British Prime Minister David Cameron has visited Woking to open the brand-new McLaren Production Centre.

In the past decade, McLaren Automotive has become a ground-breaking British automotive powerhouse that is successfully taking on the giants of the European, Asian and North American sports car market.

Company boss Ron Dennis has made it clear that McLaren Automotive intends to become renowned not only as a premium automotive brand, but also as a high-volume high-performance sports car manufacturer with the presence and range to co-exist and compete with the most established supercar brands in the world.

It forms part of the McLaren Group which also includes McLaren Applied Technologies, McLaren Electronic Systems and, of course, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, the historic cornerstone of the business, a household name within the UK and one of the most prestigious brands in world sport. With 175 grand prix wins and 20 world titles achieved by a roster of talent, including world champions - Emerson Fittipaldi, James Hunt, Niki Lauda, Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna, Mika Hakkinen and Lewis Hamilton.

Speaking at the event, Ron Dennis said: "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to McLaren. I say "ladies and gentlemen", because that's the polite convention but, more importantly, you're all policy makers, industry leaders, influencers and opinion-formers. Welcome to you all.

"Prime Minister, thank you, especially, for taking the time to join us here today.

"We appreciate your visit very much, since it clearly demonstrates your commitment to our industry - an industry which, we know, sits at the very heart of your declared strategy to rebalance the UK economy. And I'm sure all of us here today, whether we be policy makers or industry leaders, support that strategy. Certainly, McLaren intends to contribute to it.

"McLaren comprises a group of companies, all of them based here on this corporate campus in Woking and all of them sharing a common culture, but with different technological disciplines and therefore different business objectives.

"Yet they all share the ambition to be the best, the ambition to win. Ambition is the driving force of entrepreneurship, which the Government is keen to facilitate and foster. It's a vision shared by all McLaren's shareholders.

"Without their investment in the UK, and more specifically in McLaren Automotive, we wouldn't be sitting here today. It's a vision also shared by everyone at McLaren, whether they be directors, or apprentices, or anyone in between.

"But we're here today, above all, to celebrate the formal opening of the McLaren Production Centre, the new home of McLaren Automotive, which sits behind me across the lake and which the Prime Minister has just toured.