‘Doing the bare minimum’ as a phrase has pejorative connotations. It implies an element of coasting, refusing to surpass expectations and settling for mediocrity – even, perhaps, giving up. But here we are in 2024, when manufacturers (not just of cars) are confronted with soaring production costs and are rigidly committed to reducing their impact on the environment. Products mustn’t just be cheaper to make: they must also be lighter than ever before, use minimal materials in their make-up and be fabricated rapidly, using as few resources as possible. Doing the bare minimum, it is clear, is now nothing less than an overarching objective for the industry.
Nowhere is that felt keener than at 19601 Hamilton Avenue, Torrance, California, otherwise known as the headquarters of manufacturing masterminds Divergent – or,…
