RANDY NONNENBERG was a car-crazy Northern Californian with an engineering degree and a business-development job at BMW when, in 2007, he co-founded Bring a Trailer (BaT) in his spare time. The website's goal was highlighting cool machines being sold around the country for what became a large audience of similarly afflicted classified-ad devotees. Seven years later, BaT harnessed its engaged fan base and inaugurated its own online auction system. Its runaway success led Hearst Autos (Road & Track's publisher) to acquire a controlling interest in 2020. Nonnenberg, who loves cars as much as ever and remains BaT's president, spoke with us about the ride.
Road & Track: Correct me if I'm wrong, but you were the first person to appreciate and then actualize the idea of auctioning cars online.
Randy Nonnenberg: I think that's a little too. much credit. I mean, eBay? I cut my teeth obsessing over eBay, and that was an auction, with some things I felt could be improved. But they had car auctions online in 1997 or thereabouts.
R&T: Of course. Well, what makes you different?
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Diese Geschichte stammt aus der August - September 2023-Ausgabe von Road & Track.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
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MR. CALIFORNIA
MEET THE MAN WHO PUT THE STATE ON THE MAP AS THE LEADER IN THE FIGHT AGAINST VEHICLE EMISSIONS.
RESIDENT ALIEN
THE CZINGER 21C LOOKS LIKE IT ARRIVED FROM A DISTANT PLANET. INSTEAD, IT COMES FROM CALIFORNIA, WHICH IS KIND OF THE SAME THING.
FUNNY FACE
THE CURIOUS CASE OF CALIFORNIA-DIAL WATCHES.
THE PROBLEM WITH ROBERT WILLIAMS
TOWARD THE END of our third interview, Robert Williams gives me some advice about overcoming creative blocks. “Phrase it as a problem,” he says. “
Quiet Riot
In the Ioniq 5 N, Hyundai makes the case that an EV can tamp down racetrack noise without sacrificing capability.
The Sound and the Fury
A legal feud over booming decibels put California's most historic roadracing circuit in jeopardy.
HOLLYWOOD'S GREATEST STUNT DRIVER
CAREY LOFTIN WAS THE KING OF THE SCIENTIFIC WILD-ASS GUESS
OFFLINE
THIS BURBANK BOOKSTORE IS A REPOSITORY FOR THE WORLD OF AUTOMOTIVE INFORMATION NOT ON YOUR PHONE.
THE COURSE OF HISTORY
The West Coast tracks where modern racing was born.
TANK WARFARE
WHAT IF THE WHOLE CAR WERE A GAS TANK?
