蘋果接觸邁凱倫洽談收購事宜

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.

蘋果(Apple)已接洽英國超級跑車工程企業、一級方程式(Formula One)車隊東家邁凱倫技術集團(McLaren Technology Group)，商談潛在收購事宜，這是迄今表明這家iPhone製造商正尋求改變汽車業的最明確跡象。

The California technology group, which has been working on a self-driving electric vehicle for more than two years, was 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.

聽取了情況介紹的三名人士稱，談判是在幾個月之前開始的。蘋果致力於開發一款自動駕駛電動汽車已有兩年多，這家加州科技集團考慮全面收購邁凱倫，或對其進行戰略投資。

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 push forward Apple’s secretive automotive project.

邁凱倫的技術專長包括汽車工程、車載計算機系統以及新穎底盤材料（如碳素纖維和鋁合金）。與邁凱倫結盟可能有助於推進蘋果神祕的汽車項目。

Apple and McLaren declined to comment.

蘋果和邁凱倫均拒絕置評。

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.

上述人士稱，虧損的邁凱倫有望達到10億至15億英鎊的估值；他們補充稱，尚不清楚能否達成交易。

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.

若成功，那將是蘋果自2014年以30億美元收購Beats Electronics以來最大收購；Beats是由Dr Dre和吉米•約維內(Jimmy Iovine)創立的音響集團。

Earlier this year, Apple invested $1bn in Didi Chuxing, the Chinese ride-hailing company.

今年早些時候，蘋果向中國網約車企業滴滴出行(Didi Chuxing)投資10億美元。

That deal was Apple’s largest equity investment to date, as chief executive Tim Cook gradually breaks with the Silicon Valley company’s aversion to large deals.

那筆交易是蘋果迄今作出的最大股權投資。首席執行官蒂姆•庫克(Tim Cook)正逐漸告別這家硅谷公司不願做大筆投資交易的傳統。

McLaren produces luxury sports cars that can cost as much as $1m apiece and owns an advanced technologies group as well as the eponymous Formula One racing team.

邁凱倫生產售價高達100萬美元的豪華跑車，並擁有一家先進技術集團以及同名的F1車隊。

The owners of McLaren Technology control 80 per cent of McLaren Automotive.

邁凱倫技術的東家控制着邁凱倫汽車(McLaren Automotive) 80%股份。

It produced 1,654 vehicles last year, generating revenues of ￡450m, and has pledged to invest ￡1bn in the next six years on research and development.

去年該公司的產量達到1654輛，營收爲4.50億英鎊，公司承諾未來6年向研發投入10億英鎊。

McLaren Technology reported revenues of ￡265m and pre-tax losses of ￡22.6m in 2014, its last published accounts.

根據邁凱倫技術已公佈的最新財報，其2014年營收爲2.65億英鎊，稅前虧損2260萬英鎊。

It is owned by Ron Dennis, its chairman, Mansour Ojjeh, and Mumtalakat, Bahrain’s sovereign wealth fund.

公司所有者爲董事長羅恩•丹尼斯(Ron Dennis)、曼蘇爾•歐耶(Mansour Ojjeh)以及巴林主權財富基金Mumtalakat。

Apple’s interest in the Woking-based company centres on its technology, engineering prowess and patent portfolio, according to people briefed on the talks.

據前述知情人士介紹，蘋果對這家總部位於英國薩里郡沃金(Woking)的公司的興趣集中於後者的技術、工程實力和專利組合。

However, those people cautioned that it was unclear if a deal would go ahead following a recent shift in Apple’s car strategy.

但這些人士告誡稱，在蘋果最近改變汽車戰略後，不清楚會否達成交易。

Since 2014, Apple has built up a team of hundreds of engineers and designers to work on the electric car venture, including recruits from companies such as Tesla and Mercedes-Benz.

自2014年以來，蘋果將數百名工程師和設計師投入電動汽車項目，這支團隊包括從特斯拉(Tesla)和梅賽德斯-奔馳(Mercedes-Benz)挖來的人才。

Its original team leader, Steve Zadesky, left earlier this year, and Apple veteran Bob Mansfield took over the project.

最初的團隊領導者史蒂夫•扎德斯基(Steve Zadesky)今年早些時候離職，由蘋果老將鮑勃•曼斯菲爾德(Bob Mansfield)接手該項目。