Apple reportedly in discussions to buy sports car manufacturer McLaren

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Comments

  • Reply 81 of 97
    dk49dk49 Posts: 267member
    volcan said:
    dk49 said:

    It seems Apple is keen on using Mclaren's designing/manufacturing technology in its car. Apple rolling out a supercar doesn't make sense. What makes sense is bringing super car technology to mass market cars - that will definitely give Apple the differentiating factor it is desperately seeking.

    Well they certainly won't be using McLaren's manufacturing technology since their cars are entirely handmade. And what supercar technologies are needed for a consumer automobile? There are many hybrids and electric cars already on the streets today. 

    I agree McLaren's designs look spectacular, but not really practical for everyday driving.

    By manufacturing, I was actually referring to the materials technology like carbon fibre, aluminium, and other chassis related technologies. Some supercar technologies like better aerodynamics, lighter yet stronger chassis, better traction, etc are critical to performance and might have attracted Apple's attention.

  • Reply 82 of 97
    volcanvolcan Posts: 1,799member
    monstrosity said:
    Currently partnered with Honda I believe? (I haven't checked that).
    Yes Honda, although they have big problems in both engines and aerodynamics.

    Honda engines are underpowered and the regenerative braking and turbo recovery systems are also insufficient. The problem in the aerodynamics is related to down force stalls. They haven't won a Gran Prix in years, although historically McLaren has won more races than any other F1 manufacturer. So far in 2016, Mercedes has won all but one race in which they were beat by Ferrari. Red Bull also has a really good car.
    edited September 2016
  • Reply 83 of 97
    volcanvolcan Posts: 1,799member
    I believe there is an electric vehicle version of F1, so instead of McLaren /Honda it could be McLaren/Apple with an Apple designed electric engine and battery
    Formula 1 engines, by the rules, have to be turbo V6 ICE with two recovery methods to store electricity for burst power.

    There was a race this year in Long Beach using all electric race cars that are Indy/F1 style. It is called Formula E. I think they mostly use Renault chassis.
    edited September 2016
  • Reply 84 of 97
    Unless they're sitting on key patents for manufacturing and electric car design I see zero value in it.
    You see no value in buying a world-class manufacturing concern to control the end-to-end production of your own secret car? Interesting point of view.
    Read more closely. I discuss manufacturing patents and other tech patents as a means for purchase. Outside of that nothing.
  • Reply 85 of 97
    Apple has a total blind spot here - they are American. The future is reducing the need to travel.

    Before then, public transport.

    Cars are ancient history, a mistake. 

    Tim.
  • Reply 86 of 97
    McLaren is denying they are in talks with Apple.
    Ah... "not in talks" can mean lots of things, but it was nice to speculate about the combination, nonetheless...
    edited September 2016
  • Reply 87 of 97
    timmillea said:
    Apple has a total blind spot here - they are American. The future is reducing the need to travel.

    Before then, public transport.

    Cars are ancient history, a mistake. 

    Tim.
    I am guessing you live in some European city.
    Solitmay
  • Reply 88 of 97
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    timmillea said:
    Apple has a total blind spot here - they are American. The future is reducing the need to travel.

    Before then, public transport.

    Cars are ancient history, a mistake. 

    Tim.
    I'm lost. First off, why does Apple making an automobile mean it's mutually exclusive to public transportation. Are you thinking that within 5 years there will be no taxis or buses, just trains, hover boards, jet packs, teleporter? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Second, is "public transport" still travel? What does reducing the need to travel even mean? Aren't people still going to desire to travel?
  • Reply 89 of 97
    volcanvolcan Posts: 1,799member
    timmillea said:
    Apple has a total blind spot here - they are American. The future is reducing the need to travel.

    Before then, public transport.

    Cars are ancient history, a mistake. 

    I hate public transportation, including airplanes, even though I fly first class. I don't want to sit next to some idiot blabbering on their cell phone or eating a hamburger. I enjoy the privacy, peacefulness and security of my luxury automobile. I don't want to work from home either. I look forward to getting out of the house and socializing with my coworkers.
    edited September 2016 squareback
  • Reply 90 of 97
    flaneurflaneur Posts: 4,526member
    timmillea said:
    Apple has a total blind spot here - they are American. The future is reducing the need to travel.

    Before then, public transport.

    Cars are ancient history, a mistake. 

    Tim.
    One aspect of your argument may have some validity. The 2,000-kilo personal armored transport machine is unsustainable. For all we know, the future is personal, inflatable, lightweight air transport.

    Clearly there's an evolutionary imperative that will make many or most of us humans travel. This has been selective-pressuring us since we came out of the trees, as a consequence of our cerebral cortex, upright posture, and 3D vision, etc.

    Virtual travel around the planet ain't going to cut it, though it will be useful in establishing a global cooperative society.
    edited September 2016
  • Reply 91 of 97
    volcan said:
    monstrosity said:
    Currently partnered with Honda I believe? (I haven't checked that).
    Yes Honda, although they have big problems in both engines and aerodynamics.

    Honda engines are underpowered and the regenerative braking and turbo recovery systems are also insufficient. The problem in the aerodynamics is related to down force stalls. They haven't won a Gran Prix in years, although historically McLaren has won more races than any other F1 manufacturer. So far in 2016, Mercedes has won all but one race in which they were beat by Ferrari. Red Bull also has a really good car.
    Ah, last time I watched F1 McLaren were on top and Nigel Mansell was driving :)
  • Reply 92 of 97

    volcan said:
    I believe there is an electric vehicle version of F1, so instead of McLaren /Honda it could be McLaren/Apple with an Apple designed electric engine and battery
    Formula 1 engines, by the rules, have to be turbo V6 ICE with two recovery methods to store electricity for burst power.

    There was a race this year in Long Beach using all electric race cars that are Indy/F1 style. It is called Formula E. I think they mostly use Renault chassis.
    Interesting. I guess that would be super capacitors. I can see why Apple could potentially have an interest in this industry.
  • Reply 93 of 97
    What you probably do not know and most people do not understand is that those are based on Formula 1 car - it is not just sports car like Corvette or Veyron - those are knockoffs of real race, open wheel cars that you cannot even compare to anything your boss is driving for pleasure... not even to any Ferrari in production. That is why they are expensive and that is why they are not fit to be mass produced. So what would be interest of Apple in it? Those people use quite a bit different daily stuff... not even iPhone's (you know that Bang and Olufsen and some other companies have special custom lines for wealthy, don't you?)
  • Reply 94 of 97
    volcanvolcan Posts: 1,799member

    volcan said:

    Formula 1 engines, by the rules, have to be turbo V6 ICE with two recovery methods to store electricity for burst power.

    There was a race this year in Long Beach using all electric race cars that are Indy/F1 style. It is called Formula E. I think they mostly use Renault chassis.
    Interesting. I guess that would be super capacitors. I can see why Apple could potentially have an interest in this industry.
    I know nothing about the electric power except that they do have switch cars a few times during the race to get a fresh battery.
  • Reply 95 of 97
    jumejume Posts: 209member
    This actually makes a lot of sense.

    McLaren sports cars only cost $350,000 - yet they are hand made. They are similar in cost to other cars in its class: Lamborghini, Ferrari, Aston Martin, etc.

    What if:
    • Apple automates the manufacturing of McLarens to bring the cost down to $50,000 to $90,000?
    • Apple customizes the software to its user interface and design
    • Even adding autonomous driving as needed
    Apple could even have manufacturing done in China to bring the price down to $30,000 in mass quantity - brutally competing against the rest of the car industry.

    I thought buying all of BMW would make more sense and it would be also rather cheap at $65 billion.  But then I guess Apple executives aren't satisfied with BMW cars and how they drive. And it would be more difficult to blend in with Apple since it is an old stodgy company, not a massive startup like Apple is.
    You have no idea why this car costs 350.000! For 50-90.000 no one would want it, and even worse if it was made in China. And Apple could throw billions into it and could not bring the cost down to what you are saying. Well yeah it could but it would never be the same car again. 
    edited September 2016
  • Reply 96 of 97
    What I’d love from Apple (Tesla, whatever) would be a self-contained electric “skateboard” drivetrain onto which a custom body could be snapped. Several mockups/prototypes of something like this have already been drawn up, but who knows if anyone’s working on them in earnest.

    Why shouldn’t we be able to bring back old designs? There’d be a huge market for that. Look at cars now; they’re basically uniform in design. What if you could have one “car” with multiple uses? Snap on a truck body if you need to haul something, a sedan for carrying more people, or one of these…



    …if you want to class things up.
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