''Automobile'' was an American

automobile A car or automobile is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of ''cars'' say that they run primarily on roads, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport people instead of goods. The year 1886 is regarded ...

magazine A magazine is a periodical publication, generally published on a regular schedule (often weekly or monthly), containing a variety of content. They are generally financed by advertising, purchase price, prepaid subscriptions, or by a combinatio ...

published by the

Motor Trend Group Motor Trend Group, LLC, formerly known as Source Interlink Media and TEN: The Enthusiast Network, is a media company that specializes in enthusiast brands, such as ''Motor Trend'', ''Hot Rod'', and ''Roadkill''. Headquartered in New York City, ...

. A group of former employees of ''

Car and Driver ''Car and Driver'' (''CD'' or ''C/D'') is an American automotive enthusiast magazine. In 2006 its total circulation was 1.23 million. It is owned by Hearst Magazines, who purchased prior owner Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S. in 2011. It was f ...

'' led by

David E. Davis David Evan Davis Jr. (November 7, 1930 – March 27, 2011) was an American automotive journalist and magazine publisher widely known as a contributing writer, editor and publisher at ''Car and Driver'' magazine and as the founder of '' Automobil ...

founded ''Automobile'' in 1986 with support from Rupert Murdoch's

News Corporation News Corporation (abbreviated News Corp.), also variously known as News Corporation Limited, was an American multinational mass media corporation controlled by media mogul Rupert Murdoch and headquartered at 1211 Avenue of the Americas in New ...

, using the credo ''No Boring Cars.'' ''Automobile'' distinguished itself as more of a

lifestyle magazine Lifestyle journalism is the field of journalism that provides news and opinion, often in an entertaining tone, regarding goods and services used by consumers in their everyday life. Lifestyle journalism covers travel, fashion, fitness, leisure, fo ...

than the other automotive publications, an editorial theme that Davis greatly expanded upon from his tenure as the editor of ''Car and Driver'', though it was a sister publication to ''

Motor Trend ''MotorTrend'' is an American automobile magazine. It first appeared in September 1949, and designated the first Car of the Year, also in 1949. Petersen Publishing Company in Los Angeles published ''MotorTrend'' until 1998, when it was sold to ...

''. Unlike other automobile magazines, ''Automobile'' didn't often conduct instrumented tests of cars or provide much technical data. Instead, the reviews of vehicles were subjective experiential reports with the cars in their naturally intended, real world environment. Additionally, ''Automobile'' reserved a good portion of each issue for covering vehicles no longer in production, but still relevant to collectors or automotive history as a whole. For example, the magazine included features such as "Collectible Classic," an in-depth review of a particular older car, and reports from recent classic and

antique car An antique car is an automobile that is an antique. Narrower definitions vary based on how old a car must be to qualify. The Antique Automobile Club of America defines an antique car as over 25 years of age. However, the legal definitions for th ...

auctions. ''Automobile'' also had a regular column by former General Motors designer

Robert Cumberford Robert Wayne Cumberford (born August 4, 1935) is a former automotive designer for General Motors, author and design critic – widely known as Automotive Design Editor and outspoken columnist for ''Automobile'' magazine. Examples of ...

, who analyzed styling elements of current production models and show cars, often linking their design to those of older cars. In December 2019,

subsidiary TEN Publishing announced that it would discontinue publication of ''Automobile''. Its final issue was dated February 2020.

Publishers

* 1986–1991:

* 1991–2007:

Primedia Primedia is a South African media group, headquartered in Sandton, Johannesburg. History Primedia was established in 1994 and its listing on the JSE Securities Exchange was completed in April 1995. Primedia remained listed on the JSE until 1 O ...

* 2007–2014:

Source Interlink Media Motor Trend Group, LLC, formerly known as Source Interlink Media and TEN: The Enthusiast Network, is a media company that specializes in enthusiast brands, such as ''Motor Trend'', '' Hot Rod'', and ''Roadkill''. Headquartered in New York City, ...

* 2014–2017: TEN: The Enthusiast Network * 2017–2020:

Awards

Automobile of the Year

From 1990 to 2014, ''Automobile'' awarded their "Automobile of the Year" to one car annually. *1990:

Mazda MX-5 Miata The Mazda MX-5 is a lightweight two-passenger roadster sports car manufactured and marketed by Mazda with a front mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout. The convertible is marketed as the or in Japan, and as the Mazda Miata () in the United S ...

*1991:

Acura NSX NSX may refer to: Stock exchanges * Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX) * National Stock Exchange (Jersey City, New Jersey), US (NSX) * National Stock Exchange of Australia (NSX) Other uses * Neon Swing X-perience (NSX), a US musical group * Honda NSX ( ...

*1992: Cadillac Seville Touring Sedan *1993:

Chrysler Concorde The Chrysler Concorde is a full-size, front wheel drive four-door sedan that was produced by Chrysler from 1992 to 2004. It assumed the C-body Chrysler New Yorker Salon's position as the entry-level full-size sedan in the Chrysler brand lin ...

/ Dodge Intrepid /

Eagle Vision The Eagle Vision is a full-sized, front-wheel drive four-door sports sedan produced from 1992 until 1997. It was marketed by Eagle, replacing the AMC/Renault-designed Eagle Premier (from which the Vision was derived). The Eagle Vision was ...

*1994: Dodge / Plymouth Neon *1995:

BMW M3 The BMW M3 is a high-performance version of the BMW 3 Series, developed by BMW's in-house motorsport division, BMW M GmbH. M3 models have been produced for every generation of 3 Series since the E30 M3 was introduced in 1986. The initial mode ...

*1996:

Honda Civic The is a series of automobiles manufactured by Honda since 1972. Since 2000, the Civic has been categorized as a compact car, while previously it occupied the subcompact class. , the Civic is positioned between the Honda Fit/City and Honda A ...

*1997:

Toyota RAV4 The is a compact crossover SUV produced by the Japanese automobile manufacturer Toyota. Considered the first ever compact crossover SUV, it made its debut in Japan and Europe in 1994, and in North America in 1995, being launched in January 19 ...

*1998: Porsche Boxster *1999:

Volkswagen New Beetle The Volkswagen New Beetle is a compact car, introduced by Volkswagen in 1997, drawing heavy inspiration from the exterior design of the original Beetle. Unlike the original Beetle, the New Beetle has its engine in the front, driving the fron ...

*2000:

Ford Focus The Ford Focus is a compact car (C-segment in Europe) manufactured by Ford Motor Company since 1998. It was created under Alexander Trotman's Ford 2000 plan, which aimed to globalize model development and sell one compact vehicle worldwide. The ...

*2001: Chevrolet Corvette Z06 *2002:

Subaru Impreza WRX The is a compact car that has been manufactured by the Japanese automaker Subaru since 1992. It was introduced as a replacement for the Leone, with the predecessor's EA series engines replaced by the new EJ series. It is now in its sixth gene ...

*2003: Nissan 350Z *2004:

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, popularly referred to as the 'Evo', is a sports sedan and rally car based on the Lancer that was manufactured by Japanese manufacturer Mitsubishi Motors from 1992 until 2016. There have been ten official versio ...

*2005:

Chrysler 300C The Chrysler Corporation has used the designation Chrysler 300C to refer to two separate unrelated vehicles from different eras: * The 1957 Chrysler 300C is that year's version of the Chrysler 300 "letter series"; a large, high-performance luxury ...

*2006: BMW 3-Series *2007:

Volkswagen GTI The Volkswagen GTI models may refer to: * Volkswagen Gol GTI, a performance-oriented B-segment/supermini/ subcompact hatchback produced between 1989 and 1994 * Volkswagen Golf/Rabbit GTI, a performance-oriented C-segment/small family car/compact ...

*2008:

Audi R8 The Audi R8 is a mid-engine, 2-seater sports car, which uses Audi's trademark quattro permanent all-wheel drive system. It was introduced by the German car manufacturer Audi AG in 2006. The car is exclusively designed, developed, and manufac ...

*2009:

Nissan GT-R The Nissan GT-R (Japanese: 日産・GT-R, ''Nissan GT-R''), is a high-performance sports car and grand tourer produced by Nissan, unveiled in 2007. It is the successor to the Skyline GT-R, a high performance variant of the Nissan Skyline. Alt ...

*2010:

*2011:

Chevrolet Volt The Chevrolet Volt is a plug-in hybrid manufactured by General Motors, also marketed in rebadged variants as the Holden Volt in Australia and New Zealand and the Buick Velite 5 in China, and with a different fascia as the Vauxhall Ampera in th ...

*2012: Audi A7 *2013:

Tesla Model S The Tesla Model S is a battery-powered liftback car serving as the flagship model of Tesla, Inc. The Model S features a dual-motor, all-wheel drive layout, although earlier versions of the Model S featured a rear-motor and rear-wheel drive ...

*2014: Chevrolet Corvette Stingray

''Automobile'' All-Stars

In 2015, ''Automobile'' replaced their "Automobile of the Year" award with the "''Automobile'' All-Stars", naming multiple cars on the list annually. *2015:

Alfa Romeo 4C The Alfa Romeo 4C (Type 960) is a mid-engined sports car produced by Italian car manufacturer Alfa Romeo. Unveiled at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show, the 4C was initially only available as a coupé, with a spider body style coming a few years later i ...

, BMW i8, BMW 2-Series, Chevrolet Camaro Z/28,

Ford Mustang The Ford Mustang is a series of American automobiles manufactured by Ford. In continuous production since 1964, the Mustang is currently the longest-produced Ford car nameplate. Currently in its sixth generation, it is the fifth-best selli ...

Honda Fit The Honda Fit (Japanese: ホンダ・フィット, Hepburn: ''Honda Fitto'') or Honda Jazz is a small car manufactured and marketed by Honda since 2001 and now in its fourth generation. It has a five-door hatchback body style and is considered ...

Lamborghini Huracán The Lamborghini Huracán (Spanish for "hurricane"; ) is a sports car manufactured by Italian automotive manufacturer Lamborghini replacing the previous V10 offering, the Gallardo. The Huracán was revealed online in December 2013, making its w ...

Mercedes-Benz C-Class The Mercedes-Benz C-Class is a series of compact executive cars produced by Mercedes-Benz Group AG. Introduced in 1993 as a replacement for the 190 (W201) range, the C-Class was the smallest model in the marque's line-up until the W168 A-Class ...

, Subaru WRX / WRX STI, Volkswagen Golf GTI *2016: Ferrari 488 GTB, Ford Mustang Shelby GT350,

McLaren 570S The McLaren 570S is a sports car designed and manufactured by British car manufacturer McLaren Automotive. It was unveiled at the 2015 New York International Auto Show. Design and specifications The car is powered by a new iteration of the 3 ...

Porsche Cayman GT4 The Porsche Boxster and Cayman are mid-engine two-seater sports cars manufactured and marketed by German automobile manufacturer Porsche across four generations—as a two-door, two-seater roadster (Boxster) and a three-door, two-seater fastba ...

Volkswagen Golf R The Volkswagen Golf (Mk7) is a small family car (C-segment) produced by German automobile manufacturer Volkswagen, as the seventh generation of the Golf and the successor to the Golf Mk6. It was introduced in Berlin on 4 September 2012, before ...

Volvo XC90 The Volvo XC90 is a mid-size luxury SUV manufactured and marketed by Volvo Cars since 2002 and now in its second generation. The first generation was introduced at the 2002 North American International Auto Show and used the Volvo P2 platform ...

*2017:

BMW M2 The BMW M2 is a high-performance version of the BMW 2 Series automobile developed by BMW's motorsport division, BMW M GmbH. As the 2 Series replaced the 1 Series coupé and convertible models, the first generation M2 was marketed as the most ...

Chevrolet Bolt EV Chevrolet ( ), colloquially referred to as Chevy and formally the Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors Company, is an American automobile division of the American manufacturer General Motors (GM). Louis Chevrolet (1878–1941) and oust ...

, Honda Civic Hatchback Sport, Porsche 718 Cayman S,

Volvo S90 The Volvo S90 is an executive sedan manufactured and marketed by Swedish automaker Volvo Cars since 2016. Its estate variant is called the Volvo V90. Models For the model year of 2017 (the first model year), a short and long wheelbase sedan a ...

*2018:

Ford GT The Ford GT is a mid-engine two-seater sports car manufactured and marketed by American automobile manufacturer Ford for the 2005 model year in conjunction with the company's 2003 centenary. The second generation Ford GT became available for ...

, Honda Accord Sport 2.0T,

Honda Civic Type R The is a series of high-performance hatchback/ sedan models based on the Civic, developed and produced by Honda since September 1997. The first Civic Type R was the third model to receive Honda's Type R badge (after the NSX and Integra). Typ ...

, Lexus LC 500, McLaren 720S, Mercedes-AMG GT R, Porsche 911 Carrera GTS, Volvo V90 T6 AWD *2019: BMW M2 Competition, Ferrari 812 Superfast, Hyundai Veloster N, McLaren 600LT, Mercedes-Benz G550, Nissan Altima SR 2.0T, Porsche 911 GT2 RS *2020: Bentley Continental GT V8, Chevrolet Corvette Stingray,

Ferrari F8 Tributo The Ferrari F8 (Type F142MFL) is a mid-engine sports car produced by the Italian automobile manufacturer Ferrari. The car is the replacement to the Ferrari 488, with exterior and performance changes. It was unveiled at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show ...

, Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, Kia Telluride, Mazda3 Hatchback, Porsche 911 Carrera S,

Toyota GR Supra The J29/DB Toyota Supra, mainly marketed as Toyota GR Supra, is the fifth-generation of the Supra, a sports car produced by Toyota since 2019. Sold under Gazoo Racing (GR) branding, it replaced the previous model, A80, which stopped product ...

Design of the Year

*1990:

Nissan 300ZX The Nissan 300ZX is a sports car that was produced across two different generations. As with all other versions of the Z, the 300ZX was sold within the Japanese domestic market under the name Fairlady Z. It was sold in Japan from 1983 to 2000 a ...

*1991:

*1992: Honda Civic VX Hatchback *1993:

Mazda RX-7 The Mazda RX-7 is a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, rotary engine-powered sports car that was manufactured and marketed by Mazda from 1978 until 2002 across three generations, all of which made use of a compact, lightweight Wankel rotary engine. ...

*1994:

Saab 900 The Saab 900 is a mid-sized automobile which was produced by Saab from 1978 until 1998 in two generations; the first from 1978 to 1993, and the second from 1994 to 1998. The first-generation car was based on the Saab 99 chassis, though with a ...

*1995:

Ferrari 456 The Ferrari 456 and 456M (Type F116) are front-engine grand tourers which were produced by Ferrari from 1992 to 2003. The 456 was a replacement for the front-engine 412 as the company's V12-powered four seater. The updated 456M, which was the las ...

*1996:

Ford Taurus The Ford Taurus is an automobile that was manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in the United States from the 1986 to 2019 model years. Introduced in late 1985 for the 1986 model year, six generations were produced over 34 years; a brief hiat ...

*1997: GM EV1 *1998:

*1999: BMW M Coupe *2000: Audi TT *2001: Alfa Romeo 156 Sportwagon *2002:

Mercedes-Benz SL-Class The Mercedes-Benz SL-Class (marketed as Mercedes-AMG SL since 2022) is a grand touring sports car manufactured by Mercedes-Benz since 1954. The designation ''SL'' derives from the German ''Sport-Leicht'' (English: Sport Light). Initially, th ...

*2003: BMW Z4 *2004:

Toyota Prius The is a car built by Toyota which has a hybrid drivetrain, combining an internal combustion engine with an electric motor. Initially offered as a four-door sedan, it has been produced only as a five-door liftback since 2003. In 2007, ...

*2005: BMW 6-Series *2006: Pontiac Solstice *2007: Aston Martin V8 Vantage *2008:

*2009:

Audi A5 The Audi A5 is a series of compact executive coupe cars produced by the German automobile manufacturer Audi since June 2007. The A5 range additionally comprises the coupe, cabriolet, and "Sportback" (a five-door liftback with a fastback roofline) ...

*2010: Nissan Cube *2011:

Jaguar XJ The Jaguar XJ is a series of full-size luxury cars produced by British automobile manufacturer Jaguar Cars (becoming Jaguar Land Rover in 2013) from 1968 to 2019. It was produced across five basic platform generations (debuting in 1968, 1986, 1 ...

*2012:

Fisker Karma The Fisker Karma is a luxury plug-in range-extended electric sports sedan produced by Fisker Automotive in 2012. The cars were manufactured at Valmet Automotive in Finland. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rated th ...

*2013: Porsche Boxster *2014: BMW i8 *2015: Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe *2016:

*2017:

*2018:

Tesla Model 3 The Tesla Model 3 is a compact executive sedan that is battery powered and produced by Tesla. Limited production of the Model 3 began in mid-2017, with the first production vehicle rolling off the assembly line on July 7, 2017. The offici ...

*2019: BMW 8-Series *2020:

Porsche Taycan The Porsche Taycan is a battery electric saloon and shooting brake produced by German automobile manufacturer Porsche. The concept version of the Taycan, named the ''Porsche Mission E'', debuted at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show. The Taycan w ...

References

External links

* {{Source Interlink Motor Trend Group 1986 establishments in Michigan 2020 disestablishments in California Automobile magazines published in the United States Defunct magazines published in the United States Magazines established in 1986 Magazines disestablished in 2020 Magazines published in Los Angeles Magazines published in Michigan Mass media in Ann Arbor, Michigan Monthly magazines published in the United States