How A Car Is Made: Every Step From Invention To Launch

Search

• Cars By Category
• Expert Reviews
• Car Buying Guide
• Shopping Tools and Advice
• Car Buying Service
• Stories and Features
• News
• Expert-Tested Gear
• New Cars
• Follow
• Podcast
• Videos
• Subscribe to the Magazine
• About Us
• Newsletter

Skip to Content

• SHOP NEW CARSNew!
• SHOP USED CARSNew!
• Research Cars
• Expert Reviews
• WHAT’S MY CAR WORTH?
• Expert-Tested Gear
• News + Stories

Follow Car and DriverSubscribe to the magazineAbout UsContact UsGlobal Nav SearchSubscribesign in

• SHOP NEW CARS
• SHOP USED CARS
• Research Cars
• Expert Reviews
• WHAT’S MY CAR WORTH?
• Expert-Tested Gear
• News + Stories

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

• Hecho en Mexico: The State of Auto Manufacturing South of the Border
• With Wireless Cars, Our Physical Safety Is Now on the Line
• Want to Know Where the Auto Industry’s Heading? Look to What It’s Patenting [Infographic]

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

2016 10Best Cars: Return to Overview

Watch Next 

News

Gordon Murray T.50S Crushes GT3 Car Around a Track

2026 Ford Mustang Dark Horse SC Will Cost $108K

Ford Recalls 1.7M SUVs with Backup Camera Problems

Box-Fresh 2011 Honda Element on Bring a Trailer

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

An AWD Corolla Takes On the Mint 400 Off-Road Race

10 Cars We Loved at the 2026 Amelia Concours d’Elegance

Rambo Lambo: 1990 Lamborghini LM002 on BaT

Rare $1M Aston Martin Sedan Auctioned for Half Price

This One-of-a-Kind Ruf 928R Needs a New Owner

Gas Prices Rose Almost 9 Percent Since War in Iran

BMW to End Alpina XB7 Line with a Limited Edition

Test Hub: Telluride's I-4 Beats the Palisade's V-6

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below