Brand Loyalty

Apple's computer dashboards are fine, but if this is its real
auto dashboard it still needs work (Mercury News photo)

Apple's brand loyalty is such that new-car buyers would immediately consider buying an Apple Car, although Apple has never confirmed that it is even looking into producing one. [bold added]

Strategic Vision just released the results of an annual study that this year reached 200,000 new-vehicle owners. For the first time, the consulting firm included Apple among the more than 45 brands it surveyed consumers about. The findings: 26% said they would “definitely consider” buying a set of wheels from the iPhone maker, behind only Toyota and Honda. And 24% ticked the top box (“I love it”) when asked their impression of the quality of the brand, beating all others by a wide margin...

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has reported Apple is shooting for a fully autonomous electric car and aims to have one ready around 2025...or the time being, at least, Apple lacks an industrial partner. But one of the companies it knows best — iPhone assembler Foxconn — recently acquired a former General Motors assembly plant in Ohio from struggling startup Lordstown Motors. That factory is big enough to easily make 400,000 vehicles a year.

One rendering of an Apple Car (vanarama)

Unlike other product announcements, Apple couldn't possibly keep an Apple Car secret. It will need to be tested on public roads for years. (Google's autonomous car trials have reportedly been conducted over 12 years and 20 million miles.)

Once seen, a real car can never live up to what people imagine it to be. Will there be enough Apple loyalists to make the Apple car a success? Maybe, but they should probably buy the extended warranty.