While the official announcement of the Apple Car is still some way off, rumors about its production and development have accelerated this year. The latest is that LG, a tech-branded display partner rather than an automaker, will help Cupertino produce the Apple Car.

The Korea Times reported that LG and Canadian auto parts supplier Magna are "very close" to a partnership. And such a partnership could result in an Apple Car by 2024.

Don't expect it to be anything like the new concept image above, but the Apple Car could become a reality in some form in the near future. The report also states that the initial production numbers "will not be very large" because Apple intends to use the first generation Apple Car as a way "to assess its marketability."

While LG and Magna are not the most obvious choice for manufacturing the Apple Car, they did announce a joint EV manufacturing partnership last December under the name "LG Magna e-Powertrain."

Now, according to a source at The Korea Times, "LG Magna e-Powertrain is close to signing a deal with Apple that would allow it to handle the initial mass production of Apple EVs." The source continues, "Details of the contract are still under discussion."

As for timing, a Korea Times report also claims that we will see the first Apple car in 2024.

While the deal with LG and Magna may seem surprising, the fact that these two companies are not big players in the auto industry could work to Apple's advantage.

It is clear from the reports about the Apple Car that the existing car companies are not very keen on partnering with Apple. The prospect of a Cupertino company taking the lead on such a large project has led to reported concerns that Apple's partner could become the "Foxconn of the automotive industry."

Apple was reported earlier in the year to be close to a deal with Hyundai Motor Company, but instead its subsidiary Kia Motors took the lead. However, that deal fell through after the news leaked.

Rumor has it that Apple was not pleased with the leak, and as a result, negotiations were "temporarily suspended." Nissan emerged as a possible candidate in the following weeks, but the company immediately denied that negotiations were taking place. Ashwani Gupta, Nissan's COO, said that this type of partnership is possible, but only if the partner adapts to Nissan's services. In other words, Nissan would not change the way it manufactures cars to appease Apple.

In this instance, however, Apple may have found a winning combination if the Korea Times report is accurate. The company already has a working relationship with LG, having purchased displays and other smartphone components from them in the past. And from LG's perspective, working with Apple Car would show that it is still a major player in the tech industry, even after its exit from the smartphone world earlier this month.

Magna, on the other hand, is already an established and reputable manufacturer in the automotive industry, but it is not bound by a commitment to its own car series.

However, don't take this as fact. As we saw with the Kia deal, nothing is finalized until the deal is signed. However, there is no doubt that this is good news for Apple Car.