German publication Frankfurter Allgemeine is reporting that Apple may be planning to use Austrian-based automotive contract manufacturer Magna to manufacture the Apple Car. The publication also says that Apple has created a ‘secret lab’ in Berlin where it has head-hunted a small cross-disciplinary team of 15-20 upcoming engineers from a number of German car companies.
Magna specialises in making limited-edition models for major car manufacturers, having made the Mini Paceman and Clubman for BMW, as well as the BMW X3. It is expected to make hundreds of thousands of vehicles for BMW over the next 6-7 years …
The report is light on detail, but it would be no surprise that Apple would consider Germany or Austria for car production, the region being home to many premium automotive brands, including Audi, BMW, Mercedes and Porsche. One of the hires sister site 9to5Mac exclusively profiled back in February 2015 was former Mercedes R&D head Johann Jungwirth.
It was also reported then that Apple execs visited Austria to meet with Magna to discuss the car project – though we noted then that Samsung had acquired the company’s battery-pack business. Magna was one of the companies present at a global car body conference attended by Sixty Eight Research, a firm widely believe to be a front for the Apple Car division.
Most of Apple’s car-related activity appears to be taking place in the company’s home state of California, where it has reportedly been quietly purchasing and leasing a variety of buildings.
Via Business Insider, concept images from CarWow
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
I am very curious what Apple’s car will actually look like, if it ends up being true. As much as I love Apple I think I will stick with Tesla.
I find it mildly amusing how everybody thinks Apple will make “a normal car”, just like everyone else, that you can buy and drive around ^_^ They are building a self-driving transportation service. Uber, but will self driving cars 😀
That’s what’s been strongly rumored for the Google car, so it’s certainly a possibility for the Apple one. At this stage, though, I would say anything is possible.
I am sure you’re way more informed than me about this, but rumors have it that Uber, Tesla, and (very recently) Lyft are thinking about it as well. The future should be exciting ^_^
Indeed, the self-driving car thing is going to be amazing whatever the business model.
You can have your car in 4 colors: Space Grey, white with grey trim, Gold and rose gold. The two last will be $5.000.000
No seriously, do you think Apple will expand its current color scheme for the car?
Apple car? I’m thinking need to upgrade to new car ever 2 years due to product life, no integration to non-Apple products, whole new/different charging standards, battery cannot be replaced (then again, you’ll just have to buy a new car in 2 years anyway)…
Reminds me of the joke about Microsoft Windows car… I’ll have to find that again.
Apple need to make gazillions cars and not only hundreds of thousands 🙂