The Apple Car has been at the forefront of many rumors in recent years and yet it never materialized. As a matter of fact, the Cupertino-based technology giant didn’t even confirm what would’ve been an EV, let alone show images or share technical specifications of the car. The New York Times reports more than $10 billion was poured into the ill-fated project before the iPhone maker pulled the plug at the end of February.
While the Apple Car was still in development, a new report from Bloomberg claims Apple got in touch with BMW about a potential collaboration. The German luxury marque wasn’t the only automotive company considered for a partnership as there were also talks with Mercedes, Tesla, Volkswagen, and even with McLaren. Later, electric startup Canoo had a chat with Apple representatives but to no avail. There were also negotiations with Ford to sell the Apple Car through the Lincoln luxury brand. Ultimately, nothing came out of these discussions. Of all car manufacturers contacted by Apple, Bloomberg reports McLaren got the closest to inking a deal.
The Apple Car was a costly endeavor as the same report states the company burned through a whopping $1 billion a year. A prototype of a white minivan was supposedly shown to executives back in early 2020 at a test track in Wittmann, Arizona previously owned by Chrysler. The car allegedly had an all-glass roof and sliding doors providing access to a spacious cabin with four seats. The people mover was nicknamed “Bread Loaf” because of its rounded sides and was envisioned with a large TV, customizable window tint, reclining seats featuring built-in footrests, and a level 5 self-driving system. The latter was demoted to a level 2 at one point during development.
When Apple executives saw the car, the plan was to have the minivan on sale around 2025 but it looks as though that’s not going to happen anymore. It’s unclear to what extent BMW’s involvement would’ve been had the two companies reached a deal. Bloomberg contacted Apple and BMW but predictably, both companies refused to comment. Interestingly, Apple allegedly also held talks with Magna International, which builds the Z4 roadster through its Magna Steyr subsidiary at the factory in Graz, Austria.
Chances are we’ll never find out the full story about what happened to the doomed Apple Car and the details surrounding the failed collaboration with BMW and other brands. The Munich-based marque does have ongoing collaborations with other companies since Ineos Automotive and Land Rover use some of its six- and eight-cylinder engines. In addition, it has the Z4/Supra tie-up with Toyota, with which it’s jointly working on hydrogen technology.
Source: Bloomberg (subscription required), The New York Times
