Apple reportedly in takeover talks with McLaren, but British automaker says no discussions going on

Apple is said to be in discussions with McLaren Technology Group over a potential acquisition of the British supercar maker, Financial Times reports. The publication, citing inside sources briefed on the negotiations, said the technology company was looking into a full takeover of the automaker or the possibility of a strategic investment.

According to the sources, Apple is eyeing McLaren – which is said to be valued at between £1-£1.5 billion (RM5.3-RM8.06 billion) – for its technology, engineering prowess and patent portfolio. They added that talks began some months ago, but it was unclear if a deal will be struck given the recent shift in Apple’s automotive strategy.

Apple did not comment on the matter, but following the news, McLaren poured water on the subject by issuing a statement saying that it was not in discussions with Apple, though it didn’t clarify if it had indeed been approached.

“We can confirm that McLaren is not in discussion with Apple in respect of any potential investment. As you would expect, the nature of our brand means we regularly have confidential conversations with a wide range of parties, but we keep them confidential,” it said.

Apple has certainly been in the news of late with regards to automotive-related matters – back in July, it was reported that the company was interested in buying Formula 1. If the Macca deal is real and goes through, the purchase would be Apple’s biggest acquisition since the US$3 billion (RM12.3 billion) buyout of Beats Electronics in 2014.

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