For a decade, the Apple Car was one of Apple’s most anticipated products. All rumors about Apple’s secret electric car project left technology enthusiasts extremely excited.
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However, to the dismay of these enthusiasts, Apple recently revealed that it has officially terminated the project, known as Titan, completely discarding the much-awaited possibility of an Apple Car.
Now, Mark Gurman, an Apple insider at Bloomberg, has shared some very interesting details about what the Apple Car would have been like. If you’re imagining it would be a classic sports car to compete with Tesla’s cars, you’d be surprised to find out that Apple was working on a minivan.
According to Gurman’s report, the Apple Car underwent several design iterations over the decade it was in development. However, each one was heavily influenced by minivan designs from car manufacturers over the years.
The initial concept of the Apple Car was created by the company’s iconic designer, Jony Ive, who left Apple in 2019. Due to its resemblance to a Volkswagen Type 2, the design was even internally nicknamed “Bread Loaf” at the company.
Later versions of the Apple Car changed the design slightly, but the minivan-inspired aesthetic remained. The second design of the Apple Car, according to Gurman, looked “almost identical” to the 2017 Volkswagen ID Buzz prototype.
This electric concept car was also inspired by VW’s minibus, albeit with a more modern design, with a sloping hood. Interestingly, the design of the Apple Car came before Volkswagen announced its 2017 prototype, according to Gurman.
After undergoing a few more small changes over the years, the most recent design concept of the Apple Car, from 2020, resembled a vehicle from the electric car company Canoo, according to Gurman, who also cited the Canoo Lifestyle Vehicle as an example.
Gurman also revealed that Apple executives, including CEO Tim Cook, were big fans of this latest design. But, ultimately, the company decided to scrap the Apple Car project. All we’re left with are these indications of what it could have been.