Yey! A New Car Mag!! Modern Classics
Discussion
spreadsheet monkey said:
s m said:
I guess they’d have a constant stream of new classics as the magazine ‘aged’ and newer cars became classics
2010s classics! Small-engined crossover megafeature! Qashqai vs Tiguan vs Kuga - buy now, before values skyrocket!Sarcasm aside, I don't think they'd get as much "classic" material from the last decade as they did from the 90s and 00s. Obviously we still have hot hatches and BMW M-cars and AMG Mercs, but customer tastes have become more conservative, and interesting niche vehicles don't get launched as commonly as they used to.
The 2010s will include the Porsche Cayman GT4, Ford Fiesta Mk7 ST, VW Golf R, Renault Megane RS250/265/275, Lotus Exige, BMW 1M and M2, Toyota GT86, Mazda MX-5 NC and ND....etc etc, just off the top of my head.
So, there was far from a drying up list of contenders, had the mag kept going...
stichill99 said:
Will the subscribers get a refund for the remaining issues on there subscription?
Our subs team, I’m told, will be in touch shortly. Simon, JJ and I are humbled by everyone’s comments and well wishing, thankyou to all for your kind words and support. Modern Classics was personally the highlight of my career having been there since the start. It wasn’t all fun, but most of it was. Thanks again to the readers, and apologies for the obscure KLF/Shamen references.
If there’s an epitaph, let it be this.
Thanks,
Nathan
Assistant Editor, Modern Classics 2015-2020
I feel like I've lost something dear to me, with the closure of Modern Classics – and all I can do is raise a glass to 52 great issues 
One day I'll spill the beans on how to start up a new mag when working for a large publisher. It takes persistence, a thick skin, and a lot of support from the people who sell the ads, and actually bring the money in. And time – oh my, the 18-hour days, the endless approval meetings, the break up of my then-long-term relationship. I could go on, but won't. Just to say that it was the proudest moment of my career getting it off the ground and on to the newsstands.
JJ and Nayf on words and Simon on design did a terrific job in running that mag. Noted the comments about their budgets – trust me, they did it on an absolute shoestring, and to create something that looked so amazing out of that is real testament to their skill and dedication.
There's unfinished business – and it's a crying shame that the enthusiasts we created this mag for now have no magazine to call their own. I suspect that situation won't stay the same for too long.
Adieu, Modern Classics!
One day I'll spill the beans on how to start up a new mag when working for a large publisher. It takes persistence, a thick skin, and a lot of support from the people who sell the ads, and actually bring the money in. And time – oh my, the 18-hour days, the endless approval meetings, the break up of my then-long-term relationship. I could go on, but won't. Just to say that it was the proudest moment of my career getting it off the ground and on to the newsstands.
JJ and Nayf on words and Simon on design did a terrific job in running that mag. Noted the comments about their budgets – trust me, they did it on an absolute shoestring, and to create something that looked so amazing out of that is real testament to their skill and dedication.
There's unfinished business – and it's a crying shame that the enthusiasts we created this mag for now have no magazine to call their own. I suspect that situation won't stay the same for too long.
Adieu, Modern Classics!
A fantastic achievement for getting it off the ground Keith. 
I've certainly enjoyed every single issue and the magazine was completely up my street. I'm really sad to see it go, but I'm pleased that I got to experience/enjoy it though big time.
All the best to you and the team going forward.
I've certainly enjoyed every single issue and the magazine was completely up my street. I'm really sad to see it go, but I'm pleased that I got to experience/enjoy it though big time.
All the best to you and the team going forward.
Kitchski said:
Sign of the times, really. I feel partly responsible (stupid I know) as we were approached for an ad space just as COVID kicked off, and because I didn't know what was in store (along with the fact the feature car wasn't really one we're associated with) I declined.
Thaty said, any ad I've ever placed in MC (or even CCW and PC - all Bauer's products) have really been more as an act of support to the industry, as I believe in 'paying it forward'. To date, having advertised in christ knows how many mags, we have received a total of FIVE enquiries, none of which came to anything.
Compare that to forums, Facebook, Twitter...even here! The enquiries off the back of some of the work I do on my own old cars leads to more than a mag ever has. Such a shame, but that's the way it is.
to a layman who, until i read these posts, i thought the cost of the mag made the money? how does it work if the ads in the mag make the money? in a digital age i wldnt have thought they'd have been a big imput.Thaty said, any ad I've ever placed in MC (or even CCW and PC - all Bauer's products) have really been more as an act of support to the industry, as I believe in 'paying it forward'. To date, having advertised in christ knows how many mags, we have received a total of FIVE enquiries, none of which came to anything.
Compare that to forums, Facebook, Twitter...even here! The enquiries off the back of some of the work I do on my own old cars leads to more than a mag ever has. Such a shame, but that's the way it is.
needless to say a massive shame the mags gone. had high hopes of my R32 being featured in the Your Drives.......i only sent it in 3 years ago :-( bet i was due in issue 53! be jst my luck
I'm sorry to say I've completely missed out on this magazine. In theory, this should have been right up my street but I guess time and the availability of content on the internet probably prevented me from buying it.
It's a shame as reading online isn't the same but I guess there are just too many distractions these days.
I am sad to say I will be buying my first issue of modern classics next week, albeit the last.
Sorry chaps and good luck on your next move.
It's a shame as reading online isn't the same but I guess there are just too many distractions these days.
I am sad to say I will be buying my first issue of modern classics next week, albeit the last.
Sorry chaps and good luck on your next move.
te! The only car mag worth buying is no more. R I P modern Classics and thanks for the memories ;(After seeing an advert on the Ford Focus MK1 forum for a Retro Cars feature, I did wonder if that could be the magazine for us MC fans to move to, but it seems that alas that title has also closed now too. They used to cover much of the same stuff as MC.
Its been a bleak summer for car magazine fans. I guess Practical Classics maybe the nearest in terms of cheaper classic cars, but they tend to go for the older stuff from the early 80s and 1970s which I feel has been done to death by the mainstream classic car press.
Lets hope something new comes out of this, whether it be a digital publication or greater coverage in the other magazines such as Car and Classic and Sports Car who will hopefully finally recognise the number of potential new readers out there if they widen their rather narrow range of classic cars features away from MGBs, Triumphs and Jags!!!
Hub said:
So much love here!... such a shame it still wasn't viable. It is testament to the popularity of the 'niche' that Modern Classics mined that some of the mainstream new car mags like Top Gear and Car now do 'retro' sections!
Someone like Autocar could do a side-title like 'Autocar Retro' (or something less cliche). They've got a tonne of articles in the past they could revisit, and could find current survivors from previous group tests and test them all again - see if they stand by their decisions, or if they feel they got it wrong. Could be Modern Classics but with more depth, if the reader wants it.Kitchski said:
Hub said:
So much love here!... such a shame it still wasn't viable. It is testament to the popularity of the 'niche' that Modern Classics mined that some of the mainstream new car mags like Top Gear and Car now do 'retro' sections!
Someone like Autocar could do a side-title like 'Autocar Retro' (or something less cliche). They've got a tonne of articles in the past they could revisit, and could find current survivors from previous group tests and test them all again - see if they stand by their decisions, or if they feel they got it wrong. Could be Modern Classics but with more depth, if the reader wants it.Difficult to do though and pretty time consuming to source the raw materials
People would rather watch you tubers talking about super cars though - as EVO have hinted at several times, unaffordium is more appealing to the vast majority and hence drives their content
Truckosaurus said:
It was interesting to see an article in the latest EVO taking an 'old' R26-R Megane to Corsica.
Was this EVO deliberately sneaking into 'modern classic' territory or just lockdown forcing them to rehash older content....
Evo has been reprinting some old articles as Covid filler over last few issues - they seem to be making it a permanent feature now as it’s been christened as it’s own feature this month under ‘Evo Retro’.Was this EVO deliberately sneaking into 'modern classic' territory or just lockdown forcing them to rehash older content....
I like it personally, plus should help them keep up their standards when doing the new stuff.
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