Road & Track magazine going away?

[gsxr]

A postcard came in the mail yesterday, see below. However I can't find any solid info on the interwebs about the magazine going away. There was a format change but that wasn't supposed to kill off the existing magazine. At their website, the only options are now insane-priced packages for people richer than I am. We had been paying something like $15/yr (can't remember) for 10-12 print issues, and our subscription was good through Sept-2022.

Now, the cheapest option is $75 for six DIGITAL issues of a newly-rebranded "R&T" Luxe magazine (story here from 1 year ago), which is not the same as the crusty old "Road & Track" print rag. Paddock = $75/yr, Grid = $475/yr, Founders = $975/yr (click here, scroll down).

Postcard:

Dear Road & Track Subscriber,​

​

... We want to let you know that the February/March 2021 issue will be the last issue served. But don't worry, we very much value your business and would like to offer you a magazine of your choice in its place! Please visit www.bperx.com to select a replacement or obtain a refund for unserved issues.​

​

Closest I could find was a Wiki entry (click here) discussing the change, but that info doesn't jive with reality. Wiki says the name changed after Aug-2020, but I have a Nov/Dec 2020 print magazine in the reading room that still has the full "Road & Track" title, not "R&T". I haven't received the Jan/Feb 2021 issue yet.

 

[gerryvz]

It wouldn't surprise me. I think I noted some time ago that AUTOMOBILE magazine regrettably also ceased publishing a print edition, and the remaining issues (a couple or three years' worth) on my subscription were shunted to Car and Driver, which I've been receiving since, and will receive for another 5-6 months.

C&D is IMHO a completely useless magazine. I glance at it for 3 mins, then throw it in the recycle bin. I always found R&T to be better, but Automotible to be the best (most passionate about autos and driving, at least until the last 10 years or so) of the three.

Bummer to hear that though.

Guess it's the 500Eboard for all your automotive news from now on .....


P.S. R&T magazine and C&D are owned by Hearst ... of HaT fame. Insert snide memes here....

 

[a777fan]

Sigh...

From the 'heyday' (mid-late 90's) of car mags, R&T was always my fave. Car and Driver was good, but I felt the R&T coverage was more technically savvy. On the puff piece/art house end you had 'Automobile'. Conversely, I always found Motor Trend to be the Wally World of automotive Journalism. Sure... you could stop by and check it out... but ... why? when better options exist (-ed)?

In more recent times, car mags (primarily R&T) became my airport fodder. A long plane trip was practically the only time I picked them up. And I never have ever been a big visitor to their online presences... something about it just doesn't translate for me. Dunno why. Now it looks like I might have to get more serious about dipping into digital media for plane trips. When we can once again take them, that is!

 

[Kyiv]

I'm often wondering about unfolding/unfolded changes that the new times bring in. Just recently I was wondering how long before Caranddriver stops to exist. Haven't subscribed or even logged on to their site in ages. Small magazine articles vs 10,000 YouTube car channels in 4K with totally professional production - yeah... Just 15 years ago Caranddriver (or R&T) were the equivalent of Pan Am in the 50's skies. It's fascinating how just about everything is subject to the pattern of "gradually, and then all at once".

 

[gerryvz]

Easy enough to criticize R&T and C&D for @kiev, when he grew up on this car enthusiast magazine from the Motherland:

 

[a777fan]

Ahh yes! The 1974 Trabant 'LE' coverage! Thrilling!

 

[TerryA]

I gave up on Road & Track a few years back. I got tired of the "All Weather Floor Matt" Adds on every other page and very little good info. The MAG was a ghost of itself when I decided not to renew my subscription.

I'm pretty sure that there is no more printed R&T and you may be able to subscribe to it on-line. From what I saw from the printed issues it would not be for me.

I still have about 10 years of issues stacked up in the garage. All wrapped up by each year. All they are doing is taking up space. I have thoughts of selling them but not sure it's worth the time.

lol

 

[sheward]

Guess it's the 500Eboard for all your automotive news from now on .....

This has worked for me for many years.

drew

 

[Glen]

A bit of personal R&T trivia. Back in the early '80s, my brother bought a baby grand piano from John R. Bond...publisher of R&T from the 50's to early '70s. I was fortunate to meet him at his Escondido home when we collected the piano. As you might imagine, his home was beautiful and of course, there was a 20 car garage on the property! He and his then wife, Mercedes (yes, that was her name) were very gracious hosts and I enjoyed my limited time with him.

Today, that Knabe piano resides in my home and I will always treasure it...even if I myself can't play it well. Maybe after I retire, I'll take lessons.

 

[gerryvz]

Maybe after I retire, I'll take lessons.

my dad said the same thing. He never did it. I hope you do !

 

[dionphaneuf]

Sad to hear this, sadder still in the decline of high quality automotive journalism. The money is in the clicks the Doug DeMuro's and Hooptie's of the world generate, and for the most part their coverage is lacking. I read all three major US mags as a 'ute, until I discovered the UK and German publications, in particular CAR, EVO, and AMundSport. C+D was always a bit grating to me and frankly too focused on the needs of the high performance driver (at the expense of the enthusiast who must daily and service a car without a bottomless budget), but I loved much of their writing. John Phillips was hysterical, and Ezra Dyer does a decent modern day immitation of him (recently describing the infurating trend of roof baskets being present on all cars at all times 'as like wearing cramp ons to Walmart').

The Hagerty magazine is solid, with good features, but its focus on older models leaves my car nerd thirst for comparisons of econo boxes unslaked. Every now and then I'll buy 'Hot Rod' in an airport and find it more interesting then I expect, but I hear its fallen by the wayside as of late too.

My favorite R + T issues were their lengthy feature on the McLaren F1 upon its US release, and the comparisons of the Diablos, 911s, F355s, and tuned Vette's they'd pull together every 18-36 months.

 

[albdentist]

Sad news...I stopped reading somewhere in the late ‘90’s, I agree with Terry, the mag lost its appeal it had during the ‘70’s, ‘80’s, ‘90’s...:
My dad had an original vol 1, issue 1...

 

[a777fan]

My god. That design!