Get set for Building Cars Live

James May, Kate Humble and Ant Anstead are getting into gear to present Building Cars Live on BBC2 – October 20 & 21.

The trio will broadcast live from behind the scenes at one of the biggest and busiest car factories in the country: – the BMW Group MINI plant in Oxford.

Over two nights they’ll reveal the science, the engineering and meet the people that produce almost 1,000 MINIs every day.

The programme will take a detailed look at the MINI plant, its 102-year history and the hi-tech and innovative manufacturing processes involved in building cars in Oxford and exporting them to over 110 markets around the world.

It will examine how a MINI starts life as a roll of steel at the sister-plant in Swindon, then makes its way through the state of the art body shop where it is pieced together with up to 6000 welds, then through the paint process, into assembly and finally through a series of detailed diagnostic tests.

Most importantly the myth that all modern manufacturing is carried out by robots will be dispelled as the programme examines the skills, training and teamwork that puts people at the heart of modern car building.

Many of the plant’s 4000 employees will explain their jobs to the presenters demonstrating everything from producing the body, to the paint process, final assembly and the detailed quality testing in the climate chamber and on the test track.

Building Cars Live will also step outside the MINI plant to explore the 56-year history of the iconic MINI brand.

Watch it on BBC2 on Tuesday October 20 and Wednesday October 21 from 7.30 pm – 9pm