Automobile Magazine is an excellent car mag alternative

I admit that I was a bit nervous about reading this magazine for the first time...it resembles a cheap, off-brand name car magazine. However, upon closer inspection, I was pleasantly surprised with the articles and the layout...

First of all, Automobile Magazine is the only magazine whose articles aren't written with inside jokes meant to stir up the feelings of the editors and other authors. I really don't care about this style of writing...and it is very common in other car mags such as Car and Driver and Road and Track. I want to read clearly written articles that go straight to the point.

Automobile Magazine seems to have a knack for writing about not just what the current trends are out on the car market, but for writing about what most people care about. For example, with all the BMW short films out on the internet, Automobile chose to do a review on all the BMW M cars. The Mitsubishi Lancer is about to come to the U.S., and they chose to write an article about that car, also. The magazine seems to lack articles about hard-core racing venues that only a true die-hard fan would care about - this is what I like about the magazine the most with regard to its content. If it does include something in this area, it is a very short article. I don't know how other people feel, but I only want to read about things that interest me.

On the other hand, the magazine seems to include articles about some of the more obscure cars and technical areas and anecdotes. I actually like reading about these things, and it makes the magazine all the more worthwile getting.

I think the actual layout of the magazine is what's making it such a success. It is very simple, yet it catches one's attention. Car and Driver's layout is just too boring and bland to me, Motor Trend is too glitzy and confusing, and lately Road and Track has been searching for a new identity with its new larger format and what not. Automobile Magazine keeps everything simple, easy to read, and in a nice, straightforward format.

As for the price, one can't go wrong. A year's subscription is only $9.98 if one orders it over the internet at their web site! That's something like 70% off the cover price. Amazing! If I had a subscription, I would check my mailbox for the magazine every day!