Beetle and Brains
Due to the advent of the iPhone, and the ever-so popular iPod, Apple is now cooking up something that will make the car industry shiver with envy—the new iCar. Now, guess how Steve Jobs is able to make his team go that extra mile in creating another technological innovation? Well, they were not…so instead, they called upon the successors of the great Dr. Ferdiand Porsche to cook up the said iCar. Hence, here is the biggest and strongest partnership to date—Apple and Volkswagen. Our much-loved VW parts are now upgraded to bring the Beetle anew—with both Beauty and Brains.
Did you know that the big guy behind Apple had a real thing for Volkswagen cars? Jobs reportedly once sold his Beetle 31 years ago so that he could raise capital to fund his then growing computer empire from its humble beginnings in the garage of his parents’ Los Altos garage. Today, he may be caught in fancy rides such as the Rolls Royce, Ferrari, and even a private Boeing to name some. But his sentiments for the high-quality VW parts remained in tact as they are now trying to incorporate the Apple technology into the Volkswagen. When Volkswagen chief Martin Winterkorn and Jobs brainstormed about their plans, insiders said that “scores of ideas are being kicked around”, which could lead to the development of an iCar—the Beetle with brains. Winterkorn has indicated that he wants to revive a Beetle-type low-cost car with a basic model that would retail at about £4,000. His plan is regarded as appropriate in an environmentally-conscious era, “a return to the origins of the VW which was commissioned by Hitler as an affordable Car for the People.”
People from the automotive industry are a bit skeptic about the concept of the iCar, saying that the real question is, will the iCar be just another upgraded version of the original Beetle, but with a few tweaking. For instance, it is still the same good old Beetle but with a lot of Apple products installed to make it more appealing to younger generation. Or, will it be a totally different design that will add another meaning to the evolutions of the Beetle? While they are more geared towards the latter, other competitors are still hot on what this new partnership could bring. The incentive for the development of an iCar —which would be both a four-wheeled office and an entertainment center—probably came from the recent announcement of the deal struck by Ford and Microsoft through which Ford will introduce an in-car entertainment and communications system known as Sync, later this year.
BMW is fast on its heels to join this technological war, and I’m sure others are soon to follow. Hm…quite excited to get your hands on the new iCar eh? We all are, and until it’s out, let’s wait and watch the progress.