Evo & Octane

[crostonian]

Are they the same but in reverse? Octane covers classics and the occasional modern, Evo covers moderns and the occasional classic. The publisher is the same, some of the writers are shared. I subscribe to both but am beginning to wonder if a combined mag would be the answer, what do you think?

[r129sl]

For some bizarre reason I seem to collect car magazines and Evo and Octane are my favourites, the best of a bad bunch as it were (Mercedes-Benz Classic being the exception to the rule and really the best magazine). I know exactly what you mean but I think there is room in the world for both. Whereas they share similar qualities and some contributors (generally the more mature ones), their respective contents are markedly different. Evo is very much the mainstream fast car and supercar with cheap youngtimer classic on occasion: Octane on the other hand is high end classic with the odd high end modern.

Both magazines are going downhill so far as the quality of writing is concerned, Evo downhill fast. I'm bored of supercars going to north Wales. It is the same every month. The articles are shorter and shorter, written by younger and younger men, with less and less insightful comment. Both magazines are too heavily dependent on cheap colour digital photography. There is a serious want of thoughtful, considered and crafted writing. For me, the heyday of automotive publishing was Car from '78 to '89 ish and Mel Nichols is the master. In many respects the stories were as much about the journey as the car and it is in the journey that motoring's romance is to be found.

Besides, i want more magazines not less.