Yesterday felt like some kind of tipping point. TTAC's traffic didn't jump (growth continues to be slow and organic). We didn't land a new advertiser or score a junket or receive an award or introduce a new feature. We just kept doing what we do. Only this time, we were covering the June sales stats. Working as a team, our writers turned around the data faster than our rivals, and did so with our usual panache (a.k.a. lousy attitude). If persistence is the key to success, then we will be successful. But we will never forget that our reputation must exceed– I mean "proceed us." We must stay resolutely not-to-say violently independent. I contrast this pledge with a new low in Motor Trend's decline and fall, from Dealer Sales & Marketing. "Mudd Advertising announced the launch of a new marketing program that lets dealerships leverage the renowned MOTOR TREND name and MOTOR TREND “Car of the Year”, “Truck of the Year”, and “Sport Utility of the Year” logos. Through a special licensing agreement with MOTOR TREND, Mudd Advertising dealer clients can use these MOTOR TREND award logos in direct mail pieces and POP displays to attract more in-market buyers and increase vehicle sales." When you have to literally sell your good name, it's time to call it a day. Ours is just beginning.
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Keep fighting the good fight, Robert!
Motor Trend is going down in flames.
So when does Consumer Reports create its eye-catching CR logo and start incorporating into the production names of Hondas and Toyotas?
seriously is this magazine still around?
I won’t even read Motor Trend while I’m taking a dump.
Consumer Reports actually forbids companies from using their ratings and content in such a manner.
For example: a Mazda dealer can, say, buy a copy of CR’s auto issue to show to prospective Mazda5 customers (the 5 finishes top of it’s class) but Mazda, it’s affiliates or dealers cannot quote, mention or re-use CR’s material in Mazda5 promotions.
Of course, CR has the twin advantages of being non-profit and non-advertiser supported. There’s no pressure to whore itself out in the same fashion as C&D or MT and–I’m fully expecting this oon–Edmunds’ “Most Wanted”.
Hasn’t this sort of been done before? I recall being at a dealer and picking up literature that was from a C&D article…yet it was clearly a brochure from GM.
Interesting, which magazine is given the most weight by prospective car buyers, Motor Trend, Car and Driver, or Consumer Reports? Which magazine seems to be in the best financial shape? Which magazine is not a vehicle for delivering advertisements?
I think you are blowing MTs affiliations and loyalties way out of proportion. MT did not get to be the most popular auto media outlet in this country by being in the pocket of manufacturers and writing glowing articles for crap cars. We all have opinions of the cars and manufacturers on the market. Taking all my news sources into account, I would probably wipe my arse with every second or third article I encounter, TTAC articles would account for a portion of the role as well.
Fact is, TTAC has to rely on its alleged lack of bias and affiliation as its selling point and to suggest that another media source (Such as MT) could be an objective observer of the industry takes the wind out of TTAC’s sails.
MT the most popular buff book? Not for a long, long time if I recall. C&D held (holds?) the top spot for years, with R&T in second place.
Regardless of who holds the top spot in terms of circulation or name recognition, the point is the same. Dont get me wrong, I like Farago, I like TTAC, this is in my top 5 sites that I visit regularly for auto news, reviews and discussion. TTAC is right up there as far as entertainment value goes, and is often informative and thought provoking.
However, for a site that prides (sells) itself on its ability to cut through the hype and identify spin, it sure does dish out plenty of hype and spin for its own ends. Also, with constant pats on the back for the readers affectionately referred to as the “best and brightest”, it is ironic that some if not many of those very same readers take TTAC’s own hype and spin hook, line and sinker.
All the fluff mags have a big backdoor business in publishing brochure reprints of articles favorable to a particular car. I’ve even seen editorial license used in the reprint to remove any vestige of negativity in the original review. Fact is nobody is truly unbiased and well have to take everything with a grain of salt.
Consumer Reports loves boring cars and gives almost no value to any pleasurable aspects of driving
MT has certainly sold out. C&D without Brock Yates (even John Phillips can’t singlehandedly save them) has succumb to Chubby Cerub’s lazy editorial style.
Even Top Gear isn’t immune from fawning over an Aston or Jag a little too much, and they don;t take any money at the Beeb
Make your decisions, think for yourself and collect info from a lot of sources, good and bad, I would certainly count this site (along with Jalop) as one of the best.
Consumer Reports loves boring cars and gives almost no value to any pleasurable aspects of driving
Not at all true. They just don’t let it creep into objective ratings, nor are they given to flowery prose. They’re also not swayed by a big engine and a whiff of nostalgia, so there’s a certain bent in what the consider “fun”.
It’s rather European, actually.
CR has praised a number of cars that handle well and are fun to drive. They’ve been especially kind to Mazda (notable the RX-8 and Miata), as well as Ford (Focus, especially the old SVT; the Fusion), Subaru and BMW/Mini.
They’ve also called certain makes/models (Toyota, GM, Chrysler) on producing cars with big engines and rather dead handling characteristics. They were about the only reviewers to remark on the mundane, perhaps even “dead” feel of the Chrysler LX cars at a time when everyone else was crowing about rear-wheel drive.
Where is Automobile ranked right now?
I read it some times, and liked it more than MT, C&D and R&T
This sort of stuff has been around ever since Good Housekeeping Magazine created its “Seal of Approval,” I believe in the 1940s. It was always part of the advertising of products that were awarded it.
I suspect, however–actually I know, since my wife consults for GH to this day–that their standards were and are infinitely higher than Motor Trend’s.
I mean “proceed us.”
Actually, I’m pretty sure you mean, “precede us.”
“Consumer Reports loves boring cars and gives almost no value to any pleasurable aspects of driving”
Just because a statement is repeated often doesn’t make it true. For many years the Passat was CR’s top rated mid-sized sedan in part because of it’s then best in class driving dynamics.
Consider CR’s “Quick Picks” for a few categories:
“Affordable V8 muscle: Ford Mustang GT”
“High-performance cars: Porsche 911, Audi S4”
“Affordable sporty cars: Mazdaspeed3, Mazda RX-8, Honda Civic Si, Mini Cooper S”
Now look at what they say when comparing two of their top compacts: “The Civic has better fuel economy and crash-test results. The Mazda3 has more agile handling and is more fun to drive.”
Now tell me again why you think Consumer Reports only likes “boring cars”.
For better or worse, print is a dying medium
canfood,
It is almost 1:30 in the morning and I just read your input. I laughed so loud that my dog came into the computer room and looked at me like WTF?
Motortrend has devolved into pure dreck. Unreadable magazine. There are only two English language printed car magazines where every issue is worth a full read: Sports Car International, and Top Gear Magazine.