Apple could be collaborating with German car maker Volkswagen over an “iCar,” according to the Financial Times Deutschland. A Volkswagen representative confirmed to the German-language paper that talks were at an “early stage,” and that Steve Jobs met with VW CEO Martin Winterkorn several days ago to discuss the concept further. As of right now, the Financial Times says that there are no concrete plans, although it says that VW is planning a new subcompact car that would ring up for under $10k.
Our take? Apple and Volkswagen have always had a friendly relationship, and many VW cars already come equipped with iPod-compatible connectors. It’s probable that the talks between Jobs and Winterkorn are merely to go over extensions to that particular partnership—VW could be working on further iPod integrations in its cars, or newfangled iPhone integration.
Or, you know, the two could be working on an iCar.
Or the iPod and iPhone hookups already in Audis are working their way down to the masses.
On the other hand, car geeks are grumbling that they discovered this project months ago – and it wasn’t picked up by the media or bloggers as a big deal.
Spy photo. Car geeks are crazy about “spy photos”
iCar, eh? I’ve often wondered if Apple and VW would do something together. I have always thought that there is a link between VWs and Mac ownership. So many VW owners seem to have Macs as well.
I have come to realize than in American psyche, Apple has some 70’s hippy, be happy in the sun image (maybe Jobs’s roots…).
It is befitting that the VW (whose beetle and new beetle have a high “hip” factor) can be in bed together…
Could be exciting. Except that part where you have to buy your gas and oil from Texaco for the first two years.
The idea of a computer maker, that sells all of its devices at a premium, working with another company to sell a car for under $10K just doesn’t add up.
Unless it’s a hybrid. Then they’ve got something.
Geeze, that old van in the picture is quite nostalgic!
If they made it like that, I might even buy one!
Provided, of course, it didn’t have that darn air cooled engine.
I don’t know about everyone else, but around where I am it seems that about 75% of VWs have an Apple logo decal in the back window. It seems only natural that they’d start making ones that start branded, saving the buyers the trouble of sticking the sticker up.
I miss my old 1990 Jetta LWE. I drove it for ten years despite having never touched an Apple product.
#5
That is just a typo, my guess is that it’s going to be a $100k VW beetle.
I swear I thought of this before they did. I’ve always maintained that if you let Apple design a car then it would be one of the best looking products on the market. Not only that, the connectivity would be seamless. I don’t think you can say that about the current IPOD connections and functionality in VW’s/Audi’s.
I swear I thought of this before they did. I’ve always maintained that if you let Apple design a car then it would be one of the best looking products on the market.
Of course, but it would only run on distilled, fermented mango juice or similar.
#12
And it would come in brushed aluminum, it would have just one button to start, gear up and down, and do signal lights. The wheel would be a giant clickwheel. It would automatically stick to speed limits on every road and, best of all, would never crash…
I think Apple is right to experiment with new products.
Other worthwhile iProducts include:
iPlane
ichair
iglasses
iwEb(2.0)
iDell
iWindows (not the OS, but real smart windows for your real smart car)
iDog
iCat (we can watch them interact)
iPotato
iLove (a really interactive version of love)
iCE Cream! (who doesn’t)
iWindows (the OS)
iCould go on.
I think some time ago I remember a spoof page for the “iToilet” as well.
not surprising, their ad campaigns of the past 3 years were almost identical, backdrop (white), music(lame), cast(weird). ibored
Another article about this here with a crazy picture:
http://tinyurl.com/2fe6kl
[Fixed – ed.]
That VW combie with the Addle logo is so right on so many levels aside from the hippy image one being lagging behind technology like the iPhone – “Look I’m an iPhone don’t I look pretty – Like a Mac”
Cheers
Whats with the “This is not a GATE” sign on the photo?
Should it say…
“This is not a GATE its a JOB” ???
Cheers
#22 Because their aren’t any people pushing their Swatches into other people’s faces saying how much better their Swatch is! 😉
I can just see all these smug people with their iCars now…
#13, 14 LOL! You have to press the one button for the turn indicators AND one on the dash at the same time, but don’t take your finger of the clik wheel while you do that! And the exhaust doesn’t stink! 😀
Give me a break! LOL
Cheers