Motor to cease publication in June after 68 years.

[aussiblue]

Bill Tuckey (and Romsey Quints) are sadly missed.

As is Peter Robinson.

It's seems a world wide phenomena. Road & Track that I used to have a subscription to is essentially dead. No way was I paying the US$1,000 they suddenly wanted for a quarterly glossy picture book edition.

That initial idea seemingly changed per: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road_%26_Track

In August 2020, the magazine transitioned to bi-monthly publishing and dropped the use of the full “Road & Track” title. In addition to the title change, the magazine design was relaunched in a minimalist style, and offered new subscription packages ranging from $75 per year to almost $1000.[8] Prior to the relaunch, several key contributors left or were let go.

...and seems constantly changing per https://join.roadandtrack.com/pubs/H...ng_code=footer but they lost me as did Wheels and Motor when they became more photo glossy pictorials. It seems the publishers assume people want to just look at glossy photos rather than actually read these days. They may be right from my observation of my own kids, but that is also easier and better to do on the Internet rather than by buying a magazine.

I no longer have any Car Magazine subscriptions (Unique Cars has also gone from my mailbox ) except for "Hot Rod" (and that will go once the four year subscription I somehow now have expires; probbaly due credits from subscription from other mags that have folded) and I have moved on to watching more You Tube Channels such as South Main Auto, Auto Expert-John Cadogen, Harry's Garage and Tyrells' Classic Workshop. Sometimes even Hoovies Garage and Scotty Kilmer. The only magazine subscription I have now is for Silicon Chip. I actually mainly just listen to the audio on these You Tube channels while do other things on the computer and only switching to look if they are talking about something I want to look at.

I also used to subscribe to both Car Craft and Hot Rod (originally Peterson Publications) but Car Craft died with my last subscription (ceased publication coincidentally after the last issue arrived) and I won't be renewing the Hot Rod one. I think the best Australian Car Magazine was the very short lived "Autofix" (I suspect it died as it was probably eating into the sales of Gregory's Workshop Manuals from the same publisher). Sports Car World was my next favourite but that also vanished decades ago.

[Wretched]

Originally Posted by aussiblue

As is Peter Robinson.

It's seems a world wide phenomena. Road & Track that I used to have a subscription to is essentially dead. No way was I paying the US$1,000 they suddenly wanted for a quartely picture book edition'

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road_%26_Track That initial idea seemingly changed per:


...and seems constantly changing per https://join.roadandtrack.com/pubs/H...ng_code=footer but they lost me as did Wheels and Motor when they became more photo glossy pictorials. It seems the assume people want to look at photos rather than read these days. They may be right from my observation of my own kids but that easier to do on the Internet rather than buying a magazine.

I no longer have any Car Magazine subscriptions (Unique Cars has also gone from my mailbox ) and I have moved on to watching more You Tube Channels such as Sooth Main Auto, Auto Expert-John Cadogen, Harry's Garage and Tyrells' Classic Workshop. Sometimes even Hoovies Garage and Scotty Kilmer. The only magazine subscription I have now is for Silicon Chip.

I also used to subscribe to both Car Craft and Hot Rod (originally Peterson Publications) but Car Craft died with my last subscription (ceased publication coincidentally after the last issue arrived) and I won't be renewing the Hot Rod one. I think the best Australian Car Magazine was the very short lived "Autofix" (I suspect it died as it was probably eating into the sales of Gregory's Workshop Manuals from the same publisher).

I'd suggest adding The Late Brake Show to your YT list.

[Vesper Martini]

Originally Posted by FG GeeTee

Think they lost a big volume of readers when Ford and Holden shut. I hung on but now prefer Unique Cars and online media.

And just after that a 300HP Camry was released. suddenly white goods on wheels were setting the bar.

[aussiblue]

I'd suggest adding The Late Brake Show to your YT list.

I watch it occasionally already. There are others too like Hub Nut and Number 27 , I even watch Steph's IDRIVEACLASSIC fairly regularly.

[PepeLePew]

Wish they'd cancelled all motor mags 40 years ago. Mid 1980's guy next door was moving, chucked this box of car magazines at me (might be wrong but Wheels, Modern Motor and Car Australia), Street Machine. No interest to that point. Read them all cover to cover, now i've spent a lifetime being broke. Bastard. But seriously, online or off, don't ready much stuff now 'our' cars aren't in there. Red vs Blue. Holden vs Ford. Slow painful death of our cars dwindling away....barely bought one since. Last ones, like some others above, Ford and Holden shutdown editions. Then...crickets. Don't care no more. The passion is dead for print.

Too many mega dollar cars and EV's dominating the print now. Can't afford it? Don't care. Probably $2 value in each mag to me.

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by bigwil

They will probably move it over to wheels magazine or one of the other ones

This is correct. Read somewhere in their statement that they will offer subscribers a move over to one of the other titles.

[GT450]

EVs don't inspire the passion any Falcon GT or FPV or high performance Ford world wide generated in spite of their blistering performance. There's only so many pics you can take of an electric motor and the shell in which it sits, as many say it's just whitegoods on wheels, functional yes , inspirational no.
The loss of local manufacturing, the plethora of good car shows on various platforms will mean Motor wont be the last magazine to drive off into the sunset, which is sad in so many ways.

[danzvtil]

I haven’t had a mag subscription for 20years. Why would you when the internet has all the info the second it is released, instead of waiting for a publication date.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by danzvtil

I haven’t had a mag subscription for 20years. Why would you when the internet has all the info the second it is released, instead of waiting for a publication date.

I know this is a cliched response, but there is/was a certain tactile appeal in flipping the pages of a well crafted magazine.

I got to the point where I stopped reading the reviews as cars are just a variation of the same thing now. I actually liked reading the behind the scenes stuff, industry interviews and opinion pieces more than the actual cars themselves.

[Sprintey]

I do remember they had a red-hot run with the Falcon turbos in BFYB back in the mid 2000s. Twas good reading.

Same as many above, no domestic industry or muscle, no need to buy car mags. I've kept a few wheels, like when BA and SX won COTY.

Looked through the VFACTS thread and there's still not one in the top 10 that would motivate me to drop heart-driven spoondoolies on.

[DFB FGXR6]

Received the last issue today -

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

Received the last issue today -

image

Curious isnt it, they will sell heaps of them.

BUT...there it freakin is, who of all the companies is on the front cover with Lambo and Porsche....

[GTP534]

^^^ The thing is, they probably never even gave it a second thought.

[DJM83]

I was really hoping they'd do a 20 year edition of this this year
https://www.whichcar.com.au/features...s-barra-engine

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by Polyal

Curious isnt it, they will sell heaps of them.

BUT...there it freakin is, who of all the companies is on the front cover with Lambo and Porsche....

Are you surprised in any way?

[Dr Smith]

I know we're a little biased however I think a GTHO Phase 3 at least should have been there...

[smoo]

Considering Motors sales peaked in 2003 I’d have thought they’d feature some models from that era which would resonate with readers who’ve since lost interest. For a nostalgic effect. A BA GT or F6 probably deserves a place on the cover. Maybe an E46 M3, Evo 6 TME, VT GTS etc. as well.
Its probably fair to say by the time of VF HSVs people had lost interest.

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Are you surprised in any way?

No, unfortunately not, but thats a slap in the face. Why even have a Lambo and Porsche on a local car mag...man this is why people get frustrated, who makes these decisions. It should have been something neutral or both etc..

At least they are consistent.

[Dr Smith]

Originally Posted by Polyal

No, unfortunately not, but thats a slap in the face. Why even have a Lambo and Porsche on a local car mag...man this is why people get frustrated, who makes these decisions. It should have been something neutral or both etc..

At least they are consistent.

Once read a book publisher state, "put a dinosaur picture" on a front cover of a book and it will sell more, obviously Motor still thinks put a Holden on the front cover and it will sell more, especially to all their previous buyers now driving MG's, Havals et al.

Yes I'm stirring the pot but this a Ford forum after all.

[Paull]

Originally Posted by Polyal

No, unfortunately not, but thats a slap in the face. Why even have a Lambo and Porsche on a local car mag...man this is why people get frustrated, who makes these decisions. It should have been something neutral or both etc..

At least they are consistent.

Kind of thinking that is was exactly that, a slap in the face from Motor to all it's remaining readers. That is, "screw you, we will do as we see fit and we don't care what you think, the magazine is all about us (scumbag journos and motor vehicle manufacturers)".

Motor magazine won't be missed.

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by Paull

Kind of thinking that is was exactly that, a slap in the face from Motor to all it's remaining readers. That is, "screw you, we will do as we see fit and we don't care what you think, the magazine is all about us (scumbag journos and motor vehicle manufacturers)".

Motor magazine won't be missed.

Yeap, they can F right off to centrelink.

Originally Posted by Dr Smith

Once read a book publisher state, "put a dinosaur picture" on a front cover of a book and it will sell more, obviously Motor still thinks put a Holden on the front cover and it will sell more, especially to all their previous buyers now driving MG's, Havals et al.

Yes I'm stirring the pot but this a Ford forum after all.

Get where you are going with it, they are in the business to make money, but that hardly matters with the last edition.

F it I wont buy it, and they wont care. But Ive still got a job.

Kents.

[Swordie]

They should merge Motor and Wheels mags. I have been buying both for many years. I prefer the hard copy. It doesn't cost that much to buy those mags.

[PepeLePew]

They should have paid historical homage to those readers that paid their bills all those years....and they weren't the Lambo and Porsche buyers. If there had of been a humpy and a XK on the front i'd have dashed down and bought it. GT and Monaro, VB and XD, VE and FG, whatever (i know some of those pairings are bit loose just making a point). The actual cover? Might buy it anyway in case we run out of Quilton. Nah, rather buy some Meggys pads or a few cans of brake cleaner.

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by PepeLePew

They should have paid historical homage to those readers that paid their bills all those years....and they weren't the Lambo and Porsche buyers. If there had of been a humpy and a XK on the front i'd have dashed down and bought it. GT and Monaro, VB and XD, VE and FG, whatever (i know some of those pairings are bit loose just making a point). The actual cover? Might buy it anyway in case we run out of Quilton. Nah, rather buy some Meggys pads or a few cans of brake cleaner.

Exactly, or how about something to all the other cars that were produced locally...pretty much anything other than an old lambo and Porsche....

[DFB FGXR6]

I only noticed this today, I guess that shows how little I anticipate or enjoy magazines these days, but Ford had the "final" say on the back cover -



90% of the final issue was reprints of stories published over the last 6 decades. The final 10% a few retrospectives. I guess the staff had all been fired before this issue was in the making.

[janddbone]

Nonsense, they are now joining in with Wheels, indeed they are taking over some of the key positions. Its clearly stated in their releases.

[FairmontGS]

Grabbed a copy today. First (and obviously last) time I've ever bought MOTOR. I have some old 1970s editions with Falcon GT reviews I bought at swap meets.

It was a pretty average effort for the final edition. Nothing that took my interest other than the 2005 round Australia reprise. All Porsche, Ferrari, Nissan, etc. Whoop-di-do...

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by FairmontGS

Grabbed a copy today. First (and obviously last) time I've ever bought MOTOR. I have some old 1970s editions with Falcon GT reviews I bought at swap meets.

It was a pretty average effort for the final edition. Nothing that took my interest other than the 2005 round Australia reprise. All Porsche, Ferrari, Nissan, etc. Whoop-di-do...

There's a reason why everyone stopped buying car magazines, so I'm surprised you thought it would be worth buying

Automotive journalists are an absolute joke in this country, even worse than normal journalists

[Paull]

Originally Posted by FairmontGS

Grabbed a copy today. First (and obviously last) time I've ever bought MOTOR. I have some old 1970s editions with Falcon GT reviews I bought at swap meets.

It was a pretty average effort for the final edition. Nothing that took my interest other than the 2005 round Australia reprise. All Porsche, Ferrari, Nissan, etc. Whoop-di-do...

Probably why my local newsagency didn't even bother in getting any copies. None available. Why am I not surprised.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

There's a reason why everyone stopped buying car magazines, so I'm surprised you thought it would be worth buying

Automotive journalists are an absolute joke in this country, even worse than normal journalists

Some were better than others. I generally enjoyed the work of Nathan Ponchard, Jesse Taylor, John Wright, Bill Tuckey, Peter Robinson and Paul Cockburn. David Morely was also good for a while before he became like a broken record.

The bad ones mostly just feed off negativity or their own egos include Josh Dowling, John Cadogan, Paul Gover and Paul Maric. This list seem more concerned about boosting their own profiles rather than the car itself.