OVERVIEW:
Summarizing the history of Automobile magazine and its founder David E. Davis Jr. is a bit like being the last speaker to eulogize someone who has died. If you're the second cousin of the dead and follow nine eloquent speakers who were intimate friends, it's hard to find unused superlatives and unique perspectives.

The magazine is, at its core, about sensates who love cars and experiences with them. It celebrates the automotive good life with adventurous travel, road tests with an ever expanding network of car lovers, friends and automotive insiders, and all topped off with great writing, editing and production. From its start in 1986, it was intended to be a literate and entertaining special-interest magazine.

With money from Rupert Murdoch, they went head-to-head against the "big 3" magazines with a similar content focus - Road & Track, Car and Driver and Motor Trend. But it one-upped the others with its unique style, love of design, higher quality writing, full-color photography and thicker paper stock.

Mr. Davis was at the helm from the magazine's inception until January, 2000 when he turned over the reins to his protege Jean Jennings. During Davis' reign, Murdoch recovered his investment when he sold the title to K-III Inc (later named Primedia) in 1991. Later owners included Source Interlink Media (2007 - 2014), TEN: The Enthusiast Network (2014 - 2017) and the Motor Trend Group (2017 - 2020).

The table of contents, if available, can be seen by clicking on the icon.

PUBLICATION DATA:
The publisher provided circulation data to Gale Research starting in 1987 and continuing forward. The average monthly net paid circulation grew from 41,666 in 1987 to 102,500 by 1998. The magazine was in the top 10 titles based on print volume within a year of starting, and at the five year mark was in the top 5.

CONTENT COMPLETENESS:
Over 400 issues were printed from April, 1986 through February, 2020 when print ended. However, we only include complete cover images through 2000 at this time.

INTERNET:
An internet presence was created and links added to the front covers starting in 1998. www.automobilemag.com

Automobile Apr April 1986
Apr '86 Vol 1 No 1
Automobile May 1986
May '86 Vol 1 No 2
Automobile June 1986
June '86 Vol 1 No 3
Automobile July 1986
July '86 Vol 1 No 4
Automobile Aug August 1986
Aug '86 Vol 1 No 5
Automobile Sept September 1986
Sept '86 Vol 1 No 6
Automobile Oct October 1986
Oct '86 Vol 1 No 7
Automobile Nov November 1986
Nov '86 Vol 1 No 8
Automobile Dec December 1986
Dec '86 Vol 1 No 9
Automobile Jan January 1987
Jan '87 Vol 1 No 10
Automobile Feb February 1987
Feb '87 Vol 1 No 11
Automobile Mar March 1987
Mar '87 Vol 1 No 12
Automobile Apr April 1987
Apr '87 Vol 2 No 1
Automobile May 1987
May '87 Vol 2 No 2
Automobile June 1987
June '87 Vol 2 No 3
Automobile July 1987
July '87 Vol 2 No 4
Automobile Aug August 1987
Aug '87 Vol 2 No 5
Automobile Sept September 1987
Sept '87 Vol 2 No 6
Automobile Oct October 1987
Oct '87 Vol 2 No 7
Automobile Nov November 1987
Nov '87 Vol 2 No 8
Automobile Dec December 1987
Dec '87 Vol 2 No 9
Automobile Jan January 1988
Jan '88 Vol 2 No 10
Automobile Feb February 1988
Feb '88 Vol 2 No 11
Automobile Mar March 1988
Mar '88 Vol 2 No 12
Automobile Apr April 1988
Apr '88 Vol 3 No 1
Automobile May 1988
May '88 Vol 3 No 2
Automobile June 1988
June '88 Vol 3 No 3
Automobile July 1988
July '88 Vol 3 No 4
Automobile Aug August 1988
Aug '88 Vol 3 No 5
Automobile Sept September 1988
Sept '88 Vol 3 No 6
Automobile Oct October 1988
Oct '88 Vol 3 No 7
Automobile Nov November 1988
Nov '88 Vol 3 No 8
Automobile Dec December 1988
Dec '88 Vol 3 No 9
Automobile Jan January 1989
Jan '89 Vol 3 No 10
Automobile Feb February 1989
Feb '89 Vol 3 No 11
Automobile Mar March 1989
Mar '89 Vol 3 No 12
Automobile Apr April 1989
Apr '89 Vol 4 No 1
Automobile May 1989
May '89 Vol 4 No 2
Automobile June 1989
June '89 Vol 4 No 3
Automobile July 1989
July '89 Vol 4 No 4
Automobile Aug August 1989
Aug '89 Vol 4 No 5
Automobile Sept September 1989
Sept '89 Vol 4 No 6
Automobile Oct October 1989
Oct '89 Vol 4 No 7
Automobile Nov November 1989
Nov '89 Vol 4 No 8
Automobile Dec December 1989
Dec '89 Vol 4 No 9
Automobile Jan January 1990
Jan '90 Vol 4 No 10
Automobile Feb February 1990
Feb '90 Vol 4 No 11
Automobile Mar March 1990
Mar '90 Vol 4 No 12
Automobile Apr April 1990
Apr '90 Vol 5 No 1
Automobile May 1990
May '90 Vol 5 No 2
Automobile June 1990
June '90 Vol 5 No 3
Automobile July 1990
July '90 Vol 5 No 4
Automobile Aug August 1990
Aug '90 Vol 5 No 5
Automobile Sept September 1990
Sept '90 Vol 5 No 6
Automobile Oct October 1990
Oct '90 Vol 5 No 7
Automobile Nov November 1990
Nov '90 Vol 5 No 8
Automobile Dec December 1990
Dec '90 Vol 5 No 9
Automobile Jan January 1991
Jan '91 Vol 5 No 10
Automobile Feb February 1991
Feb '91 Vol 5 No 11
Automobile Mar March 1991
Mar '91 Vol 5 No 12
Automobile Apr April 1991
Apr '91 Vol 6 No 1
Automobile May 1991
May '91 Vol 6 No 2
Automobile June 1991
June '91 Vol 6 No 3
Automobile July 1991
July '91 Vol 6 No 4
Automobile Aug August 1991
Aug '91 Vol 6 No 5
Automobile Sept September 1991
Sept '91 Vol 6 No 6
Automobile Oct October 1991
Oct '91 Vol 6 No 7
Automobile Nov November 1991
Nov '91 Vol 6 No 8
Automobile Dec December 1991
Dec '91 Vol 6 No 9
Automobile Jan January 1992
Jan '92 Vol 6 No 10
Automobile Feb February 1992
Feb '92 Vol 6 No 11
Automobile Mar March 1992
Mar '92 Vol 6 No 12
Automobile Apr April 1992
Apr '92 Vol 7 No 1
Automobile May 1992
May '92 Vol 7 No 2
Automobile June 1992
June '92 Vol 7 No 3
Automobile July 1992
July '92 Vol 7 No 4
Automobile Aug August 1992
Aug '92 Vol 7 No 5
Automobile Sept September 1992
Sept '92 Vol 7 No 6
Automobile Oct October 1992
Oct '92 Vol 7 No 7
Automobile Nov November 1992
Nov '92 Vol 7 No 8
Automobile Dec December 1992
Dec '92 Vol 7 No 9
1993 to 1995