Autoweek

Autoweek
source
Name	Autoweek
Type	Magazine
Format	Print; Online
Founded	1958
Founder	Gregor F. Winther; Sean Holman
Country	United States
Headquarters	Portland, Oregon
Language	English

Autoweek is an American automotive magazine and digital publication covering motor racing, automotive industry, collector cars, and motorsport culture. Launched in 1958 as a weekly newspaper-style outlet, it evolved into a multimedia brand producing print issues, web articles, video features, and event coverage for readers interested in Formula One, NASCAR, IndyCar, Le Mans 24 Hours, and classic car restoration. The outlet has reported on vehicle debuts from manufacturers such as Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Toyota, Ferrari, and Porsche, while profiling personalities including Enzo Ferrari, Carroll Shelby, Ayrton Senna, Dale Earnhardt, and Dan Gurney.

History

Founded in 1958 by automotive enthusiasts associated with Hemmings Motor News-era publishing, the publication began as a weekly newsletter targeting sports car aficionados, hot rodding communities, and collector car readers. During the 1960s and 1970s it covered Le Mans 24 Hours, Monte Carlo Rally, and the rise of Can-Am and Trans-Am Series, documenting figures like Jim Clark, Mario Andretti, Peter Revson, and Mark Donohue. In the 1980s and 1990s the outlet expanded coverage to include factory-backed programs from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, and Toyota Gazoo Racing, reporting on events such as the World Rally Championship and endurance racing transformations influenced by Group C. The 2000s brought a transition to digital publishing amid consolidation trends involving companies like Crain Communications and Ten: The Enthusiast Network, with editorial shifts reflecting developments around hybrid powertrains, turbocharged engines, and the global reshaping of Volkswagen Group.

Ownership and Corporate Structure

Over its existence the brand experienced multiple ownership changes, passing through publishers involved with Source Interlink and later TEN: The Enthusiast Network, entities linked to titles including Motor Trend and Road & Track. Corporate transactions connected it to conglomerates such as Penske Media Corporation-adjacent holdings and private equity firms participating in media consolidation in the 2010s. Licensing and syndication agreements placed content alongside automotive properties like Car and Driver, Autocar, Top Gear-adjacent enterprises, and specialist titles such as Classic & Sports Car, while partnerships tied it to racing organizations including IMSA and FIA for event reporting. Editorial leadership included editors with backgrounds at Sports Illustrated-adjacent sports journalism and specialist motorsport outlets linked to Autosport and Racer.

Editorial Focus and Content

The publication's editorial mix spans new-car testing—evaluating models from Chevrolet Corvette ZR1-era successors to Porsche 911 iterations—alongside long-form features on restoration projects, technical deep dives into Brembo braking systems and Bosch fuel injection histories, and profiles of figures such as Jochen Rindt, Niki Lauda, Sebastian Vettel, and Lewis Hamilton. Coverage emphasizes race reports from Formula One World Championship rounds, NASCAR Cup Series weekends, IndyCar Series street circuits, and endurance classics like Spa-Francorchamps and Daytona 24 Hours. Opinion columns and buyer’s guides draw on comparisons with testing methods used by Consumer Reports-adjacent labs and engineering analyses referencing suppliers such as Magneti Marelli and ZF Friedrichshafen AG. The brand has also produced multimedia interviews with designers from Pininfarina, Italdesign Giugiaro, and executives from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles-era leadership.

Print and Digital Editions

Originally distributed as a weekly print newspaper, the title produced issue features, classifieds, and race calendars heavily used by collectors and racing teams. Print circulation fluctuations reflected broader print industry pressures experienced by titles like Road & Track and AutoWeek-peer publications; the company adapted with digital-first strategies including multimedia embedded in web features, video channels mirroring practices at YouTube automotive creators, and newsletters paralleling subscription models used by The New York Times and The Washington Post. Digital editions aggregated race results, photo galleries from circuits such as Monaco and Silverstone, and archives documenting historic events like the 1966 Le Mans disaster and the 1970s oil crisis impacts on automotive manufacturing.

Events and Special Projects

The organization has sponsored and partnered on events ranging from concours d'elegance appearances alongside Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance-style gatherings to track days and restoration workshops in collaboration with restoration specialists and aftermarket suppliers like Mecum Auctions and Hagerty. Special projects have included multi-part series chronicling ground-up restorations of vehicles tied to collectors such as Bruce Meyer and reporting projects on heritage programs run by manufacturers including Ferrari Classiche and Porsche Classic. The brand’s editorial teams have collaborated with racing sanctioning bodies such as SCCA and media partners at ESPN for feature segments and historical retrospectives.

Influence and Reception

Acknowledged within enthusiast circles and industry corridors, the publication influenced collector valuations cited at auctions held by Barrett-Jackson and RM Sotheby's and informed enthusiast communities comparable to Hemmings Motor News readership. Automotive historians and journalists from outlets like Autocar and Motor Trend have cited its archives when researching figures such as Sir Stirling Moss and events like the 1955 Le Mans disaster. Critics have noted shifts in tone and focus correlating with ownership changes similar to those affecting Car and Driver and Road & Track, while fans credit it for long-form storytelling and raceweekend coverage that connected readers to circuits and personalities including Graham Hill, Kimi Räikkönen, and Tony Stewart.

Category:Automobile magazines