British luxury car brands, UK sports cars marque news, English brand design, England buildings

British Luxury Car Brands

Automotive Headquarters Developments in England, UK – Designs

27 May 2009

British Luxury car brands make more than just cars

Luxury cars are seen as prestigious and their presence is known worldwide. As technology is constantly invested in by these companies, it only seems natural that they continue to develop and innovate new products.

British Luxury Cars

However, that doesn’t mean that some manufacturers aren’t choosing to diversify – Aston Martin has recently made the move into power boats after 102 years of making high end motors. The first power boat to bear the Aston badge will be the AM37, a 37 foot-long boat that is said to handle just like a sports car.

They are not the first luxury marque to diversify, Rolls Royce make corporate and private jet engines, while Land Rover have branched out, somewhat more modestly, into road and mountain bikes.

If a luxury car brand making a simple road bike sounds outlandish, then it may interest you to learn that they are not alone – BMW have also developed an electric bike as a sister concept for their electric car. Known as the ‘i-Pedelec’, the concept is that two of these bikes will fit into the back of the i3, making it possible for a family to go completely electric. Unfortunately the ‘i-Pedelec’ has not gone into mainstream production, although the ‘Cruise eBike’, also made by BMW, has been fairly successful.

photograph © Nigel Young_Foster + Partners

With so many products being created it only seems natural that these brands have incredible production buildings. TheMcLaren Technology Centre is considered to be such a feat of engineering all by itself. The layout offers maximum productivity, and the entire production line can be viewed from a mezzanine balcony. Located by a lake, the centre almost looks like it’s from another planet, until you compare it to the BMW Technology Centre. Made up of four storeys, and built so that all levels can be observed from every other level, engineers can choose between virtual and real versions of the building – which could ultimately amount to a headache.

photo © Duccio Malagamba

Companies that can develop and manufacture something as stunning and high precision as a top quality sports car are always going to find other ways to expand and develop new technology. So, the question is this – which will be the first to put a car on the moon?

British Car Buildings

McLaren Technology Centre Expansion

photograph © Nigel Young_Foster + Partners
McLaren Technology Centre – updated 30 Mar 2015

McLaren Production Centre, Surrey, England, UK
Date built: 2014
Design: Foster + Partners
McLaren Production Centre, Woking
picture © McLaren
McLaren Production Centre – alonside the previous building – the circular McLaren Technology Centre.

McLaren Technology Centre, Surrey, England, UK
Date built: 2004
Design: Foster + Partners

photograph © Nigel Young_Foster + Partners

Car Building Designs

Car Buildings

Car Museum Buildings – selection below, chronological:

Porsche Pavilion
2013
Design: Henn Architekten

photo : HG Esch
Porsche Pavilion in Wolfsburg – 15 Feb 2013

Museo Casa Enzo Ferrari, Modena, Italy
2012
Design: Future Systems

photograph © Andrea Morgante
Museo Casa Enzo Ferrari – 14 Mar 2012

National Automobile Museum in Turin – renovation + extension, Italy
2011
Design: Cino Zucchi Architetti with RecchiEngineering and Proger

image : Cino Zucchi
National Automobile Museum Turin