Is Classic and Sports Car the most interesting UK magazine
Discussion
c&sc is the finest mag in the world, I used to read my dad's copies when I was about 13 & haven't stopped since.
When I pick up a copy I go straight to 'next month' to see what exciting stuff I have to wait for. I'm always amazed at how much the journo's spend on their cars each month though! How much do they earn??
When I pick up a copy I go straight to 'next month' to see what exciting stuff I have to wait for. I'm always amazed at how much the journo's spend on their cars each month though! How much do they earn??
LuS1fer said:
BlueMR2 said:
Every month they have a number of interesting females that you are unlikely to catch on the road either due to rarity of numbers built or rarity of survivors.
The females in the magazine are often restored, with nice close up photos showing some good detail. Together with some information about the model and details of numbers, cost then and value now, as well as performance, so you can get an idea of the performance of these models when they were new.
People who have found rare females left unused for years and the odd barn story.
Interesting letters from people the world over with interesting tales.
Some writers ability to admire dogs, with the ensuing work trying to get them running, and you cant wait to get a glimpse of them when they are back to former glory.
There always seems plenty to read, and when your done with all the written content, there are all the adverts. Top read and very interesting every month.
Its nice to know that some people still get pleasure from reading for the sake of it.
Sounds like Razzle now.... The females in the magazine are often restored, with nice close up photos showing some good detail. Together with some information about the model and details of numbers, cost then and value now, as well as performance, so you can get an idea of the performance of these models when they were new.
People who have found rare females left unused for years and the odd barn story.
Interesting letters from people the world over with interesting tales.
Some writers ability to admire dogs, with the ensuing work trying to get them running, and you cant wait to get a glimpse of them when they are back to former glory.
There always seems plenty to read, and when your done with all the written content, there are all the adverts. Top read and very interesting every month.
Its nice to know that some people still get pleasure from reading for the sake of it.
Stephanie Plum said:
And back on topic - C&SC is good, but I also enjoy reading Motorsport 
2nd that, Motorsport and early to mid 90's Car magazine are the only ones worth holding onto after I've read them, although I do still have a few CSC'sThe quality of writing in Car in those days was excellent-Setright, Bishop and of course the late great Russell Bulgin. Car now is good but not a patch on the original.
I would agree that Classic & Sportscar and Octane are the two best general car mags on the market at the moment.
However much to my other halfs annoyance i buy the above two plus Classic Cars, Car, Evo, Top Gear, Performance Car, MotorSport, Autosport...
She gets really annoyed as i dont throw them away. I have a complete set of C & S along with every issue of the above going back to the early 80's.
Plus all the other general motoring 'crap' as she puts it that i buy such as the Top Gear specials, the Evo specials etc etc.
Also got a complete et of Grand Prix International from the eighties. Anyone remember that GP mag which was probably one of the best ever produced?
Now i got to get rid of them all, along with all my motoring books, so anyone want to make me a sensible offer?
Also got over 600 die-cast model cars & over 50 unbuilt Tamiya plastic kits which have all got to go as well.
No idea what they are worth, dealers are not interested & Ebay is a waste of time.
However much to my other halfs annoyance i buy the above two plus Classic Cars, Car, Evo, Top Gear, Performance Car, MotorSport, Autosport...
She gets really annoyed as i dont throw them away. I have a complete set of C & S along with every issue of the above going back to the early 80's.
Plus all the other general motoring 'crap' as she puts it that i buy such as the Top Gear specials, the Evo specials etc etc.
Also got a complete et of Grand Prix International from the eighties. Anyone remember that GP mag which was probably one of the best ever produced?
Now i got to get rid of them all, along with all my motoring books, so anyone want to make me a sensible offer?
Also got over 600 die-cast model cars & over 50 unbuilt Tamiya plastic kits which have all got to go as well.
No idea what they are worth, dealers are not interested & Ebay is a waste of time.
I started reading in 1996, and found & bought all the issues before that.
I'm still a subscriber, but it's starting to wear thin tbh. It's all a bit formulaic at times with some cars being done to death. If you're into classic Ferrari/Maserati/Lambo's then you've a great chance of a feature. If 60-00 RR/Bentley are your thing then virtually no chance. It's not that I don't like the ferrari/lambo etc but I've read several articles on the same car, and I've never seen one IRL let alone could I afford to buy one. (although I did see a Dino 246 in Utrecht)
I like the C&S market-place & classifieds to keep an eye on things, and plot what I might buy in a few years time.
I do get annoyed when C&S do a 'look what good value this car is' article and then 3 years later with all the investors safely aboard, there's no chance any enthusiast can afford one. I like my own inside info, and having it shouted to all and sundry (I often agree with C&S on these) is a bit galling. Recently their push to gain recognition for Maserati has seen prices skyrocket in the midst of the recession for example. I remember a decent 3500 going for £20k not that long ago. Now £50+k.
I'm still a subscriber, but it's starting to wear thin tbh. It's all a bit formulaic at times with some cars being done to death. If you're into classic Ferrari/Maserati/Lambo's then you've a great chance of a feature. If 60-00 RR/Bentley are your thing then virtually no chance. It's not that I don't like the ferrari/lambo etc but I've read several articles on the same car, and I've never seen one IRL let alone could I afford to buy one. (although I did see a Dino 246 in Utrecht)
I like the C&S market-place & classifieds to keep an eye on things, and plot what I might buy in a few years time.
I do get annoyed when C&S do a 'look what good value this car is' article and then 3 years later with all the investors safely aboard, there's no chance any enthusiast can afford one. I like my own inside info, and having it shouted to all and sundry (I often agree with C&S on these) is a bit galling. Recently their push to gain recognition for Maserati has seen prices skyrocket in the midst of the recession for example. I remember a decent 3500 going for £20k not that long ago. Now £50+k.
Has anyone ever listened to the vinyl record of the V16 BRM engine sound which was included in one of the early issues? I always wanted to tear it out for a wee listen but my old man refused, saying "that'll be a collector's item one day!"
Edited by JuniorD on Wednesday 9th December 17:24
BlueMR2 said:
williamp said:
It used to be my favourite, but the other two main ones (Octaner and Classic car) have both reviewed my book, and C&SC havent yet
Must not have sent enough free copies 
.The 2 reviews on amazon seem to like it.Not sure where it was printed. It does say in the book, but I dont have a copy close to hand.
Anyway, back to C&SC. I really got into it back in the early 90s when they did a great article (spread over 2 issues, I think) about smuggling an Auto Union GP car out of Russia, and getting it restored. The Berlin wall was down, but it was still a dodgy time to be east of Berlin. A good read.
It is a great magazine and one of only two I subscribe to.
I used to get a different magazine (Your Classic?) but it was merged with C&SC way back and I just carried on subscribing. It gets read from cover to cover (even if I sometimes miss out the odd 50s saloon comparison and don't consume every word about the W123 Mercedes family ).
A nice mix of desirable, weird, exotic and plain unique cars are covered and the writing's good.
For example, the cars that Simon whatisface (sorry just can't recall right now) and Alain De Cadenet own are so awesome and they get invited to such great events that you could easily find them the kind of people who simply gloat about their good fortune and yet what I get out of their articles are a chance to share in their joy at having the chance to own these cars and go these places.
Great magazine - wonderful to see the Marcos XP racer in last issue too
M.
I used to get a different magazine (Your Classic?) but it was merged with C&SC way back and I just carried on subscribing. It gets read from cover to cover (even if I sometimes miss out the odd 50s saloon comparison and don't consume every word about the W123 Mercedes family
).A nice mix of desirable, weird, exotic and plain unique cars are covered and the writing's good.
For example, the cars that Simon whatisface (sorry just can't recall right now) and Alain De Cadenet own are so awesome and they get invited to such great events that you could easily find them the kind of people who simply gloat about their good fortune and yet what I get out of their articles are a chance to share in their joy at having the chance to own these cars and go these places.
Great magazine - wonderful to see the Marcos XP racer in last issue too
M.
Reviving this thread after 8 years as I think the answer has evolved into "no".
OK it must be hard editing a classic car magazine, catering for different tastes and the subject matter is now so saturated that articles on E types, baby Elans or DB5s are not going to capture the imagination any longer.
But in C&SC I've seen a drift over the last year or so into something which seems to be a glossy amalgam of 'Practical Classics" and "Modern Classics". More and more grey 1950/60/70s porridge with a particular nadir this month of a yellow Vauxhall Cresta complete with photos of the proud owner. Also modern "classics" such as the Renault Clio (?) don't float my boat. Motor sporting content seems to be drying up whilst the adverts for impossibly expensive cars described in toe-curling fashion seem to be taking over. Why is it that every original Cobra advertised has to be the "best available".
Meanwhile I have bought the last few copies of "Octane" having previously found it a bit pretentious with its articles on million pound wrist watches etc. But it has too evolved. Far more focussed than C@SC with some great contributors and more emphasis on true classic and sporting cars and plenty of motor sport. OK still plenty of adverts but relatively less so.
So my annual subscription has changed , they even sent me a nice coffee mug.
OK it must be hard editing a classic car magazine, catering for different tastes and the subject matter is now so saturated that articles on E types, baby Elans or DB5s are not going to capture the imagination any longer.
But in C&SC I've seen a drift over the last year or so into something which seems to be a glossy amalgam of 'Practical Classics" and "Modern Classics". More and more grey 1950/60/70s porridge with a particular nadir this month of a yellow Vauxhall Cresta complete with photos of the proud owner. Also modern "classics" such as the Renault Clio (?) don't float my boat. Motor sporting content seems to be drying up whilst the adverts for impossibly expensive cars described in toe-curling fashion seem to be taking over. Why is it that every original Cobra advertised has to be the "best available".
Meanwhile I have bought the last few copies of "Octane" having previously found it a bit pretentious with its articles on million pound wrist watches etc. But it has too evolved. Far more focussed than C@SC with some great contributors and more emphasis on true classic and sporting cars and plenty of motor sport. OK still plenty of adverts but relatively less so.
So my annual subscription has changed , they even sent me a nice coffee mug.
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