As a site that’s always ready to take a chance on the unheard voices and perspectives in the world of cars, TTAC is proud to have been a starting point for a number of writers who have gone on to other pursuits around the automotive media. Which is why we are taking a moment to celebrate TTAC contributor Ronnie Schreiber, as he launches his own portal for automotive expression, Cars In Depth. Ronnie writes
We’re pretty sure that Cars In Depth is the first car site to feature 3D photos and video. With all the buzz out of Hollywood, the gamer world and the television set industry about 3D, we’re not going to lie and deny that we’re trying to catch a wave as it crests. So yeah CID is a little bit gimmicky, but in the case of cars, 3D makes really good sense. I’m sure you’ve had the experience of seeing a car in real life and realizing that it doesn’t quite look the same as in flat two-dimensional photography. Simply put, the Porsche Panamera and Honda Crosstour are not as ugly in real life as they are in [2D] photos. There was a reason why Harley Earl started the practice of making clay styling models of car designs. For that same reason we’re starting Cars In Depth. The technology works, is mature and this is an ideal application for it…
You may be wondering how we are making the site compatible with the multiple varieties of 3D as well as making the site friendly to 2D viewers as well. Our photographs and videos are posted in embedded players that will work with the vast majority of 3D systems available today, and they also allow for 2D viewing as well.
We wish Ronnie the best in his bold new endeavor, and we’ll certainly be keeping a (cardboard) bespectacled eye on Cars In Depth.
If anything, the Honda Crosstour is uglier in real life than in pictures. Anyway, when I saw the the name of the site I thought he was going to be competing with Ate Up With Motor.
I have a lot of admiration for what Aaron Severson does with AUWM. As a matter of fact, I’d love to have him on the CarsInDepth team but he doesn’t have the time to spare. Those articles on AUWM take quite a bit of research.
“There was a reason why Harley Earl started the practice of making clay styling models of car designs.”
Well, there definitely isn’t any way to appreciate the overwrought, unnecessary complexity of his and Exner’s designs without seeing a multitude of views from all angles…
It’s actually kind of funny, when you think about it – imagine all the guys out there who view ’50s cars as pinnacles of automotive design, but scorn tricked-out Escalades for being overdone.
It’s called “style” and it probably seems foreign to you because it’s sadly lacking in cars today. Adding a Cadillac grille to a Suburban does not make it stylish, it’s a marketing exercise. The Escalade just proves that there are some people that would like to buy a loaded Suburban but feel that it’s still not expensive enough already. I don’t see the comparison you’re trying to make.
He wasn’t called Virgil Excess for nothing. Still, looking at the Chrysler concepts during the Exner era, for every overwrought monstrosity like the Plainsman concept (which looks like it has a Ford roof welded on backwards) there was another concept with clean lines and purity of design. The grille and headlights of the current Chrysler 300 can be traced directly back to Exner’s show cars in the early to mid 1950s.
What I think is the coolest aspect to the GM Motorama and Exner/Ghia concepts is that they were often used as daily drivers by the designers or executives. Harley Earl used a series of GM concepts as his personal cars. Art Ross’ son told me that his father brought home the original F-88 and let him drive it on a date to his middle school dance when he was 14 (he had a learner’s permit). When the F-88 sold for over $3M at Barrett-Jackson a few years ago, the junior Ross said he started getting phone calls and emails from his former classmates who remembered riding in it with him and his dad.
Interesting concept and I hope it takes off. As you say, it is a little gimmicky, but it may work well for some subject matters such as this.
Best of luck, and I’ll be sure to check out the new site (though I’m not sure about the glasses yet).
Cool site! Congrats and Good Luck! Hey, can we get LeMons in 3D too?
Already posted. Scroll down on the home page. I have some shots Murilee took.
That is really cool! Again, Good Luck :-) I’ll definitely be a regular visitor.
Here’s a stereo photo of the TTAC meet & Greet after the NAIAS media preview last week:
Though we’re going to use “3D” for business reasons, I’ve been persuaded that “stereo” is more accurate.