Editorial

Alex and Beck sit down to catch up with Matt Schiller, CEO of Snappr—the professional-photos-anywhere agency that supports our BaT Plus listing photography service. The Australian Bay Area transplant talks about starting the company in Sydney with no intention of moving into the automotive space; assures us that even CEOs have excuses for looking at BaT instead of working; reviews the importance of accurate and numerous photos for large purchases made over the internet; and goes into some very telling stats gleaned from Snappr’s seven-year relationship with BaT (the numbers don’t lie: better photos sell more cars for higher prices!).

Please help us extend a warm welcome to one of BaT’s favorite designers, teachers, sellers, and all-around renaissance men: Raffi Minasian, known in these halls as @raffi. He talks with Alex about his father’s “trial by fire” mechanical training program; the roots of his obsession with car design; learning to drive in a 1952 Crosley (with doors!); human- and object-based empathy; a novel way to stay calm in the BaT comments; accidentally becoming a star seller for other people’s cars; the odd calmness that 1,200 live BaT auctions can provide; his unorthodox, Pegaso-centric introduction to Art Center College of Design, his future alma mater; his 16 years in die cast design at Franklin Mint; insights into shifts in popular culture; embracing the ridiculous; and the Beetle as a gateway drug.

In a BaT Podcast first, we gather to hash out one of our favorite movies: none other than Bullitt with Steve McQueen. We talk about the evasive plot, filming details, background car spotting, San Francisco landmarks, regenerating hubcaps, unintentional stunts, the film’s sartorial choices, and of course, the most famous car chase in the movies.