Classic car mags stuck in a time warp
Discussion
A cursory glance at the monthly classic car mags in December shows another raft of MGB features. Now I appreciate that this popular classic is 50 years old now, or next year, but boy, it seems the classic car world is stuck in a time warp and every year they have a massive "MGB Issue". The very first issue of Classic Cars in 1973 had an MGB GT in it, when it was new! As a fan of 80s cars, I just wonder, do you think they will ever move on from the 60s and 70s cars. More stuff on the likes of the 205 GTI, Audi Quattro, Sierra Cosworth and so on, even modern icons like the type 993 Porsche, Renault Clio Williams and EVO 6.....In fact, they seem to have totally ignored the Lotus Elan which is also 50 years old in 2012 and arguably a far more benchmark car dynamically than the MGB ever was ! Rant over.
i thought there was an elan in a fairly recent Evo
http://www.evo.co.uk/videos/planetevovideos/233209...
http://www.evo.co.uk/videos/planetevovideos/233209...
Edited by Dave Hedgehog on Friday 23 December 20:08
smileymikey said:
I think half the time the features depend on what cars, this months favourite advertiser has on his stock list. Nine times out of ten you will find the vehicles featured for sale by a classic car firm somewhere else in the magazine
What actually happens is that the advertising sales team telephone the advertisers (the dealers) and tell them what they're doing a feature on, in this instance MGBs, and ask them whether they want to advertise in the magazine accordingly. Editorial content is mostly planned way ahead of the advertising (which all happens at the last minute).It also has a lot to do with the readership- these mags are aimed at people who had classics back when they were new, and affordable but fun things like the MGB would appeal to these people most of all. It's also going to be the 50th anniversary of a lot of '60s cars from now on so in 20 years look out for the 50th birthday of the '80s cars!
Those poor classic car magazine publishers...really there are only so many articles that can be written about MGB's, MKII Jags, Jensen Interceptors, TR's, Sunbeam Tiger, Volvo Amazons, 911's, Auto Unions, Talbot-Lagos, Bugatti Type 35's, Aston DB5's and super-charged Bentleys. Sometimes I wonder how they manage it each month...maybe an article about ignition systems one month, Pebble Beach the next, and if we're lucky lunch with Norman Dewis in a country pub.
Let's face it guys we're passionate about a long-gone era and there are only so many cars, events, technical artticles the magazine teams can muster. Every now and then they choose a slightly more modern subject which does add some spice to their covers with an Audi Quattro article or if we're really lucky some big 70's circuit racers complimented by photos of Gerry Marshal with at least two bikini clad birds of the buxom type on each arm!
If you'd like something a little different, nip into WHSmith etc., and buy a copy of The Automobile. They often have some very good articles of lesser known vehicles.
And in case any of you are getting MGB withdrawal symptons; here's a picture of mine
Let's face it guys we're passionate about a long-gone era and there are only so many cars, events, technical artticles the magazine teams can muster. Every now and then they choose a slightly more modern subject which does add some spice to their covers with an Audi Quattro article or if we're really lucky some big 70's circuit racers complimented by photos of Gerry Marshal with at least two bikini clad birds of the buxom type on each arm!
If you'd like something a little different, nip into WHSmith etc., and buy a copy of The Automobile. They often have some very good articles of lesser known vehicles.
And in case any of you are getting MGB withdrawal symptons; here's a picture of mine
I think we all have our favourite eras, largely depending on our respective ages.
The classic car scene now covers around 80 years of car manufacture so it is a pretty broad subject. That's why we get some folks saying let's have more modern stuff and others saying they'd like to see older cars featured more. There's just so much to go at, it's impossible for the editorial teams to please everyone all of the time.
Perhaps the Germans have got it right with their oldtimer and youngtimer movements? I'll bet there are magazines catering for each. If we were to go down this route I hope we leave the German names firmly on the other side of the channel! I wince every time I read 'youngtimer'!
Interestingly, no-one's saying they want more MGB stuff!!!
The classic car scene now covers around 80 years of car manufacture so it is a pretty broad subject. That's why we get some folks saying let's have more modern stuff and others saying they'd like to see older cars featured more. There's just so much to go at, it's impossible for the editorial teams to please everyone all of the time.
Perhaps the Germans have got it right with their oldtimer and youngtimer movements? I'll bet there are magazines catering for each. If we were to go down this route I hope we leave the German names firmly on the other side of the channel! I wince every time I read 'youngtimer'!
Interestingly, no-one's saying they want more MGB stuff!!!
Yertis said:
What actually happens is that the advertising sales team telephone the advertisers (the dealers) and tell them what they're doing a feature on, in this instance MGBs, and ask them whether they want to advertise in the magazine accordingly. Editorial content is mostly planned way ahead of the advertising (which all happens at the last minute).
Your quite right in the fact they will use the cars they are featuring to drum up advertising, my point that they generally use cars from the stock lists of there heavier spending customers is also quite correct. Even the glossier high end stuff like Classic and Sportscar (which I love) does this. Its no major secret at the end of the articles they generally thank the company involved The proliferation of Classic Car Magazines really tells the story.
This is a business and the whole ethos of the magazine's is to sell as many magazines as possible.
I find the routine reruns entirely understandable and somewhat predicatable and distinctly boring.
Unfortunately there are several stalwarts like the MGB, the Triumph Spitfire/GT6/Herald/Vitesse also feature largely in theses magazines.
That is why I personally tend not to buy them: I spend all my money on actual cars and frankly I think that is the better way.
I tend to limit literature to model specific publications full Workshop Manuals etc.
Long term I doubt these magazines will go on: it seems inevitable to me technology will find better ways to promote hobbies. The internet is coming.
This is a business and the whole ethos of the magazine's is to sell as many magazines as possible.
I find the routine reruns entirely understandable and somewhat predicatable and distinctly boring.
Unfortunately there are several stalwarts like the MGB, the Triumph Spitfire/GT6/Herald/Vitesse also feature largely in theses magazines.
That is why I personally tend not to buy them: I spend all my money on actual cars and frankly I think that is the better way.
I tend to limit literature to model specific publications full Workshop Manuals etc.
Long term I doubt these magazines will go on: it seems inevitable to me technology will find better ways to promote hobbies. The internet is coming.
Steffan said:
<That is why I personally tend not to buy them: I spend all my money on actual cars and frankly I think that is the better way.>
Your profile doesn't say what classics you have to drain you hard earned but personally I find a few magazines provide interesting articles about cars I would otherwise not know about. If I limited my reading to just Aston and Healey liturature I could become insular. I subscribe to Octane and Motor Sport.RichB said:
Your profile doesn't say what classics you have to drain you hard earned but personally I find a few magazines provide interesting articles about cars I would otherwise not know about. If I limited my reading to just Aston and Healey liturature I could become insular. I subscribe to Octane and Motor Sport.
Me too. I don't buy regularly but I find every now and again keeps me in the loop. There was a recent feature which opened my eyes to the Merc SL R107 series and I'm pretty certain that one of those will be my next set of wheels.LordBretSinclair said:
"Lets do the time warp again.........." 
having owned MGBs of one sort or another since 1973 I'm a bit biased but I can see where you're coming from.
Take a chill pill though, there's worst things to rant over
Here's a photo of mine to upset you even more, Merry Christmas
Bless you and merry chrismas!! I dont really hate MGBs per se and I appreciate a lot of people like them and other 60s and 70s cars, but it would be nice to see a bit more of a mixture. There's a real gap in the market place just now for a magazine to feature the cars that are out of production and not in the likes of EVO and Autocar, but not old enough to be considered "classic" However as an owner of a 205 GTI 1.9 I would point out that this car is 21 years old now and older than the MGB was when it was first heavily featured in all the classic car mags!!!having owned MGBs of one sort or another since 1973 I'm a bit biased but I can see where you're coming from.
Take a chill pill though, there's worst things to rant over
Here's a photo of mine to upset you even more, Merry Christmas
StevieB said:
A cursory glance at the monthly classic car mags in December shows another raft of MGB features. Now I appreciate that this popular classic is 50 years old now, or next year, but boy, it seems the classic car world is stuck in a time warp and every year they have a massive "MGB Issue". The very first issue of Classic Cars in 1973 had an MGB GT in it, when it was new! As a fan of 80s cars, I just wonder, do you think they will ever move on from the 60s and 70s cars. More stuff on the likes of the 205 GTI, Audi Quattro, Sierra Cosworth and so on, even modern icons like the type 993 Porsche, Renault Clio Williams and EVO 6.....In fact, they seem to have totally ignored the Lotus Elan which is also 50 years old in 2012 and arguably a far more benchmark car dynamically than the MGB ever was ! Rant over.
The MGB is 50 THIS YEAR so has been featured this year. The Elan is featured NEXT YEAR so will, no doubt be featured next year. Perhaps wait till TTNY to rant if it becomes necessary?My own favourite classic car mag, C&SC has in the latest issue, alongside the main feature about the MGB at 50 (reminding us that it is a mainstay of classic British motoring, regardless of how much its ubiquity irritates you) a Buyer's Guide on the BMW 8 series, a comparison test of 8 different 70s saloons ranging from Audi to Volvo and a comparison piece on Alfa's pair of radically styled former flagship models the SZ and the Montreal.
As for what the bread and butter mags do I've no idea, but isn't it a bit obvious that publications whose entire purpose is to publish articles about classic cars are going to be stuck in some sort of timewarp in any case? It's the whole reason they exist, isn't it?
StevieB said:
LordBretSinclair said:
"Lets do the time warp again.........."
having owned MGBs of one sort or another since 1973 I'm a bit biased but I can see where you're coming from.
Take a chill pill though, there's worst things to rant over
Here's a photo of mine to upset you even more, Merry Christmas
Bless you and merry chrismas!! I dont really hate MGBs per se and I appreciate a lot of people like them and other 60s and 70s cars, but it would be nice to see a bit more of a mixture. There's a real gap in the market place just now for a magazine to feature the cars that are out of production and not in the likes of EVO and Autocar, but not old enough to be considered "classic" However as an owner of a 205 GTI 1.9 I would point out that this car is 21 years old now and older than the MGB was when it was first heavily featured in all the classic car mags!!!having owned MGBs of one sort or another since 1973 I'm a bit biased but I can see where you're coming from.
Take a chill pill though, there's worst things to rant over
Here's a photo of mine to upset you even more, Merry Christmas
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