What is happening at EVO magazine?
Discussion
greenarrow said:
NathanChadwick said:
greenarrow said:
Hence why Modern Classics died. Just not enough people who will put their hand in their pocket and support it.
We had the readers. Sadly, not the advertisers. That is the reason it closed. We outsold Evo and Car on a few occasions, which was quite something for a team of three and a third of the budget, perhaps even less. We were still profitable at the end, but the target was 20 per cent, we were 15 per cent, and heading into COVID. Management believed that advertisers would run away – what we saw was a furlough splurge and an enormous upswing in values and consumer buying power, particularly for modern classics. Ho hum. There was a bit of circling the horses around the titles they believed would best weather the storm – understandable, really.This is an Evo thread and unfair on that team to discuss the wider issues MC had from my POV – but the perennial request for 'cheaper' cars and 'modern classics' in Evo in this thread has to be tempered by business realities. Magazines are, after all, a business – and I wish the team at Evo all the best.
Assistant Editor of Modern Classics speaking...
Edited by NathanChadwick on Thursday 18th April 13:41
No, Sexy Beast (the TV series) doesn’t count - not even my car nerdiness could sustain the rest of it.
The problem with the 50s/60s stuff is when it all starts to get expensive - E-types have been on a decline for a while and very few Jags sold at Bonhams at the weekend. Other than a pink S3 (I think) it was pretty bad news, with a freshly restored S1 going for £10k under low estimate one of the few to sell.
I digress. Over the past twelve months, maybe longer, interest in both ends of the pre-war vintage market has increased rapidly. Partly it is I feel due to continual references in contemporary culture and the fetishism of certain eras (Peaky Blinders, for example). But it’s more than that - the cars are simple to work on, there’s less ‘rivet counting nerdiness’ and there seems to be more of an element of fun about.
Doesn’t do much for me, but I do understand it.
NathanChadwick said:
I digress. Over the past twelve months, maybe longer, interest in both ends of the pre-war vintage market has increased rapidly. Partly it is I feel due to continual references in contemporary culture and the fetishism of certain eras (Peaky Blinders, for example). But it’s more than that - the cars are simple to work on, there’s less ‘rivet counting nerdiness’ and there seems to be more of an element of fun about.
Doesn’t do much for me, but I do understand it.
Yet pre-war cars, perhaps with the exception of Austin Sevens, are a very hard sell at the moment. Many fail to meet low estimate at auction. I'm actively looking for something. Cars like a Riley Gamecock, £35k three years ago, now low £20's if you're lucky. Decent Austin 12/4 Heavy, £10-12k. Riley Kestrel 6-light saloons, £35k a few years ago, now low £20's at dealers, 4-light saloons, low teens. Any cooking crash-box saloon is almost impossible to shift.Doesn’t do much for me, but I do understand it.
The demographic who like these cars is sadly dying out faster than younger people are coming in. Add on the economic situation and you have a dire market with low values and low turnover. I doubt many dealers are buying much pre-war stock, they'll prefer to sell on commission rather than put capital into a depreciating asset that may take months to sell.
All wildly off topic, sorry!
Hi All,
I received an e mail this afternoon from EVO Telling me that car wow have now purchased Autovia, the owners of EVO magazine along with other motoring titles, I’ve been a fan and a subscriber from edition 1 onwards and seen the ups and downs of the mag over the last three decades.
Whats your thoughts on this change and potential impact on the magazine and it’s content, a very subjective issue I guess and I for one hope the mag stays with us and focus’s its approach and content on “the thrill of driving”
I received an e mail this afternoon from EVO Telling me that car wow have now purchased Autovia, the owners of EVO magazine along with other motoring titles, I’ve been a fan and a subscriber from edition 1 onwards and seen the ups and downs of the mag over the last three decades.
Whats your thoughts on this change and potential impact on the magazine and it’s content, a very subjective issue I guess and I for one hope the mag stays with us and focus’s its approach and content on “the thrill of driving”
mrbigshot said:
Hi All,
I received an e mail this afternoon from EVO Telling me that car wow have now purchased Autovia, the owners of EVO magazine along with other motoring titles, I’ve been a fan and a subscriber from edition 1 onwards and seen the ups and downs of the mag over the last three decades.
Whats your thoughts on this change and potential impact on the magazine and it’s content, a very subjective issue I guess and I for one hope the mag stays with us and focus’s its approach and content on “the thrill of driving”
Some discussion on page 32 of this thread I received an e mail this afternoon from EVO Telling me that car wow have now purchased Autovia, the owners of EVO magazine along with other motoring titles, I’ve been a fan and a subscriber from edition 1 onwards and seen the ups and downs of the mag over the last three decades.
Whats your thoughts on this change and potential impact on the magazine and it’s content, a very subjective issue I guess and I for one hope the mag stays with us and focus’s its approach and content on “the thrill of driving”
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
I think car mags are all dead. They just don’t know it yet. I’ve just watched a Top Gear video on You Tube about the new MCS. I know all I care to know. What do I gain reading about it in print? The older cars that I’m more interested in have already been reviewed in print. I can look up old reviews on line, free. Or watch a video review.
A magazine at over £6 is of very little interest to me anymore. I have very low interest in electric cars and it seems many car mags have little choice but to eulogise them, regardless of virtue.
I scrolll X most days and the anti car anti driving sentiment seems to be growing. We enjoy a minority hobby that is becoming increasingly difficult and expensive to enjoy.
A magazine at over £6 is of very little interest to me anymore. I have very low interest in electric cars and it seems many car mags have little choice but to eulogise them, regardless of virtue.
I scrolll X most days and the anti car anti driving sentiment seems to be growing. We enjoy a minority hobby that is becoming increasingly difficult and expensive to enjoy.
Back on the thread of EVO. I'm sorry that Jethro Bovingdon has gone, and more sorry that he's not been replaced. I quite liked it when they had readers' views, but that was because I got columns in twice. I wonder if Harry would do it. Or David Twohig
I've not read the Track Car article yet, so perhaps they explain the lack of a BAC Mono, I did notice two flavours of 911.
But the thing I can't get over is the last page being about automotive failures. That page should be like petit fours, something to leave you with a smile at the end, not a feeling of disappointment. It's why Clarkson was so good in Performance Car.
I've not read the Track Car article yet, so perhaps they explain the lack of a BAC Mono, I did notice two flavours of 911.
But the thing I can't get over is the last page being about automotive failures. That page should be like petit fours, something to leave you with a smile at the end, not a feeling of disappointment. It's why Clarkson was so good in Performance Car.
simonrockman said:
....But the thing I can't get over is the last page being about automotive failures....
Although, from memory, CAR in its glory days (early 90s) had a final page entitled 'Dogs' which did something similar. I was disappointed to see the Up! GTi as last month's target, it should be the type of motorcar that EVO should be championing, faults and all. Rather than getting excited about the latest 911 that will be dull at legal speeds.
Truckosaurus said:
I was disappointed to see the Up! GTi as last month's target, it should be the type of motorcar that EVO should be championing, faults and all. Rather than
getting excited about the latest 911 that will be dull at legal speeds.
As a fan of the Lupo GTI I should like the Up! variant, however I found it a massive disappointment compared to its forebear; not calling something that's crap 'crap' because it's something you should be championing merely serves to de-value/invalidate your legitimacy. Up! GTIs have their own fans and that's great, but for me it's a mediocre pastiche at best.getting excited about the latest 911 that will be dull at legal speeds.
Mezzanine said:
Twohig is a great writer but I presume he is tied to The Intercooler.
Has Jethro left to pursue his career in Hollywood?!
Speaking of the Intercooler... Anyone signed up to it?Has Jethro left to pursue his career in Hollywood?!
I'm tempted, but it can be difficult to find the time to read Evo so the appeal of having it on a phone means I could read it when I have ten minutes at work.
highway said:
I think car mags are all dead. They just don’t know it yet. I’ve just watched a Top Gear video on You Tube about the new MCS. I know all I care to know. What do I gain reading about it in print? The older cars that I’m more interested in have already been reviewed in print. I can look up old reviews on line, free. Or watch a video review.
A magazine at over £6 is of very little interest to me anymore. I have very low interest in electric cars and it seems many car mags have little choice but to eulogise them, regardless of virtue.
I scrolll X most days and the anti car anti driving sentiment seems to be growing. We enjoy a minority hobby that is becoming increasingly difficult and expensive to enjoy.
I think the traditional classic car mags are doing OK, have I got that right or not?A magazine at over £6 is of very little interest to me anymore. I have very low interest in electric cars and it seems many car mags have little choice but to eulogise them, regardless of virtue.
I scrolll X most days and the anti car anti driving sentiment seems to be growing. We enjoy a minority hobby that is becoming increasingly difficult and expensive to enjoy.
--
Funny you should say that about X, my feed seems to be mostly the rabid right-to-drive-anywhere-anytime-and-stuff-everyone else, especially cyclists.
I wouldn't mind, but as a group of people they are spectacularly ignorant, about seemingly everything.
InfamousK said:
Speaking of the Intercooler... Anyone signed up to it?
I'm tempted, but it can be difficult to find the time to read Evo so the appeal of having it on a phone means I could read it when I have ten minutes at work.
Yep, been sub since day 1. Their line up of writers is pretty spectacular, resulting in superb content. There's the occasional piece I scroll past but 95% of the time it's really good stuff. Because of the format they're not bound by some of the confines of a mag so although they review similar stuff it's often more insightful. Also some brilliant historical pieces and even the occasional non-motoring piece, always beautifully written. Recommended. IIRC they do a bargain intro offerI'm tempted, but it can be difficult to find the time to read Evo so the appeal of having it on a phone means I could read it when I have ten minutes at work.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff