Final edition of Motor (Australia) magazine
Final edition of Motor (Australia) magazine
After 68 years, Australia's Motor magazine is coming to an end.
The final edition is on shelves 7 July and is, of course, a special collector's edition with landmark road tests, editorial from past editors, amongst other stories.
In a recent Facebook post the editor cited a declining market, paper price and transport cost rises, and competing with free online content as reasons for the publication's demise.
Subscriptions will be transferred to Wheels and Motor's editor Andy Enright will also be transferring to Wheels as editor.
For me, the best eras for Motor - and formerly Modern Motor - were the 1980s and also when they switched to a new format in the late 1990s/early 2000s.
It sad to hear of its demise
I too am saddened by its departure but it was inevitable as quality was sadly lacking in terms of content in the 2000s (It was more a coffee mag with large glossy colour photos) I used to say this on my carmagreviews website- I would say the best period was the 1970s during the muscle car era - with the rumored Ford Falcon XA 4-door Phase 4 - Modern Motor as it used to be called up to 1990 were first with the story ! Been first with story was one of their attributes during Ford Vs Holden Era. Interesting a commenter on Drive On-line reckoned that as soon as you had a Holden or a Ford Falcon on the cover - circulation shot up vs a Euro it shot down to the floor!
And also interesting in 1984 on purpose Jaguar conducted hot air testing and made a point of driving past the Modern Motor Offices over and over in their faintly disguised Jaguar XJ 40s when Modern Motor were based in Sydney! There also a lot of rivalry between the 2 mags Wheels vs Modern Motor.
My first Modern Motor was September 1972 while my first wheels was April 1971. I used to save up my pocket money to buy latest Modern Motor, Wheels and Sports Car World - By end 1973 I started compiling magazines in an exercise book to create a index which I still at it (Although I have not got as much time with family and work commitments) today using Excel and it currently sits off-line on 65 massive spreadsheets
Despite the era of internet - I believe the Australian magazines were slow to embrace the net of having their issues on line but other publishers in the UK, USA and even here in New Zealand have had it 8-10 years. In addition some larger concerns have scans of not only new but much older issues & I believe there were plans to put early issues of Modern Motor on-line! but cost was what stopped it - But still I believe paper is best - flip the pages without ever having to worry about plugging in or batteries to go flat !
So I too salute you Modern Motor - Thankyou for the memories