Auto Express

Over the past year, the well known car publication, “Auto Express” has been limply falling onto my doormat every Wednesday. Out of personal preference I would have a subscription to “Practical Classics”, however, at the time the subscription was cheap, there was a good free gift and it came with two other “free” magazines every month, so I took a punt and signed up.

At first it seemed like a wise choice, but as I read deeper and deeper into the articles, I discovered many, many flaws, and what was clearly in a lot of cases, a very thin story covered with the authors speculation.

The news is seemingly always old news, nothing really ground-breaking, and is loosely factual and smeared with a good helping of photoshopped pictures. Also, the magazine has a large tendancy to “Cry Wolf” such as the Ford Capri replacement that was “To be with us in 2007″ and the Jaguar S-Type/X-Type 4×4 Hybrid due the same year.

The magazines use of the word “Official” is rarely in context, such as:

OFFICIAL – XJ to spawn reborn Coupe classic.

The Jaguar XJ has only just been revealed to the public – But already there’s a Coupe version on the way!

These are both quotes from the latest Auto Express (22-28 July 2009, Page 16), and they seem to be so sure it is to be released, but they happen to reveal the truth once you read on:

Auto Express has leaned that the Coventry based firm is CONSIDERING resurrecting the much loved, and extremely rare, XJC model…

So, it’s not “Official” at all, it is mere speculation and is extremely misleading.

It really annoys me that the magazines are so desperate to fill space that they are making up storys – ones based completely on rumour.

There is, however, one redeeming feature to my subscription, the book like “Evo” is sent through every month, and it is one of the best modern car publications that I have ever read. Likeable people, good quality writing, and no silly articles designed to be space fillers. Just a good honest magazine.

It really grinds my gears!

More posts to follow shortly.