES FORM ANOTHER SIGNATURE ELEMENT

OF THE RCZ R's LOOK.

A TEAM MEMBER CARRIES THE LIGHTWEIGHT COMPONENT

TO THE CAR AND ADHERES IT FIRMLY IN PLACE

BEFORE STRIPPING OFF A PROTECTIVE LAYER

OF PLASTIC FILM.

THE L.E.D. BRAKE LIGHTS SNAP INTO POSITION.

THEY'RE CONTINUOUS WITH THE CURVE OF THE REAR FENDER

TO MAXIMIZE AERODYNAMIC EFFICIENCY

AND CONFORM TO THE CAR'S GRACEFUL LINES.

TEAM MEMBERS INSTALL

THE LIGHTWEIGHT COMPOSITE FRONT BUMPER

WITH THE PEUGEOT NAME, LION BADGE,

AND SIGNATURE GRILLE DESIGN.

A TECHNICIAN USES A LIFT ASSIST TO MOUNT A WHEEL ON ITS BASE

IN AN AUTOMATED PROCESS.

THE 19-INCH WHEELS SIT ON RIMS

DESIGNED TO HOUSE AND OPTIMIZE THE BRAKE-COOLING SYSTEM.

TEAM MEMBERS THEN BRING TWO MACHINES TO THE CAR

TO COMPLETE A FULLY-AUTOMATED LUG-TORQUING PROCESS.

THE MACHINES ENSURE THE LUGS ARE SIMULTANEOUSLY TIGHTENED

TO THE PRESCRIBED PARAMETERS.

AFTER THE PAINT JOB AND BEFORE THE ASSEMBLY PROCESS BEGINS,

THE MANUFACTURERS REMOVE THE DOORS

AND FINISH THEM IN A SEPARATE SUBASSEMBLY AREA.

THIS PROTECTS THE DOORS FROM DAMAGE DURING ASSEMBLY.

IT ALSO MAKES IT EASIER FOR TECHNICIANS

TO MOVE IN AND OUT OF THE VEHICLE AS THEY WORK.

HERE, TECHNICIANS REUNITE THE DOORS

WITH THEIR ORIGINAL CAR BODY.

THE VEHICLES MOVE THROUGH A QUALITY-CONTROL AREA

EQUIPPED WITH SIDE LIGHTS.

AN INSPECTOR USES A SOFT CLOTH TO WIPE THE BODY

IN SEARCH OF ANY POTENTIAL FLAWS.

THIS IS JUST THE FIRST STEP OF A DETAILED,

MULTI-PHASE QUALITY-CONTROL PROCESS.

SPECIALLY-TRAINED TEST DRIVERS TAKE EVERY CAR FOR A RUN

ON THE MAGNA FACILITY'S TEST TRACK.

ACCELERATING TO NO MORE THAN 60 MILES PER HOUR

OVER THE COURSE OF THREE TO FIVE MINUTES,

THEY COVER ROUGHLY 2,500 FEET OF TRACK

AS THEY WEAVE AND CORNER,

LISTENING FOR ANY ABNORMAL NOISES.

THEY ALSO CHECK THE CAR'S HANDLING, LIGHTS,

BRAKES, AND GENERAL PERFORMANCE.

WHEN PEUGEOT LAUNCHED THE RCZ IN 2010,

IT WAS ADMIRED FOR ITS DESIGN.

THE 2014 LAUNCH OF THE RCZ R EDITION OF THE CAR

BROUGHT NEW LEVELS OF POWER AND PERFORMANCE TO THE MODEL.

THE RED OVERSTITCHING AND AVIATION-INSPIRED DESIGN

OF THE COCKPIT AND SEATS SIGNAL THE CAR'S FASTER,

MORE AGGRESSIVE CAPABILITIES.

YET REMARKABLY, PEUGEOT DIDN'T ENHANCE THE CAR'S PERFORMANCE

AT THE EXPENSE OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS.

WHILE THEY WERE BUSY INCREASING THE CAR'S POWER,

THE COMPANY MANAGED TO ACTUALLY REDUCE EMISSIONS

BY BUILDING THE MOST POWERFUL AND EFFICIENT

1.6-LITER FOUR-CYLINDER ENGINE THERE IS.