Road and Track

[greenjp]

I've had subscriptions to the three major car mags (R&T, C&D, MT) for a long time, good for throne reading Road and Track recently changed to an every 2 months, "premium" type, larger format, thicker pages, higher content to advertising ratio. I was pretty skeptical when they announced it but after 4 or 5 of them I've decided it's pretty good. Much less of the short "first drive" type stuff that's mostly ad copy, a lot of pretty interesting stuff about topics I otherwise wouldn't read. Some interesting photography and graphic art too. Anyone else enjoying it?

jeff

 

[Passport1]

Had a subscription for years when I was much younger. Haven't read it since Peter Egan retired (Side Glances).

 

[KGMtech]

Best magazine of its type for the time, good to hear they are still hanging on. I was a regular subscriber from 1973 (when I was 11) to 1994. Once the kids arrived, priorities shifted...

 

[Dinoburner]

Letting my current subscription lapse due to irrelative content in these times IMHO.

 

[atikovi]

Road and Track recently changed to an every 2 months, "premium" type, larger format, thicker pages, higher content to advertising ratio.

Say what? I though R&D quit months ago. https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/road-track-magazine-ending.336946/ What exactly are they sending you?

 

[PeterGreen]

Subscribed for years. They are trying a new approach, and I don't like it, so I dropped it. Car and Driver has also gone way downhill.

 

[macarose]

Car and Driver has become wholly devoted to the non-stop worship of search engine optimization.

What becomes of this epidemic of Googling is an army of mediocre writers with absolutely no automotive expertise. If you ever want to experience some serious cringe worthy commentary, go and look at their window shop series on Youtube. Once you take out John Pearley Huffman, who just got lucky and left C&D for Road & Track, you end up with four talking heads with absolutely zero insight on car ownership.

Road & Track is a better magazine these days. John Krewson is great. Brendan McAleer is a true gem of a writer. I would hope beyond all hope that the entire staff at R&T survive once Hearst decides to mesh these two publications together. Unfortunately the rotten stench of political correctness and cheap labor cost has given Car And Driver the upper hand in the folding house of legacy publications.

 

[Wolf359]

I think at one point I had 4 subscriptions going at the same time, Car & Driver, Motor Trend, Road & Track and Autoweek. I think I dropped Autoweek first, couldn't keep it with it every week. Then Road & Track, then Motor Trend and Car and Driver last. Car & Driver was somewhat more whimsical and their 10 best was one of the few articles I was reading all the time til I stopped.

 

[ecotourist]

I subscribed for years (30 maybe). They brought in a new cast of writers that I didn't enjoy very much so I dropped their subscription. I guess they saved a few bucks.

 

[Creekside]

I lost interest in these types of magazines years ago. I still read Hot Rod occasionally when I get one. I like Tow Times(about the towing industry) and a couple others.

 

[CharBaby]

Starting with CR in the mid '70s, I ultimately subscribed to 5 car mag's in the '80s. Indeed great reading in private.
CR, C&D, MT, R&T, Automobile(David E. Davis). I loved the content and the different views of the same vehicles.
Today it's all online for me.

 

[jhs914]

Had a subscription for years when I was much younger. Haven't read it since Peter Egan retired (Side Glances).

View attachment 64517

I started reading R&T in high school (mid 1960's) and collected an attic full of old copies. The writing was top notch for the next 20-30 years when John Bond was the publisher. Phil Hill, Henry Manney, Peter Egan, Sam Posey, etc. But like you, after Peter Egan retired there was no one worth reading so I stopped subscribing.

 

[Touring5]

I haven't looked at any of the magazines I read back in "the day", but your comment about the car reviews being like ad copy is (was) quite true.

I watched some old 1980's Motor week shows recently, funny seeing a 0-60 time of 12 seconds described as average.

 

[greenjp]

Say what? I though R&D quit months ago. https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/road-track-magazine-ending.336946/ What exactly are they sending you?

I guess word of its demise was premature. They're "double issues" sent every two months. The latest is 160 pages, about 150 of which are non-advertising content. Granted some of those are full page photos but it's a lot of writing. 9"x11", a heavier paper than typical. Current issue looks at pre-digital era cars and components, including some cool comparisons of old and new Ferraris, Vettes, NSX, etc. Piece by Peter Egan about old MG TCs.

(note the subscription card in the photo is for some sort of "enhanced subscriptions", the basic one is the same $10/year type deal its always been)

 

[tbm5690]

I guess word of its demise was premature. They're "double issues" sent every two months. The latest is 160 pages, about 150 of which are non-advertising content. Granted some of those are full page photos but it's a lot of writing. 9"x11", a heavier paper than typical. Current issue looks at pre-digital era cars and components, including some cool comparisons of old and new Ferraris, Vettes, NSX, etc. Piece by Peter Egan about old MG TCs.


View attachment 64594

(note the subscription card in the photo is for some sort of "enhanced subscriptions", the basic one is the same $10/year type deal its always been)

Your throne is in your living room? That's pretty cool.

 

[Carmudgeon]

I used to subscribe to C/D, R&T, Automobile, and AW. Tried MT, but didn't like it, even after some ex-R&T staffers migrated there.

Dropped AW because the mailman didn't consistently deliver them, which eliminated much of the benefit of a weekly.

Dropped R&T because the more recent incarnation and 10-issue schedule wasn't compelling enough to keep. Will take a peek at the new format to see what's up.

Have less than a year remaining on the C/D subscription. I will probably re-up, since it's only $3-4/year, but going year-to-year this time instead of 2-3 years. They've also switched to a 10-issue schedule, and I wouldn't be surprised to see more changes that may not be worth committing to for longer terms.

In reality, the U.S. rags haven't been good for a very long time, but it's nice to have something to flip through.

I also used to buy the UK rags like Car and Evo in the 80s and 90s, but that was an expensive habit that eventually ceased. I'm not sure the cost would be justified today, either, but I do pick up the random issue at the airport to read on the plane.

 

[97prizm]

I subscribe to grassroots motorsports, and so far the writing and articles seem to still have substance. I really enjoyed Automobile magazine but i think they stopped print.