On the face of it, U.K. supercar maker McLaren would seem an odd partner for Apple Inc. as the consumer electronics and software giant seeks to crack the global auto industry.
With its racetrack heritage and gas-guzzling models priced from 126,000 pounds ($165,000), Woking, England-based McLaren is a world away from the mainstream auto market, which Apple appears to be targeting and where it would face brands with a global profile to match its own.
Yet McLaren’s rich history in Formula One, the most elite level of auto racing, means the company has as much in common with Apple as it does with more-conventional carmakers such as Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Co. Formula One is a technology-led circuit in which engines and chassis are highly regulated and minute electronic enhancements can make the difference between winning and finishing last.
McLaren has also achieved the transition from developer of industry-leading technology to a full-scale producer of street-legal cars in just six years, presenting a blueprint for making a splash in the auto market in short order. Apple is exploring a strategic investment with the carmaker, people familiar with the matter said, though both parties denied that talks are under way.