POLCRYSTALLINE CUBIC BORON NITRIDE (PCBN) CUTTING TOOL MATERIALS HAVE PROVED SUCCESSFUL IN MACHINING MANY DIFFERENT WORKPIECE MATERIALS. THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY, BY VIRTUE OF THE VOLUME AND RANGE OF COMPONENTS MANUFACTURED, PROVIDES MANY APPLICATION AREAS FOR PCBN CUTTING TOOLS. IN THIS PAPER, TWO SPECIFIC APPLICATION AREAS ARE EXAMINED: THE MACHINING OF RELATIVELY SOFT CAST IRON; AND THE FINISH TURNING OF HARDENED COMPONENTS AS A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE TO CERTAIN GRINDING OPERATIONS. WITH THE AVAILABILITY OF BOTH HIGH AND LOW CBN CONTENT MATERIALS, MACHINING EXAMPLES HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF SELECTING THE MOST SUITABLE TYPE OF PCBN CUTTING TOOL MATERIAL.