December 2006: The Web of Deception

[Koop]

They should put the perp in JAIL! Just who did this?

Borat?

The guys that did this are probably laughing their tails off.

BFD

 

[Nutmegger]

In perspective:
Compared to the pursuit of world peace - this is nothing.
Five years from now what will it matter?

Remo:cool

Five minutes after it happened it did not matter, in point of fact it did not matter while it was in process. People need to take a deep breath. I like the new C6 sure but all this Holy Grail, searchng for the Fountain Of Youth and other such fanaticism is a little over the top. When all is said and done it is a car for crying out loud we are not talking about proof of or a hoax about finding documented extra-terrestial life. Take a deep break it is a joke lighten up.

 

[TODD L GRIFFITH]

I agree, in the grand scheme of things who gives a f***? We should be counting our blessings that the fugly thing isn't it anyway. :L

 

[Brett]

Five minutes after it happened it did not matter, in point of fact it did not matter while it was in process. People need to take a deep breath.

Couldn't agree more. It was spy shots (that showed nothing we didn't already know), which are ultimately disposable anyway. This is much adieu about nothing, especially not a special "Newsflash!" message sent to our online mailboxes.

 

[firstgear]

I think it was pretty clever.....

I had never heard of Winding Road before....NEVER...and now everyone that has read this thread knows about them. You may not like them for what they did, you may sign up because you think it is funny and want to know more about them.

At any rate, in the world of publicity, there is no such thing as bad publicity. I think they made a calculated ploy with the end game to get their name out there. I think mission accomplished!

Like I said, until today I never heard of them and I bet online advertisers may pay per the number of hits or some other such thing......pretty clever I say!

 

[Evolution1980]

Enthusiasts are not pleased, and they shouldn't be. They were duped in a very big way.

To me this sums up the biggest complaint about all this. People caught a pie smack in the face and they are now upset they got duped. Awwww...get over it! So you got duped! So what? What's it change? Ab-so-lutely nothing in the grand scheme of things.

Needless to say, we certainly don't want people in the automotive world getting the idea that we fake our spy photos because that is something we NEVER do. If our clients thought we were giving them fabricated photos, we obviously wouldn't be in business very long.

unfortunately the buzz regarding their "prank" has in turn discredited our images as well.

Quite the opposite in my eyes! Since Brenda Priddy and Chris Doane already have solid reputations, this should only solidify their position as a reliable source of spy shots! Their name wasn't attached to the bogus photos. If anything, they can command a higher price for their shots because they have been reliable. As Chris said, they don't do fakes. If they did, they wouldn't be in business.

I'm struggling to see the point of this stunt. ...Winding Road tells the tale of the fake prototype, the point of the ruse was to deceive other publications into running the photos.

this is...a very pathetic attempt at generating some online traffic and revenue to their web site

Was it an attempt to solely generate webtraffic and revenue? Was that their primary reason for doing this? That's speculation at best (or as Rob says "his opinion"). Maybe they just saw it as a funny joke on the industry. ...And they happen to run a website that distributes an e-zine and they have advertisers. What website doesn't nowadays??? It's easy to say they did it for attention. Yes, they did! But the attention was drawn to whole spoof thing. Yes, of course they are going to get more web traffic, just as the CAC does by distributing an email to all the membership hoping to get them to come to the CAC and read about "The Web Of Deception". Is talking about the spoofed photos and duped press simply a ploy to get more traffic to the CAC and for the advertisers? I believe it was to bring to light the Winding Road spoof. However, Winding Road (or anyone else for that matter) could easily claim that the CAC is using their Winding Road material to simply generate more traffic for the CAC and it's advertisers. The pendulum of "speculation" can and does swing both ways.

If I had to guess...Motor Trend (isn't) laughing. All of these outlets published the photos of the fake car on their websites believing it to be an authentic GM prototype.

The Editor-in-Chief of Winding Road magazine happens to be none other than David E. Davis, Jr., whose career in the automotive industry is quite extensive. ...He is also the editorial director for Motor Trend magazine.

So if Motor Trend ran these photos and D.E. Davis knew they were fakes, who at Motor Trend is accepting responsibility? Where does Davis's loyalty reside??? If anyone should be upset, it's Motor Trend since one of their own people was in on the scam. I believe they are the only ones with real cause for complaint because they got "pantsed" in public by one of their own.

The reasoning used by Winding Road does not justify the act and the results. To publicly state that Corvette fanatics and automotive enthusiasts have exhibited "irresponsible speculation" is ridiculous. How is it irresponsible and on what credentials does Winding Road rest that opinion on?

Not sure if this is answering your question, but the public creates these niches and Winding Road simply filled it. This is nothing more than fabricated paparazzi stunt. And people ate it up. And Winding Road had possibly the last laugh. If people weren't crazy for spy shots and magazines didn't pay crazy amounts of money for these pictures to create their own media frenzy, then this stunt never would've taken place or gotten the notice that it did. Either everyone is guilty or no one is guilty (save for maybe Motor Trend).

So because they are enthusiasts to the core and want GM to build this car they invested $400 (of advertiser revenue)

More "speculation" (and now irony) to which you seem so taken aback by...:eyerole

One Corvette site owner commented: "What Winding Road did is unprofessional…and I'll have more to say about it shortly." This statement comes from someone who has no problem slapping their web site address on GM copyrighted and embargoed photos, and posting them all over the web in order to generate increased site traffic. When GM took exception to the posting of GM embargoed photos of a 2006 Z06 prior to the lifting of the embargo, the site owner publicly stated "GM should probably find a better use of their time than p-g off current and future Corvette owners."

Hahahah... :L

So basically, my opinion on all this is that anyone who's pi$$ed off is simply "sour grapes". Y'all got duped. Hook, line, & sinker! And now all the high and mighty are embarrassed because maybe they played into someone else gameplan or because they too wanted to believe it was real..or maaaybe because they spent a lot of money on what turned out to be nothing. (Lesson learned? I guess that's the risk you take with paparazzi shots!!!). Whatever the reason, I don't see anything irresponsible about it. Winding Road played a joke on everyone and got away with it.

If there's any repercussions to be absorbed by Winding Road it's that they will have a hard time breaking any more news because it's going to be highly questioned now. Everything will be tinted with some amount of skepticism. Hence why I said that they only possibly got the last laugh. if their advertisers leave en masse...well... "Whoops!"

On a slight tangent but still relative to all this "spy shot" craziness... how upset can one be? They are spy shots!!! This like getting a hacked version of the newest version of Windows before it's released. Spy shots aren't even 'beta' software. In this case, it's like an alpha-release of some software and then people whining when the final shipping product doesn't resemble the what they saw months prior. In the grand scheme of things, when it's ready, you'll see it. Period. Artists conceptualizations, renderings, spy shots, faked spy shots, whatever whatever whatever... It might be close to the real deal, and it might not be. If you want to believe, then go ahead. But don't get all pi$$y when you find out it's not legit or that the final product isn't what you expected. Because when the real deal is finally released, all the renderings, visualizations, spyshots, fake or otherwise, won't mean squat!
So get over yourselves! Laugh at yourselves and at what's been done!
(Anyways, if Winding Road hadn't come forward, it eventually would've make it into Snopes. :L)

...and that's my unsolicited 2¢ opinion.

 

[Montana]

Wheel Spin doesn't have any real news to report? Are their reporters and writers to lazy to go find something worthwhile to give to their readers? If they don't have anything of value to put in the magazine then they should go find a new vocation. As a prank, this one ranks up there, but it is not very funny so it's hard to enjoy it. Besides, nobody likes to be the butt of a prank, even a lame one like this. 2 cents worth.

Montana

 

[Curtis]

Geez, Evolution, do you have to be so uncompromisingly thorough with such a plethora of thoughts? Your last sentence was enough.

 

[Evolution1980]

Geez, Evolution, do you have to be so uncompromisingly thorough with such a plethora of thoughts? Your last sentence was enough.

It's always easy to tell when I'm having a slow day at the office...

 

[Rob]

All good comments made...

 

[vee93]

As a card carrying member of the '5th Estate', a sometimes nomenclature for the working press, I have to admit I was skeptical when I first read this story. And as a photojournalist, the images did make me go--ummmmmmmm...... So I'm not surprised it's all a big hoax.
["Irresponsible speculation has been put forth by Corvette fanatics, magazine editors, and competing manufacturers...."]<<<<Interesting that-seeing as how it was Winding Road kicking off the irresponsibility in the first place by putting forth the article + bogus images.
Their entire endeavor is a prime example of INFOtainment--not NEWS. This rush to be first, to scoop competition, the get the exclusive has a distasteful ripple effect that erodes the public trust. In some respects akin to bad choices made by the national news services to air stories about celebrity breakups and marriages. It's a need to hook you and gratify instantly without substance.
And it really is too bad the legitimate mags didn't check their sources and have the images scrutinized before they rushed to publish. I wonder if these mags paid for the images. If so, that's fraud.
The W.R. read was not put forth as a stunt--a joke. So reader mindset was in serious mode. Saying "ha ha" or "gotcha" after the fact doesn't legitimize the plot. Maybe it would've worked better for April Fool's Day.

 

[Evolution1980]

<interesting that-seeing="" as="" how="" it="" was="">The W.R. read was not put forth as a stunt--a joke. So reader mindset was in serious mode. Saying "ha ha" or "gotcha" after the fact doesn't legitimize the plot.

It would seem obvious that it was in fact a stunt or a joke. Because it wasn't for real. It was fiction (like War Of The Worlds mentioned above). And saying "ha ha" or "gotcha!" does more or less make it a joke. I don't know many pratical jokes, surprises, or tricks that start out with, "OK, I'm about to pull a practical joke on you. Are you ready? You are? Good. Ok, here I go..." :eyerole :L
But then again, me not being part of the 5th estate, we might just agree to see it differently.

 

[6 Shooter]

The Web With Deception...

 

[smook]

Firstly, I was disappointed that it was NOT real.

On the second take of all this, I enjoyed reading HOW THEY DID IT!

I think overall, I don't hold any wrong to anyone. They did confess and document how it was done. Didn't hurt anyone, and it was for our enjoyment.

I give them a 8.5 rating on interesting article and I'll have to give them a 4.0 on the "bad-deed" of fooling us. But, hey, it was entertaining and I give them a 9.0.

So that's a 7.2 overall score. It's a PASS.

-zBill.:L

NOW, would I trust them on an important announcement ? Nah...

 

[pbadad]

the blame game

anyone can post, (almost) anything on the web ...jimmy

 

[Rob]

It would seem obvious that it was in fact a stunt or a joke. Because it wasn't for real. It was fiction (like War Of The Worlds mentioned above). And saying "ha ha" or "gotcha!" does more or less make it a joke. I don't know many pratical jokes, surprises, or tricks that start out with, "OK, I'm about to pull a practical joke on you. Are you ready? You are? Good. Ok, here I go..." :eyerole :L
But then again, me not being part of the 5th estate, we might just agree to see it differently.

mmmm, good point....coming from someone who spends a 1/2 hour trying to find his keys only to go back to his hotel room to find them hanging out of the door knob. otfl

 

[Rob]

Just a couple things to remember folks:

You may not agree with my thoughts and opinions, and that's perfectly fine. I wouldn't expect you to.

My main points were:

1. take a look at the reasoning they cite behind why they did it
2. we've all been reduced to "irresponsible Corvette fanatics" status
3. they wanted to encourage GM to go ahead and build this thing based upon all the hubbub their photos of their rolling work of art created

The photos of the black test mule that appeared prior to their photos, are real. It's a well known fact GM is concocting something potent. Even spy photographer, Chris Doane has stated this and others have reported that GM Engineers have confirmed they're stirring the proverbial performance cauldron once again.

So if it's already a well known fact that something wicked this way comes as seen in previous spy photos, what was the point other than to label Corvette fanatics as "irresponsible?"

 

[ScatRat]

Who cares?

Winding Road...never heard of 'em.

Isn't a good winding road something all us Vette drivers look for, so we can go play hard?

Again, who cares?

 

[Evolution1980]

mmmm, good point....coming from someone who spends a 1/2 hour trying to find his keys only to go back to his hotel room to find them hanging out of the door knob. otfl

Guilty as charged...;squint:

 

[purpleRac3r]

The stunt, trick or whatever one wishes to call it, is perhaps not in the best of taste. And to call us irresponsible fanatics is a bit extreme (in most cases). But to each his or her own. If Winding Road wishes to play games at this level, so be it. I'm simply unlikely to subscribe. I also recall GM themselves pulled a similar trick back when the C4 was in development, with a cobbled-together egg-crate-grilled monstrosity. It, too was published by many a respectible magazine and touted by the media as something it wasn't. GM let it run its course for a while, then owed up. There was a bit of uproar from the media. Kinda sounds familiar, doesn't it? At least it wasn't Winding Road saying it's the Blue Devil/Stingray. No one really blamed GM for doing something unethical back then. Why would it be different today? It's the nature of spy photography - the vast majority of what's captured is so heavily camoflaged that it doesn't much represent the final product anyway.