Why the Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG of Steve Jobs Had No License Plate
Steve Jobs had been gone from this world since 2011, but he definitely left a big mark in the devices that we enjoy today like computers, smartphones, tablets and many more. His life was surely a wonder as it had seen many ups and downs. One of the things that puzzled people though was his silver Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG.
The SL55 AMG was the late Jobs’ car of choice. In his photographs with his vehicle, it can be noticed that the auto never had a plate number. That had people asking about how he did it and how did he get away from it.
Citing ITWire as the original source of the information, Cult of Mac said Jobs simply tricked the system. Either he or someone close to him found out a loophole in the California vehicle laws that allowed him to ride his SL55 AMG without a plate number.
During his time, new car owners in California had a maximum of six months to install the issued number plates to their vehicles. Jobs exploited the rule by coming up with an arrangement with a leasing company.
The deal involved him changing cars before the allowed six months expired. However, he would always get the same car—a new silver Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG. Since none of the cars would be as old as six months, he was not required to affix number plates in them.
The rule is set to change effective in 2019 though. In July last year, Governor Jerry Brown already signed a legislation that required newly bought vehicles in California to be embedded with temporary license plates.
There were mixed reactions about the move though. Brown defended that the bill aimed to stop toll-road cheating and to make sure that law enforcements can easily identify vehicles on the road.
