According to Financial Times, Apple has approached the British carmaker McLaren to discuss about a possible acquisition or to investment into the brand. It is also said that the talks have been happening for months now. McLaren has been a known name when it comes to Formula One racing and the team has been among the top.
Financial Times also reports that Apple was considering an acquisition of the Formula One racing league itself but later, dropped the plan and is now considering investing in, or if the talks are successful, the acquisition of the company.
The California technology group, which has been working on a self-driving electric vehicle for more than two years, is considering a full takeover of McLaren or a strategic investment, according to three people briefed on the negotiations who said talks started several months ago.
McLaren has held the title of having the fastest car in the world for years, the McLaren F1, and the carmaker is known only in the supercar segment, as even the basic car from here would cost you over $200,000. It might, in the end, be a deal that would give the tech company some experienced minds who know a lot about the technology behind better, faster cars and the knowledge behind that isn’t available at a small cost.
According to FT, the valuation of McLaren is said to be about $1.9 billion. It isn’t the cars that Apple would put its interest in, but the electronic supplies that McLaren has been doing. Also, the carmaker is rumored to be extensively working on an electric car, which will give Apple an access to the technical know-how and plans that McLaren has for it.
More than the acquisition, it would be interesting to see the reason behind it and how Apple will take advantage of the deal, if it happens in the coming time.
Apple has been in the news recently for its automotive plans, where its Project Titan is said to be taking some twists and turns. First, it was said that Apple has been actively working and hiring the right people, but a recent news said that the company is laying off some of its staff and reshuffling its executives.
