Wednesday, September 21, 2016

M & A: "Apple in Talks with Racing Carmaker McLaren"

From the Financial Times:

A McLaren sports car during filming of the film Transformers: The Last Knight, in the City of London. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Saturday September 10, 2016. Photo credit should read: Yui Mok/PA Wire
Apple has approached McLaren Technology Group, the British supercar engineer and Formula One team owner, about a potential acquisition, in the clearest sign yet that the iPhone maker is seeking to transform the automotive industry.

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.

A tie-up with McLaren, whose expertise ranges from automotive engineering and on-board computer systems to novel chassis materials such as carbon fibre and aluminium, could accelerate Apple’s secretive automotive project.

Apple and McLaren declined to comment.

The lossmaking automotive group was likely to be valued at between £1bn and £1.5bn, the people said, adding that it was not clear a deal would be done.

That would make it Apple’s biggest acquisition since the $3bn purchase of Beats Electronics, the audio group founded by Dr Dre and Jimmy Iovine, in 2014....MUCH MORE
HT: MacRumors