A handful of hypothetical stories have been published all over the web regarding why Steve Job’s car did not have a license plate. But iTWire claims to have finally uncovered the truth. In a one hour encounter with CTO of Entrust Jon Callas, who has also worked at Apple in the past as a senior security officer, they asked him if he had any idea about “the number plate saga”. Luckily he did, and according to him Steve loved the whole “think different” and be different thing, so he discovered a perfectly legal way to permanently drive without a license plate.
The source tells the story:
Steve (or someone close to him) spotted a loophole in the California vehicle laws. Anyone with a brand new car had a maximum of six months to affix the issued number plate to the vehicle.
So Jobs made an arrangement with the leasing company; he would always change cars during the sixth month of the lease, exchanging one silver Mercedes SL55 AMG for another identical one. At no time would he ever be in a car as old as six months; and thus there was no legal requirement to have the number plates fitted.
What’s even more interesting to know is that the leasing company was more than happy to supply him a new car every six months as they were able to sell the previous one to another buyer claiming that the vehicle was driven by none other than Apple CEO Steve Jobs himself. How cool is that?!
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This story sounds stupid.
If I see a car without a License plate (and if I live at Cupertino), I will most likely think this is Steve Jobs because he is the only one like that.
If I see a car with a License plate… then this is a normal car.
Perhaps there is something I missed.
I think the point is that Steve wanted to be noticed, not the other way around.
I think the point is that Steve wanted to be noticed, not the other way around.
In California a lot of of people drive without plates. An odd sight to see for someone from Canada so used to it being the law to have them.
Last time I heard about it, Mario Andretti was the only citizen of Cali legally allowed to drive without a place per then governor Schwarzenegger.
so true everytime i go to states i get so shocked that there are cars with no license plates
This article doesn’t really address WHY he did it (just to be different?) but HOW he did it. Perhaps changing the title of the article?
This article doesn’t really address WHY he did it (just to be different?) but HOW he did it. Perhaps changing the title of the article?
Yup, that is exactly why he did it, “just to be different”. It’s the same message he’s been pushing over and over again, since he started Apple.
How the hell would he insure it? lol any way interesting
it’s been reported in numerous places that he drove an 07 model the whole time.
that would kind of shoot this new, “truth” down, wouldn’t it?
BS replicated rumors spread quickly to “numerous places”. This supposed “truth” makes a lot more sense.
i dont think a buyer of a car of that calibre would care whether or not Jobs owned it previously. Anyone who has $200k to blow on a car wouldnt really care if Jobs owned it or not, regardless of the fact that in that segment it’s pretty hard to sell used cars (regardless of owner lol)….who WOULDNT want one new if you’re paying that much? my only grife is why Steve chose such a ladies car 😛
Ladies car? with shit load of torque. Yes please.
I would buy it no matter how it costs if the car’s driven by Steve Jobs. The man is in many ways iconic!
You couldn’t afford it even if you wanted to. Besides, you’d have to be pretty gullible to believe a car salesman.
That explains everything… I do wonder how often he was pulled over for it though.
He did it because he didn’t wan to pay for the tags. End of story. Hahaha
If you’ve read the Steve Jobs biography, his reason for not driving without a license plate is different than what is described above.