It’s an open secret that Apple is building it’s own electric car, but according to the chairman of Ferrari, Sergio Marchionne, it’s unlikely that the company will actually manufacture the vehicle on its own.
In an interview this morning on CNBC, Marchionne said that he believes the automotive industry is a space where Apple could really exhibit its skills. However, designing a car and making it are two different things, so Apple will probably have to outsource production.
“I doubt it very much that they will setup infrastructure to manufacture cars,” said Marchionne, who revealed that Apple has not approached Ferrari or parent company Fiat about making its car.
Rumors circulated earlier this year that Apple has been in talks with a couple automakers about handling manufacturing of the electric Apple Car. BMW engineers reportedly had a meeting with Apple to use its i3 technology.
BREAKING: Ferrari’s chairman tells CNBC he thinks that Apple will market an Apple car. $RACE
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When you consider that Apple doesn’t make its most profitable product, the iPhone, it makes sense that they would outsource production to another company with expertise in the field. A Foxconn type partnership could be forged with one of the world’s major automakers. Marchionne said the margin distributions of becoming Apple’s Foxconn for car wouldn’t be alluring, but he welcomed the company’s efforts.
“This industry in general needs to open up to disrupters,” Marchionne said. “Whether it’s the Google car, Apple Car, this notion that we’re seeing now with autonomous driving, assisted driving…it’s going to change the traditional nature of carmaking.”
Buster Hein is a freelance writer who lives in Phoenix, Arizona. Twitter: @bst3r.
3 responses to “Ferrari boss thinks Cupertino will outsource Apple Car”
Designing something is one thing, but actually making it is another. Mass produced consumer electronics again is one thing and making a car that can be a 60+ Mph death trap is another and can Apple afford to have a OEM make their car then end up with massive recalls, spinning beach balls or worse El Capitan running the show.
Beats Google and Android as a car UI…
Everyone thinks making a car is difficult. It’s not, I’ve built many
cars from scratch. Even flipped one of my cars on the track at 130mph
and walked away uninjured. The designs are out there, the science is
out there, the technology is out there. What apple doesn’t have is a
plant to build the cars. That’s the problem right now. History has shown
a bunch of start up car makers that went from concept to full fledged
car in a short period. It took Delorean only 6 years to get it rolling,
which including raising capital, building facilities and training
untrained auto workers, many who never had a job before. Any of you
naysayers ever heard of Tesla? Apple could certainly do it with their
own capital.