As long as your car starts, stops and does so without going wrong too frequently, most people aren't really bothered how it all came together.

Even so, it's a facinating process to observe and there's now a video showing how much effort actually goes into making the new BMW 1-Series compact, from bare sheets of steel right up to the final inspection.

Our two hosts visit the factory and the first, most obvious aspect is its size. For a small car, a 346 acre and 9,000 person site seems massive - more like a small town.

Once inside, we can see the construction of the 1-Series right from the original shapes cut out of 400 tons per day of steel, to those sections being pressed into more recognisable shapes. The sections are then welded into a "body in white", the bare shell of the car.

The car is then checked for defects before heading to the paint shop where paint is applied electrostatically to reduce waste - the electrically charged paint particles are attracted to the opposite charge of the car body.

The 1-Series then moves to the assembly line where the engine, interior and other components are fitted before the vehicle is finally complete.

So next time you go to buy a new car, just remember that it, like your place in life itself, is just a small element of a much bigger picture...