Opinion: CGI Car Reveals On Social Media Are Out Of Hand

Because of my line of work, I watch and get sent car-related videos constantly. One trend I’ve noticed growing over the last several months or so are CGI (computer generated image) cars being passed off as new reveals. Usually there’s some frat-like guy probably named Chad or Matt who talks excitedly about the new car, getting viewers worked up, who then share it with their friends and family.

Kia is monetizing Gen Z’s lack of an attention span.

Thus, these videos loaded with “fake news” (a term that’s become wildly loaded lately) muddying up the waters of what’s legitimate in the media these days. In other words, they can sew a general mistrust about newly revealed models.

At best, the people in these videos are the equivalent of social media influencers. They’re not professional journalists, and so have no reputation to defend or reason to worry that eventually they’ll be discovered for lying about a supposed new model.

Instead, they try getting quick hits of attention online, either for the thrill of it or to make a quick buck. Then, as soon as people start catching on to what’s happening, they fold up shop and start a new social media account. They might have multiple going at the same time.

I just saw one today for the reveal of the 2025 Buick Grand National. It made me do a double take, but I quickly realized the video reveal this influencer bro was showing as he talked animatedly was in fact CGI. There is no such car.

Another example was a video someone sent to me recently of a custom Mustang build. The pony car was one I had never seen before, so I was intrigued. But further examination revealed it was in fact renderings, not photographs, of a Mustang.

Plus, the name of the shop that supposedly built the car was in fact the name of a guy who does renderings. There’s nothing wrong with renderings, but someone took his work and tried passing it off as the real deal.

I see these types of videos on YouTube every single day. The accounts trying to pass renderings off as the real deal seem to be never ending.

The real problem with this fake CGI car reveals trend is it creates an environment of mistrust as people question whom they can trust.

Image via Ford