What is happening at EVO magazine?
Discussion
Clockwork Cupcake said:
My biggest problem with EVO, notwithstanding all the things already said, is their almost fetishistic obsession with getting the back end out. You get the impression that any car that can't oversteer on the merest whiff of throttle on a bend or roundabout is somehow a *bad* car in their eyes.
There are very, very few reviews in EVO that don't make some reference to it. Which, of course, is where SniffPetrol's whole "Dab of Oppo" came from.
That couldn't be any further from my requirements for a road car, where such behaviour would see your collar being felt if plod witnessed it or it was captured on someone's dash cam.
That's not just Evo though, is it. Uncle Tiff and Top Gear have been reviewing cars like that since before Evo was conceived, and you can hardly find an internet video review of a new car without seeing it being slid around, often on the public roads.There are very, very few reviews in EVO that don't make some reference to it. Which, of course, is where SniffPetrol's whole "Dab of Oppo" came from.
That couldn't be any further from my requirements for a road car, where such behaviour would see your collar being felt if plod witnessed it or it was captured on someone's dash cam.
I've cancelled my subscription having been a subscriber since day one. I actually much prefer CAR nowadays, some good writing, road trip features and industry news - a more real world viewpoint.
As an example the EVO Supertest in the November issue between the RS5, M4 CP and AMG C63S hardly mentions comfort, interior ergonomics and features, boot space etc. Boring subjects they may be but surely a 'Supertest' should cover the mundane aspects as well as the driving dynamics. These are GT cars which people buy to use everyday or take on long road trips so surely that should be one of the main considerations when writing these features.
As an example the EVO Supertest in the November issue between the RS5, M4 CP and AMG C63S hardly mentions comfort, interior ergonomics and features, boot space etc. Boring subjects they may be but surely a 'Supertest' should cover the mundane aspects as well as the driving dynamics. These are GT cars which people buy to use everyday or take on long road trips so surely that should be one of the main considerations when writing these features.
crostonian said:
I've cancelled my subscription having been a subscriber since day one. I actually much prefer CAR nowadays, some good writing, road trip features and industry news - a more real world viewpoint.
As an example the EVO Supertest in the November issue between the RS5, M4 CP and AMG C63S hardly mentions comfort, interior ergonomics and features, boot space etc. Boring subjects they may be but surely a 'Supertest' should cover the mundane aspects as well as the driving dynamics. These are GT cars which people buy to use everyday or take on long road trips so surely that should be one of the main considerations when writing these features.
Same here. Subscribed from issues 1 through to 240!As an example the EVO Supertest in the November issue between the RS5, M4 CP and AMG C63S hardly mentions comfort, interior ergonomics and features, boot space etc. Boring subjects they may be but surely a 'Supertest' should cover the mundane aspects as well as the driving dynamics. These are GT cars which people buy to use everyday or take on long road trips so surely that should be one of the main considerations when writing these features.
The problem I think is not so much the mags themselves, it's the cars. They're all so samey. Electronic everything, overpowered, numb driving experience, congested roads.
Back in the day, there was a significant difference in driving experiences. Evo got launched in the sweet spot of it all - when analogue and digital eras were just overlapping.
But as you say, they've lost the plot with the whole weapons grade hewn from granite glassy feel nuggety quarter turn of oppo lock. And forgotten that people actually have to live with the cars and hate HATE HATE the f***ing MMI interface on an Audi (and yes I have one).
I gave up on Evo after subscribing for years. Part of it is growing out of it, loads of info on internet (incl this site of course!!) but a large part was the Porsche (911 moreso) centric nature of it. Now I appreciate they are good cars and not questioning them in this but EVERY single edition seems to be tested and in group test, many page article etc. Much of them time, it’s just minor updates to the existing model. Story is simklar with BMW M3 updates but not to the same degree. Many other manufacturers do updates/spec editions and most the time just get a passing mention. No other manufacturer get this sort of attention. When was the last edition of Evo where NO mention of the 911 was made?
So, got bored of it really and cancelled, not missing it either.
So, got bored of it really and cancelled, not missing it either.
Edited by Dracoro on Monday 4th December 10:43
Some -no, actually , a lot of the problem is the readership of car magazines and their ant like attention span . As Simon Taylor once said, the only thing most editors like more than a 1500 word article is a 750 word one. Most magazines are infected with bite size factoids for the TLDR demographic, meaning that although the author may have driven his 911GT3 RS or whatever to the Susstenpass overnight from Calais , there'll be a few paras on derring do rubbish about dabs of oppo , rotation (the new 'turn in') , and the vice like grip of the Corsa tyres or whatever but sod all about the journey .
Two of the accounts I first read in Car in its heyday were driving an Elan S3 non stop virtually to Bologna and another about driving the very first Miura from Sant' Agata to London-both pieces were easily 6000 words and took you on the adventure with the writer.
Two of the accounts I first read in Car in its heyday were driving an Elan S3 non stop virtually to Bologna and another about driving the very first Miura from Sant' Agata to London-both pieces were easily 6000 words and took you on the adventure with the writer.
Dracoro said:
I gave up on Evo after subscribing for years. Part of it is growing out of it, loads of info on internet (incl this site of course!!) but a large part was the Porsche (911 moreso) centric nature of it. Now I appreciate they are good cars and not questioning them in this but EVERY single edition seems to be tested and in group test, many page article etc. Much of them time, it’s just minor updates to the existing model. Story is simklar with BMW M3 updates but not to the same degree. Many other manufacturers do updates/spec editions and most the time just get a passing mention. No other manufacturer get this sort of attention. When was the last edition of Evo where NO mention of the 911 was made?
So, got bored of it really and cancelled, not missing it either.
EVO seems to have adopted McLaren as their new darling. It feels like there is barely an issue that doesn't have a report on the latest McLaren model, sub-model, revision to a model, or whatever. So, got bored of it really and cancelled, not missing it either.
coppice said:
Some -no, actually , a lot of the problem is the readership of car magazines and their ant like attention span . As Simon Taylor once said, the only thing most editors like more than a 1500 word article is a 750 word one. Most magazines are infected with bite size factoids for the TLDR demographic, meaning that although the author may have driven his 911GT3 RS or whatever to the Susstenpass overnight from Calais , there'll be a few paras on derring do rubbish about dabs of oppo , rotation (the new 'turn in') , and the vice like grip of the Corsa tyres or whatever but sod all about the journey .
Two of the accounts I first read in Car in its heyday were driving an Elan S3 non stop virtually to Bologna and another about driving the very first Miura from Sant' Agata to London-both pieces were easily 6000 words and took you on the adventure with the writer.
tl:dr Two of the accounts I first read in Car in its heyday were driving an Elan S3 non stop virtually to Bologna and another about driving the very first Miura from Sant' Agata to London-both pieces were easily 6000 words and took you on the adventure with the writer.
coppice said:
Some -no, actually , a lot of the problem is the readership of car magazines and their ant like attention span . As Simon Taylor once said, the only thing most editors like more than a 1500 word article is a 750 word one. Most magazines are infected with bite size factoids for the TLDR demographic, meaning that although the author may have driven his 911GT3 RS or whatever to the Susstenpass overnight from Calais , there'll be a few paras on derring do rubbish about dabs of oppo , rotation (the new 'turn in') , and the vice like grip of the Corsa tyres or whatever but sod all about the journey .
Two of the accounts I first read in Car in its heyday were driving an Elan S3 non stop virtually to Bologna and another about driving the very first Miura from Sant' Agata to London-both pieces were easily 6000 words and took you on the adventure with the writer.
Isn't that what the internet is for though - bite-sized quick-to-digest powder-puff journalism*?Two of the accounts I first read in Car in its heyday were driving an Elan S3 non stop virtually to Bologna and another about driving the very first Miura from Sant' Agata to London-both pieces were easily 6000 words and took you on the adventure with the writer.
Leave the serious magazines for the serious journos actually WRITING!
* I mean, look at websites like Pistonheads!
Dracoro said:
I gave up on Evo after subscribing for years. Part of it is growing out of it, loads of info on internet (incl this site of course!!) but a large part was the Porsche (911 moreso) centric nature of it. Now I appreciate they are good cars and not questioning them in this but EVERY single edition seems to be tested and in group test, many page article etc. Much of them time, it’s just minor updates to the existing model. Story is simklar with BMW M3 updates but not to the same degree. Many other manufacturers do updates/spec editions and most the time just get a passing mention. No other manufacturer get this sort of attention. When was the last edition of Evo where NO mention of the 911 was made?
So, got bored of it really and cancelled, not missing it either.
My biggest bigbears are the constant focus on track performance..how many readers actually track their cars? 5%? 10%?. I bought an slk 55 when all the magazines would have me believe the Boxster is a better handling car and slk gearbox is dull.So, got bored of it really and cancelled, not missing it either.
Edited by Dracoro on Monday 4th December 10:43
No doubt the boxster is a better handling car but in the real world where I just want to get from A to B quickly and in comfort the slk suits me fine..I don't want to be stuck crawling along in traffic on the M25 with a manual gearbox.
Also, reviewing cars like the 911R that are already sold out and that no mere mortal has a chance to buy..I understand it's about aspiration but what's the point aspiring to buy something you'd need to pay 300k over list for?
I used to subscribe to EVO and cancelled it 2-3 years ago now. I used to hungrily await its arrival each month and then read it pretty much cover to cover in a day. I would then re-read it over the next week or so.
I was very disappointed to cancel it in the end, but didn't feel it was worth it and the quality of writing etc definitely declined over time.
I suspect that Facebook, PH and various other online media have sounded the death knell for printed media. I can find all I could want and possibly more, without incurring any charge for it.
It isn't really about the money as I was happy to pay for EVO when it was good.
I was very disappointed to cancel it in the end, but didn't feel it was worth it and the quality of writing etc definitely declined over time.
I suspect that Facebook, PH and various other online media have sounded the death knell for printed media. I can find all I could want and possibly more, without incurring any charge for it.
It isn't really about the money as I was happy to pay for EVO when it was good.
coppice said:
Two of the accounts I first read in Car in its heyday were driving an Elan S3 non stop virtually to Bologna and another about driving the very first Miura from Sant' Agata to London-both pieces were easily 6000 words and took you on the adventure with the writer.
Or LJKS driving an E Type in 1962 from London to the Brecons (Pre M4 motorway) in the very early hours to watch the sun come up atop a particular hill; or his trip from London to the Frankfurt show in 1975 in a 450 SLC with just enough cash for fuel but not a hotel, subsiding on biscuits and kipping in the car; or Gavin Green and possibly Bremner (?) bringing the first Alfa 75 TS and 3.0 from Arese to the UK in 1987. Great road trips that tell you about the car and the journey without any tw@ttish driving or Harris style shoutiness.Car mags and writing as a whole have slid a long way down the pan since then.
iSore said:
Or LJKS driving an E Type in 1962 from London to the Brecons (Pre M4 motorway) in the very early hours to watch the sun come up atop a particular hill;
Car mags and writing as a whole have slid a long way down the pan since then.
Oh yes ,that was when he described the E-Type's exhaust note as ' a great vortex of acoustic spume ' !Car mags and writing as a whole have slid a long way down the pan since then.
I'll get me anorak.....
slk 32 said:
My biggest bigbears are the constant focus on track performance..how many readers actually track their cars? 5%? 10%?. I bought an slk 55 when all the magazines would have me believe the Boxster is a better handling car and slk gearbox is dull.
No doubt the boxster is a better handling car but in the real world where I just want to get from A to B quickly and in comfort the slk suits me fine..I don't want to be stuck crawling along in traffic on the M25 with a manual gearbox.
Also, reviewing cars like the 911R that are already sold out and that no mere mortal has a chance to buy..I understand it's about aspiration but what's the point aspiring to buy something you'd need to pay 300k over list for?
You make a valid point.No doubt the boxster is a better handling car but in the real world where I just want to get from A to B quickly and in comfort the slk suits me fine..I don't want to be stuck crawling along in traffic on the M25 with a manual gearbox.
Also, reviewing cars like the 911R that are already sold out and that no mere mortal has a chance to buy..I understand it's about aspiration but what's the point aspiring to buy something you'd need to pay 300k over list for?
I'd be curious on the market for mags like EVO. For instance, how does the amount of committed, hardcore subscribers compare to the amount of people who buy a copy on a whim in Heathrow WH Smith on there way to Greece? In the latter case, I imagine attention grabbing cars win.
It is the same online. All the popular car 'Youtubers' get all the hits from 'LOOK AT THIS SUPERCAR RAH!', not 'I bought a Nissan Micra so I could start a pension'.
Would love to know the split of how the magazine sells.
coppice said:
Oh yes ,that was when he described the E-Type's exhaust note as ' a great vortex of acoustic spume ' !
I'll get me anorak.....
That's it!I'll get me anorak.....
A captivating bit of writing all round. Bulgin was about the last CAR writer I'd give you 50p for, but I never got into Evo so can't comment on their early works.
Ah Russell Bulgin, a man who not only was a serious enthusiast but who wrote divinely- the nearest we got to somebody who could write like Adrian Gill, or Nick Kent Sadly his style was aped by latter EVO and Car wonks who only succeeded in sounding like pretentious arses - resulting in Richard Porter's Troy Queef .
Last time I checked my anthology of RB work , published after his death, was worth at least twenty times what it cost me.
Last time I checked my anthology of RB work , published after his death, was worth at least twenty times what it cost me.
Just opened this month’s, no. 243, and it’s a flimsy affair. What compounds it for me is that Steve Sutcliffe’s review of the new Bentley Continental GT is basically exactly the same as his video for the Auto Express YT channel that was published a week ago, albeit in pictures and words obviously.
I think I’m at the point, like many, where subscribing is making less and less sense.
I think I’m at the point, like many, where subscribing is making less and less sense.
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