What is happening at EVO magazine?
Discussion
daniel-5zjw7 said:
I'll always remember EVO fondly mind for what it used to be, plus I was lucky enough to have a full feature of my old car going back a few years (a 4k Subaru Impreza Type RA), which was a great experience, especially working on it with Henry Catchpole who I'd been following since he very first joined.
Does Catchpole put as many (non-paranthetical) paranthetical statements in to his speech as he does his prose?
I started to lose patience with it when they got greedy and went to 13 issues a year... ending up in the ridiculous situation where the issue that dropped through my letterbox on October 27th is actually marked as January 2018
Aside from that, there's no doubt that the pool of writing talent that they have now is much shallower than it was in the days of Harry, Yu, Bovingdon et al
I currently still subscribe but I am starting to wonder why, it's been a long time since articles so good that they made you feel like you were there.
Aside from that, there's no doubt that the pool of writing talent that they have now is much shallower than it was in the days of Harry, Yu, Bovingdon et al
I currently still subscribe but I am starting to wonder why, it's been a long time since articles so good that they made you feel like you were there.
Having had the time (finally) to open the package last night, what galls me the most is the complete lack of comment about the changes, if nothing else, a footnote to Mr. Gallager's comments at the front of the mag should have been there.
Without it, this is just another one of the increasingly prevalent decontent/downgrade that we are seeing across the consumer goods sphere. When will the general public cry "enough"!?
Coca Cola brought in the 1.75l bottle to replace the 2l bottle with the marketing using the justification of the "classic" coke bottle shape. Many (many) confectionery products now have a smaller weight in the same pack size, for the same cost.
For sugary things like my examples above, It's not a big deal. For a magazine that prides itself on content, the downgrade to size & quality is just not good enough. Raise the price instead! I am happy to pay more to receive what I perceive as good value.
Evo used to have good writing & photography, the 'return' of Barker et al is bringing the prose back from the doldrums (imo), but now the photography/printing is going downhill (the picture on pg 86 of the 2x GT3 is especially bad).
So, without the consultation, I've therefore decided to vote in the only way left open to me.
Subscription cancelled.
Without it, this is just another one of the increasingly prevalent decontent/downgrade that we are seeing across the consumer goods sphere. When will the general public cry "enough"!?
Coca Cola brought in the 1.75l bottle to replace the 2l bottle with the marketing using the justification of the "classic" coke bottle shape. Many (many) confectionery products now have a smaller weight in the same pack size, for the same cost.
For sugary things like my examples above, It's not a big deal. For a magazine that prides itself on content, the downgrade to size & quality is just not good enough. Raise the price instead! I am happy to pay more to receive what I perceive as good value.
Evo used to have good writing & photography, the 'return' of Barker et al is bringing the prose back from the doldrums (imo), but now the photography/printing is going downhill (the picture on pg 86 of the 2x GT3 is especially bad).
So, without the consultation, I've therefore decided to vote in the only way left open to me.
Subscription cancelled.
Whilst I agree I prefer the old Evo (I have every issue since 001), I thought that this month's has shown a return to form. I've been away all weekend, but last night sat down and read the 720S in Italy feature and found it really well written and the photography superb; I really felt like I was there. I also much prefer the matt cover and paper, which feels nicer and is far easier to read without reflections getting in the way. The early Evos were matt like that and I always liked it.
I like the changes to the latest issue and i think the quality of the magazine generally has picked up in the last few months as the new Editor has got his feet under the table.
The previous editor was a disaster and sent me very close to cancelling my subscription. However, with the return of some more seasoned writers, the format changes and the choice of editorial content lately, I've really enjoyed it again.
There's something I enjoy about reading a magazine over digital content and I hope publishing can remain viable for a good time yet. Otherwise all we've have to watch will be sub-standard YouTube content and that really will be something to moan about
The previous editor was a disaster and sent me very close to cancelling my subscription. However, with the return of some more seasoned writers, the format changes and the choice of editorial content lately, I've really enjoyed it again.
There's something I enjoy about reading a magazine over digital content and I hope publishing can remain viable for a good time yet. Otherwise all we've have to watch will be sub-standard YouTube content and that really will be something to moan about
Wozza said:
I like the changes to the latest issue and i think the quality of the magazine generally has picked up in the last few months as the new Editor has got his feet under the table.
The previous editor was a disaster and sent me very close to cancelling my subscription. However, with the return of some more seasoned writers, the format changes and the choice of editorial content lately, I've really enjoyed it again.
There's something I enjoy about reading a magazine over digital content and I hope publishing can remain viable for a good time yet. Otherwise all we've have to watch will be sub-standard YouTube content and that really will be something to moan about
Previous editor Nick Trott? He was awful. Just dribbled on about his 911 and wrote superficial reviews and tests, unlike his then-contemporaries like Catchpole and Bovingdon. Still in two minds whether to pull the plug on my subscription; their continuing obsession with top end cars is only slightly offset by occasional articles of real interest for me. The previous editor was a disaster and sent me very close to cancelling my subscription. However, with the return of some more seasoned writers, the format changes and the choice of editorial content lately, I've really enjoyed it again.
There's something I enjoy about reading a magazine over digital content and I hope publishing can remain viable for a good time yet. Otherwise all we've have to watch will be sub-standard YouTube content and that really will be something to moan about
Escort3500 said:
Still in two minds whether to pull the plug on my subscription; their continuing obsession with top end cars is only slightly offset by occasional articles of real interest for me.
Same here. The recent Hot Hatch group test, and first drive of the new Hyundai hatch, made me question whether to continue after all, then this month's issue of 911s and McLarens sent me the other way again.I get that for some people the unattainable hypercar us a fantasy that they can enjoy viscerally by reading about, but it rather leaves me cold as it is so divorced from my reality.
ClockworkCupcake said:
Escort3500 said:
Still in two minds whether to pull the plug on my subscription; their continuing obsession with top end cars is only slightly offset by occasional articles of real interest for me.
Same here. The recent Hot Hatch group test, and first drive of the new Hyundai hatch, made me question whether to continue after all, then this month's issue of 911s and McLarens sent me the other way again.I get that for some people the unattainable hypercar us a fantasy that they can enjoy viscerally by reading about, but it rather leaves me cold as it is so divorced from my reality.
However, I do also acknowledge that:-
- There's a sizeable readership group that buy the mag for the escapism;
- The manufacturers keep (unreasonably, of course) making lots of new expensive supercars and far fewer affordable sports cars. Made worse as the shelf-life of a supercar is shorter than that of a more mainstream machine;
- Prices for some 'staple' performance cars (e.g. M3 / 911 C2) have risen well ahead of wage inflation, even before adjusting for the reduction in disposable income caused by rocketing housing costs (rent or mortgage). Which means that the 'middle ground' of performance cars is now ambition over reality for more and more people...
...and in evo's position:-
- They can't ignore a new-supercar release because "we've done 3 this year already";
- Given a choice between testing the latest warm hatch from SsangYong or testing the latest Ferrari competitior, can you blame them...
All that said, I'm with the OP 100% - the lack of eCOTY is a big disappointment, and the new paper feels a lot lower quality, and seems to lack the elasticity of the old paper, which means it'll crease easier.
BTW - what's with having the "Jan-18" issue in October-17?!? FFS!
havoc said:
ClockworkCupcake said:
Escort3500 said:
Still in two minds whether to pull the plug on my subscription; their continuing obsession with top end cars is only slightly offset by occasional articles of real interest for me.
Same here. The recent Hot Hatch group test, and first drive of the new Hyundai hatch, made me question whether to continue after all, then this month's issue of 911s and McLarens sent me the other way again.I get that for some people the unattainable hypercar us a fantasy that they can enjoy viscerally by reading about, but it rather leaves me cold as it is so divorced from my reality.
However, I do also acknowledge that:-
- There's a sizeable readership group that buy the mag for the escapism;
- The manufacturers keep (unreasonably, of course) making lots of new expensive supercars and far fewer affordable sports cars. Made worse as the shelf-life of a supercar is shorter than that of a more mainstream machine;
- Prices for some 'staple' performance cars (e.g. M3 / 911 C2) have risen well ahead of wage inflation, even before adjusting for the reduction in disposable income caused by rocketing housing costs (rent or mortgage). Which means that the 'middle ground' of performance cars is now ambition over reality for more and more people...
...and in evo's position:-
- They can't ignore a new-supercar release because "we've done 3 this year already";
- Given a choice between testing the latest warm hatch from SsangYong or testing the latest Ferrari competitior, can you blame them...
All that said, I'm with the OP 100% - the lack of eCOTY is a big disappointment, and the new paper feels a lot lower quality, and seems to lack the elasticity of the old paper, which means it'll crease easier.
BTW - what's with having the "Jan-18" issue in October-17?!? FFS!
There are different types of car enthusiast, even within Evo's readership, and I think there's always a balance to be struck. Evo cover affordable cars that we read about with a view to buying, older cars (some affordable, some not) and supercars, which for a fortunate few they'll read about with a view to buying, but for most of us we just want to know what they're like. I think Evo normally get that balance pretty spot on. For example, supercars are often reviewed with a road trip story in another country (this month's 702S in Italy feature, or last month's Ford GT in Norway feature), which is a clever tactic as it means that dreamers like me get an additional dimension of interest reading the story; whereas more affordable cars are often reviewed in a more practical way so the average reader can discover whether they want to look at buying the car.I was a subscriber to EVO for somewhere in the region of 6 years.
One day I had a call to say that my 'offer', or the annual subscription fee I pay to anyone normal, was no longer being continued and that would be the end of it.
Rather than ask if I wanted to continue, they simply said my subscription would cease. Nobody has contacted me since to ask if I'd renew, nor take out a brand new subscription.
They rang me, said no thanks and that was that.
Evolved? Nope. And they wonder why they're struggling.
Try the basics. Comically poor.
One day I had a call to say that my 'offer', or the annual subscription fee I pay to anyone normal, was no longer being continued and that would be the end of it.
Rather than ask if I wanted to continue, they simply said my subscription would cease. Nobody has contacted me since to ask if I'd renew, nor take out a brand new subscription.
They rang me, said no thanks and that was that.
Evolved? Nope. And they wonder why they're struggling.
Try the basics. Comically poor.
Having been an EVO subscriber since issue 40 I am about to cancel as well.
The loss of Harry, and then Henry and Jethro, and they are all getting replaced by boring writers. It feels like there is the stereotypical boring account in charge now, Stuart Gallagher I think, the life is sucked out of it. Nick Trott was not much better either, far too flash.
For me EVO used to be all that a magazine for driving enthusiasts should be, I even bought a car based on their opinion and loved it.
It's sad to see it in the state it is now.
The loss of Harry, and then Henry and Jethro, and they are all getting replaced by boring writers. It feels like there is the stereotypical boring account in charge now, Stuart Gallagher I think, the life is sucked out of it. Nick Trott was not much better either, far too flash.
For me EVO used to be all that a magazine for driving enthusiasts should be, I even bought a car based on their opinion and loved it.
It's sad to see it in the state it is now.
havoc said:
...and in evo's position:-
- They can't ignore a new-supercar release because "we've done 3 this year already";
- Given a choice between testing the latest warm hatch from SsangYong or testing the latest Ferrari competitior, can you blame them...
Oh, I completely agree with you and of course EVO can't ignore that. And, as you say, the escapism is almost certainly what some readers want and they aren't interested in "ordinary" cars. I get that. - They can't ignore a new-supercar release because "we've done 3 this year already";
- Given a choice between testing the latest warm hatch from SsangYong or testing the latest Ferrari competitior, can you blame them...
EVO have changed, and I have changed, and I guess we've just grown apart.
The supercar stuff has never interested me either because they aren't attainable for me so I just skip those bits, I enjoy reading the buyers guide articles and most of the first drives, and especially enjoyed the recent M4 group supertest too.
I suppose I stick with my subscription because I've read the mag from day one, although I think flicking through the mag in a newsagents and buying it if it's an interesting issue would be the better bet.
I suppose I stick with my subscription because I've read the mag from day one, although I think flicking through the mag in a newsagents and buying it if it's an interesting issue would be the better bet.
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