How Cheesecake
Labs helped CRU to
build a community
for car enthusiasts

Building a high‑octane hub for the automotive community.

With an estimated 18 million car enthusiasts in the US alone and millions more around the world, the automotive community is larger than ever. But there’s no straightforward way for them to connect and celebrate their shared passion.

The plan? To build CRU, a one-stop automotive social media app that lets users:

Communicate
Showcase their cars
Discover and organize events
Stay connected at rallies via GPS
Get help from suppliers and service providers

All in just a few taps!

This highly complex mobile app needed a solid technical foundation and a delightful user experience, so CRU tapped Cheesecake Labs to bring their vision to life and deliver a product ready for scale.

Outcomes achieved.

More than 10,000 users actively engaging with the mobile app, and the community continues to expand.

Achieved a remarkable 5.0 rating on the Apple Store, with users' endorsement: "A must for true car enthusiasts looking for a seamless platform to connect and DRIVE new events with like minds.

Shifting gears from concept to reality.

By combining four key features — social networking, event management, GPS, and chat — CRU aims to replace fragmented social media platforms, websites, and forums, becoming a one-stop shop for facilitating interactions within the car community.

But to prove the concept's viability and attract investment, CRU had to be more than just an idea. It needed to stand up to real-world use and lay the groundwork for organic growth.

Working under the hood.

With a bold vision, CRU needed a team to craft, design, and execute their intricate app. We handled UI/UX design, social features, and integrations with external services.

Our tech stack was tailored: React Native for cross-platform flexibility, TypeScript for maintainability, and NodeJS for scalability. Forest managed data, while Firebase powered analytics and messaging, boosting engagement.

The result?

A robust app seamlessly incorporating all four planned features:

Social Networking

Effortless profile creation, sharing car photos, specs, and mods.

Event Management

Simplified organization of car shows, and rallies, complete with RSVPs and tickets.

GPS

Enhanced road trips, real-time updates, and lead car visibility.

Chat

Direct access to advice, referrals, and business opportunities—linking enthusiasts, suppliers, and providers.

Revving up for growth.

Cheesecake Labs’ app development expertise helped put CRU in the fast lane. Shortly after launching, CRU has:

An active community of 10,000+ users (and quickly growing!)

600+ events organized in 15 different countries

6,000+ cars registered from 80 different brands

The app also attracted lots of interest at recent automotive events like Gumball 3000 and Diamond Rally | Victoria Day Parade 2023. Off to a great start and fully scalable, CRU is ready to grow at full throttle.

Here’s what the client has to say about our work together.

Cheesecake Labs was very professional — they completed deliverables on time and communicated clearly and consistently to ensure both parties were always on the same page. They also followed an organized workflow.