Apple in Talks to Acquire Luxury Carmaker and Formula One Team McLaren [Update: McLaren Denies]

[dwman]

MacLaren?

 

[CarpalMac]

No, get Aston Martin! "Power. Beauty. Soul. It Just Works."

Said no one who has owned an Aston, ever. Their build quality is disappointingly laughable. So much so that originally the emergency boot release for the AMV8 when you lose your keys, was in the boot.

 

[MrGimper]

Wheels are so legacy #courage

 

[Vanilla35]

interesting.

i love the cars. their design team is fab.

I would rather see a partnership with BMW though

I think BMW laughed at them when they had talks about partnering

 

[koyoot]

Perfect business decision. McLaren cars have high enough margin, they are very advanced in technology(their traction control system in the rain is best in the business), they have the F1 racing team, also, and Apple thought about buying the F1, at least thats what rumors said.

Interesting times. Biggest thing from engineering perspective is the fact that McLaren has built the best hybrid car in the world: the P1. And they know perfectly well that electric cars are the future of motoring. Last question for McL is this: will it be battery powered or Fuel Cells cars?

 

[zombierunner]

Imagine Jenson Button trying to launch his F1 car and he sees the rainbow circle on his dash

 

[MikePLP]

I have a friend who works there. I wonder if there's going to be the usual round of layoffs following the acquisition.

Apple has high standards, so he'll probably get laid off if he's not a good worker. On the other hand, Apple isn't buying this company to make 2000 cars per year, more like 200k per year. That means LOT more jobs.

 

[and 1989 others]

I can't wait for the iFixit tear down.

 

[MikePLP]

I think BMW laughed at them when they had talks about partnering

Just like the swiss watch makers did when Apple approached them. Now their sales are dropping like a rock. Who's laughing now.

 

[CarpalMac]

Apple has high standards, so he'll probably get laid off if he's not a good worker. On the other hand, Apple isn't buying this company to make 2000 cars per year, more like 200k per year. That means LOT more jobs.

More like they will leave it exactly as is, and just use the patents for their own purposes.

 

[manu chao]

Does this mean Samsung will now buy Porsche? They've both had problems with some of their products catching fire.

Porsche is already owned by VW.

 

[rGiskard]

Introducing the McLaren A1. A little slower, a little less roomy, but finally the Thinner you've all been waiting for.

 

[5105973]

if this happens, it guarantees that 99% of people here will never be able to afford an Apple car

I could, but then I would have to live in it.

 

[ironpony]

I have my tent, where does the line start?
Oh, I'll need a mailbox to put next to my tent after buying one.

 

[shanson27]

Does this mean Samsung will now buy Porsche? They've both had problems with some of their products catching fire.

Porsche is owned by Wolkswagen

 

[Gypsy36]

This is terrible news. Apple will ruin Mclaren.

 

[plokoonpma]

Dam.. I hope it becomes a reality... Fernando Alonso and the team needs a push and Apple may be what they need to become more competitiveve. Besides is a good promotional platform for Apple products.

 

[slimothy]

Not sure how to feel about this.

 

[testcard]

We're gonna need a bigger Apple Store.

 

[jiggad369]

Please dear god NO!!!

McLaren is a company about purity; obsessed about creating the best, fastest and insane driving experience ever. Apple is everything BUT that!

Are you ever going to stop being so grumpy?

 

[MikePLP]

Now that looks like a total BARGAIN compared to the Beats acquisition...

I wouldn't say "bargain". Beats had billions in sales. Maclaren only sells 2000 cars per year.

 

[snowtrooper1966]

Hmmmm
A McLaren edition iPhone?
Only way I'd ever be able to afford anything with that name on it, and possibly not even then....

 

[MacFever]

i can see this happening... Apple/McLaren joint works.... don't loose the McClaren name though... they do make amazing hypercars and formula 1 racing cars... they are a force in F1 and hypercar manufacturing to be reckoned with.

 

[vmachiel]

They'll be working on iTunes

 

[Jakexb]

The cool thing about McClaren is their research and consulting divisions. They don't just make supercars, they do a ton of r&d and help work with other companies making vehicles.

Seems like exactly the company that would thrive on the challenge an Apple-esque car.