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.