Luxury car maker and Formula One team owner McLaren has denied reports that it has been in talks with Apple over the latter acquiring or taking a strategic stake in the auto firm.
The Financial Times reported yesterday that it had spoken to three anonymous sources briefed on discussions. According to these people, discussions between McLaren and Apple had begun months ago.
Apple has so far refused to make a statement, but McLaren has sharply denied there had been any talks.
“We can confirm that McLaren is not in discussion with Apple in respect of any potential investment,” a spokesperson told AFP.
Jalopnik also spoke to the car company, and was told, “It’s not true at all. There’s no chatter, there’s no acquisition”.
According to the Times article, which it stands by, the sources also said Apple’s interest lay in the car company’s technology, engineering and patents.
The Woking, England-based supercar company currently produces in low volumes, making 1,654 cars last year. It is valued at between 1 and 1.5 billion pounds (about $1.71 billion to $2.56 billion.)
Apple has been strongly rumoured to be developing a self-driving electric car, referred to as Project Titan within the company, for the last two years.