Although rumors, clever theories and wild speculation have surrounded Steve Jobs' plateless Mercedes SL55 AMG over the years, the naked truth according to Jon Callas, CTO of Entrust, is a much simpler tale.
Callas, who had served in various senior security roles at Apple in the past, tells of a loophole in California state vehicle laws that allows anyone with a brand new car a maximum of six months to affix the issued license plate to their vehicle. Apparently Steve Jobs exploited that loophole according to Callas.
"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," Callas told iTWire. "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."
"One might also assume that the leasing company was happy - they had an endless supply of luxury cars to on-sell with the previous driver being none-other than Steve Jobs. A win-win-win situation for Steve, the leasing company and for the subsequent buyer." said Callas.
A popular bit of white trash folklore asserted that Jobs used a barcode instead of a license plate to expedite the billing of his numerous parking tickets. This also turned out to be false. The barcode, found on a new Mercedes is actually the vehicle's VIN number placed on the car by the manufacturer.
While it was always more exciting to believe that Steve Jobs was just being a rebel or even willing to pay the required fine for driving without a license plate. The real story is not so fantastical after all. But if actually true, I find the idea of exploiting a loophole in California law rather ingenious. No real stretch of the imagination when Steve Jobs is at the wheel.
I'm actually sad that the myth of Jobs' license plate may finally have come to a close. At least the saga of Steve Jobs parking in handicap spaces at Apple still remains alive and well. For now that is.
[via iTWire] Photo at top by Leo Prieto
It's a creative idea from a man with a very creative mind. It makes sense that he wouldn't want his license plate displayed for privacy purposes; it's a very smart idea.
Posted by: Enterprise Car Sales | November 03, 2011 at 01:52 AM
Unfortunately, this story is total bullshit. The VIN number never changed. Steve Jobs drove a 2007 SL55 until his death. He lived in a rather normal house too. Do the research, search for some Jobs SL55 pics and run it through CarFax.
Posted by: Roel | October 31, 2011 at 10:12 PM