Megafactories Season 3 Episodes

Episode 1

Lamborghini Murcielago SV

45 mins

Lamborghinis factory in SantAgata Bolognese, Italy [ALT: 20 miles/30 kilometers north of Bologna) is building its fastest car ever the Murcielago SV, of which just 350 will be made. The $450,000 Murcielago SV launches from 0 to 62 miles per hour in just 3.2 seconds and can achieve a top speed of 212 miles per hour. The factory builds the car almost entirely by hand including its engine and body. The car is also painted and assembled by hand, including installation of the famous Lamborghini scissor doors. Every car is custom-built to order, and only 2.7 cars are completed per day.

Episode 2

Rolls-Royce Phantom

Thu, Oct 8, 200946 mins

The Rolls-Royce Phantom is the ultimate symbol of automotive luxury. National Geographic goes inside three plants to see how a team of skilled craftspeople perfectly weld, sculpt, laser-cut, paint and customize each one of these ultimate luxury cars.

Episode 3

Chevy Camaro

Thu, Oct 15, 200944 mins

The Camaro has been a classic "muscle car" for over 40 years, but what does it take to build a classic car with 21st century technology? National Geographic visits the 8.5million sq. ft. factory-one of the largest auto plants in the world.

Episode 4

Porsche 911

Thu, Oct 22, 2009

Since 1964, Porsche's Ultimate Factory in Stuttgart, Germany has made one of the world's most iconic sports cars - The Porsche 911. The factory runs like a precision machine as it builds more than 200 of Porsche's legendary flat-six cylinder engines a day. In the body shop, 105 robots and teams of human welders build the Porsche 911's body. The color coat for all bodies is hand-painted. And finally the cars pass through 117 assembly stations, the most dramatic of which is the "marriage" of the body and powertrain. By the end of every workday, 110 new Porsche 911's roll out of the famed German maker's Ultimate Factory (Mega Factory).

Episode 5

IKEA

Thu, Nov 5, 200950 mins

In 36 countries, in 296 stores IKEA represents a distinct design and an affordable price. To get the job done, suppliers in 54 countries carry out IKEAs vision. These are the factories.

Episode 6

New York Subway

Mon, Nov 16, 200950 mins

Join us as we follow the creation of the car that moves millions. The R-160 Subway car is the newest member of the New York City Transit fleet -- bringing 21st Century safety and technological innovations to a mass transit system over 100 years old. These innovations include LCD screen maps, a passenger emergency intercom system, soundproofing and a braking system that actually generates electricity and returns power to the third rail. It starts as sheets of metal in Sao Paulo, Brazil where human skill, fire, and steel come together to build the body shell. After a month-long voyage, the body arrives in Hornell, NY for final assembly, motor installation, and testing. Once assembled the R-160 weighs nearly 85,000 lbs and contains 24 miles of wiring. This car is built to last 40 years, to withstand the force of 1.6 billion riders per year, and survive in one of the worlds toughest environments New York City.

Episode 7

Audi R8

Sat, Mar 13, 2010

Inside the Audi R8 factory in Neckarsulm, Germany and follow the crafting of a road car modeled after a champion racecar. With the introduction of the R8, Audi creates a sportscar that rivals the likes of Porsche and Lamborghini.

Episode 8

Chevy Volt

Thu, Mar 25, 201047 mins

Get a rare behind-the-scenes look inside the preproduction factory for the new, revolutionary Chevy Volt.

Episode 9

BMW Z4

BMW manufacturing leaps forward with the BMW Z4 Roadster. Take a tour of the three ultimate factories and the creation of BMW's newest sports cars.