Opinion: Advanced technology could tempt Apple
New Zealanders love McLarens — we buy more of them per capita than anywhere else in the world.
So the suggestion that Bruce McLaren’s amazingly successful British-based company could be taken over by Apple will alarm many.
Though all sides are denying there are firm plans for a takeover, the story is unlikely to have surfaced in the Financial Times this week without some foundation.
At first glance the takeover seems odd but remember the super car maker is a very high-end sports car manufacturer, producing ultra-fast cars, and it specialises in producing cutting-edge technology. The entire McLaren range is engineered around a revolutionary carbon fibre chassis which the company says offers the perfect blend of light weight and inherent strength.
In other words, a sitter if Apple wants a fast-track entry into the motor trade, with a high-end and technologically advanced vehicle.
It may upset some traditionalists but Apple could well help make McLaren an even more successful international motoring and motorsport brand.
Fifteen McLarens were sold here last year, and nine had been sold this year, to the end of August.
New Zealanders’ special link with McLaren will endure, no matter who ultimately owns the corporate brand.