Premcar turns 30 in 2026. To celebrate, we’re sharing some of our carmaking knowledge. This time, it’s about the importance of independent engineering.
There’s an interesting fact about Premcar’s work, and that is any major automaker can do what we do.
But there’s an interesting twist in this fact, and that is – in reality – they can’t do what we do.
The reasons have a lot to do with our size and concentration of carmaking experience and the resulting speed, agility and cost advantages they offer carmakers.
But automakers seek other benefits from us, the biggest of which is engineering independence.
Major carmakers (rightly) need to follow very specific processes to ensure they achieve targeted levels of durability, quality, safety and other measures. We do exactly the same.
But for a major carmaker, constraints like these on such a large scale mean they don’t have the time, resources and flexibility to establish new ways to arrive at conclusions.
Depending on the technical areas in question, this means it can be challenging for them to create new or more innovative methods for decision-making, product development and manufacturing.
The best automakers realise these constraints create opportunities, and they often put them to work at Premcar.
Being an independent new-car engineering entity means they can trial – with us, and through us – ways of thinking that foster original ideas, many of which wouldn’t be possible at their home base.
It helps them germinate new competitive advantages.
Conformity, consensus and conventional wisdom are critical in carmaking. They keep things predictable and safe.
But to accelerate into the headwinds of competition, carmakers need space to modify and test existing assumptions. This creates the conditions for breakthroughs, faster development and the establishment of new, proven wisdom.
Which is why independent engineering is so important in carmaking.
About Premcar:
Premcar Pty Ltd is a leading Australian vehicle engineering business that specialises in the automotive, defence and aerospace industries. For 30 years, global car-makers have made Premcar their go-to partner for the complete design, engineering and manufacture of niche-model new cars, full-scale new-vehicle development programs, and electric vehicle (EV) conversions and manufacturing. Premcar’s body of work is extensive. It is the name behind more than 213,000 new cars and 55,000 new-vehicle engines. The company has delivered technical advancements and sales success for major car brands from Europe, the USA, Japan, China and Australia. Visit premcar.au.
