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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