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McLaren CEO says Apple takeover talks happened but didn't go anywhere

Back in September, we reported that Apple was in talks to buy McLaren, as per a report in the Financial Times. A McLaren spokesperson flatly denied the rumor at the time, but it turns out that perhaps the truth of the matter is a little more complex than that denial encompassed. In an interview with Reuters, McLaren's acting CEO Mike Flewitt confirmed that there were talks with Apple, but that they never reached the stage where Apple made a bid. "There wasn't a bid from Apple," Flewitt told Reuters. "They visited. We talked. We talked about what they did. We talked about what we did. They toured. It never matured to a definitive proposition." Even if Apple had made a bid, it seems like the people who run McLaren might not have been in the mood to take it. As you might remember, long-time CEO Ron Dennis was ousted recently from his position after a 35-year run. A BBC report made it sound like the dismissal had to do with management style, but Sky News reports that it was Dennis's backing of a Chinese takeover bid that precipitated his departure. Apparently the stockholders weren't keen on selling, whether to a Chinese consortium or anybody else, and so Dennis got the boot. It's not as if Dennis will be completely uninvolved from this point forward. The man still has a 25 percent stake in the company, and will remain on the board of directors of both the McLaren Technology Group as well as McLaren automotive itself. In other news, Zak Brown, a former racing driver and sports marketing executive, has decided to take Dennis's vacated position, reports Sky News. Related Video: News Source: Reuters, Sky NewsImage Credit: Mark Thompson/Getty Images McLaren Racing Vehicles Special and Limited Editions Performance mclaren automotive

McLaren shows off personalization options for the Speedtail

The entire McLaren Speedtail production run has been spoken for, and McLaren wants to make sure no two Speedtails are exactly the same. A wide range of personalization options is offered to the 106 clients that have put down a deposit for the upcoming "Hyper-GT," and McLaren has now disclosed how it plans to make the cars unique. The 250-mph 1050-horsepower gasoline-hybrid cars will be available from early 2020 on, so there's a year's time to configure them according to one's taste. The supercar maker has recently showed off some of its special editions, and the Speedtail configuration options follow in the same exquisite vein. First of all, there are three style collections, which themselves have been divided into different themes depending of the customer's needs. The main collections are called Urbane, Visionary and Dynamic: the first of them is a subdued and sophisticated setting, the second a more striking and vibrant one, and the third a more futuristic one. The Urbane trim level includes the Stratosphere theme that shows off the car in "gloss 1k visual carbon fiber," the highlights of which are accentuated by a "contour pack" and anodized aluminum brightwork. The Visionary trim's Astral theme mainly features navy blue in various ways, contrasting with the car's silver-striped orange bodywork, again complete with glossy carbon fiber but now with white gold. As for the Dynamic collection, it can be tied in with the Bloodline theme, which combines a red car with a red driver seat but with aniline passenger seats, highlighting the central throne. There are countless ways to option the 106 cars' surfaces and features, especially when McLaren's MSO division is added to the table. McLaren also reminds that there are options such as electro-chromatic window tints that function as sun visors, or that one can add more carbon or white gold if desired. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Featured Gallery McLaren Speedtail collections McLaren Coupe Hybrid Performance Supercars McLaren Speedtail

The McLaren 720S leaks out on Instagram before Geneva debut

The McLaren 650S is an excellent vehicle, but it's time for a replacement. We've seen spy shots of said replacement before, codenamed P14 and expected to be called the 720S, but not the finalized car fully uncovered. Thanks to an Instagram user known as Lamborghiniks, that changes today. Take a look: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Like all modern McLarens short of the P1, the name is significant. It's a sure indicator that the 720S will make 720 metric horsepower (PS), or roughly 710 horsepower on the SAE scale. That's within the realm of possibility, since the 675LT makes 666 hp just fine thanks to a tweaked version of the standard, Ricardo-developed 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8. The 720S might have to stuff another couple of radiators in its underoos somewhere, but it shouldn't have much trouble producing more than 700 hp. You'll notice quite a divergence between the 650S (and its predecessor, the MP4-12C) and this car. For one, it ditches trademark boomerang-shaped headlights for ovoid units stuffed inside a deep triangular vent that also appears to house the turn signals or marker lights. And there's the roofline – it's not body colored, for one, and it also dives into the rear bodywork more sharply. It gives it a bit of a fighter jet bubble canopy look, or perhaps its reminiscent of a Pagani's roofline. Either way, it's different. And unlike the 650S, there's no ductwork behind the door. Instead, the door is accentuated by a blade of sorts protruding from the fender just behind the front wheels. It recalls the three-dimensionality of the 570-series cars' door ductwork without necessarily echoing its shape. The bottom line is that the 720S represents a big external styling departure and may set the tone for all McLarens moving forward. The car will officially be revealed at the Geneva Motor Show, so we can expect more details and better photos then. Stay tuned! Related Video: News Source: Instagram via Jalopnik Spy Photos Geneva Motor Show McLaren Coupe Future Vehicles Performance Supercars mclaren 720s