Year Event Automotive Titles Involved
1955 Quinn Publishing sells titles to Petersen Publishing HopUp, Motor Life
1956 Motor Publications sells title to Ziff-Davis Sports Cars Illustrated
1961 Motor Publications sells title to Bond Publishing Car Life
1961 Hardie & Kelly sell titles to Lee Sparacio Custom Craft, Hop-Up, Speed Mechanics
1967 Pet Publications sells title to Lopez Publications Popular Imported Cars
1971 Ames Publishing sells title to Jack Pelzer Four Wheeler
1972 Brock Publishing Co sells title to Challenge Publications Rod Action
1972 Parkhurst Publishing sells title to Wright Publishing Dune Buggies & Hot VWs
1974 Eastern Publishing and Circle Publishing sell titles to Lopez Publications Super Stock & Drag Illustrated, Stock Car Racing
1974 Publisher Walter Zacharius sells title to Popular Publications and publisher Harry Egner Hi-Performance Cars
1978 Don Horn sells title to Amos Press Cars & Parts
1979 Martyn Schorr sells title to Stephen Schneider Vette Quarterly
1981 Frank Kodl sells title to Bernie Finkel Keepin' Track of Vettes
1982 MME Publishing sells title to Wright Publishing Mini-Truck
1982 Bond/Parkhurst, a CBS Division, sells title to Petersen Publishing Pickup Van & 4WD
1984 Ziff-Davis sells 12 titles to CBS for $362 million Car & Driver
1984 Krause Publications sells title to Dobbs Publishing Car Exchange
1985 Kit Car Quarterly Inc sells title to McMullen Publishing Kit Car Quarterly
1986 Four Wheeler Publishing sells title to General Media Automotive Group Four Wheeler
1987 John Paradise sells title to Dobbs Publishing Super Ford
1988 Sportscar Illustrated, Inc. sells title to Continental Web Press Sports Car Illustrated
1988 CBS sells multiple titles to Diamandis Communications Car & Driver
1988 Diamandis Communications sells multiple titles to Hachette Fillapacchi Media US. DETAILS Car & Driver, Road & Track
1989 K-III Inc. (later Primedia) formed by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) n/a
1989 Michael Lee Productions sells title to Dobbs Publishing Corvette Fever
1989 Sportscar Illustrated Inc sells to Continental Web Press Sports Car Illustrated
1990 Harris Publications sells title to Dobbs Publishing Corvette World
1990 General Media acquires three titles from Lopez Publications Stock Car Racing, Open Wheel, Super Stock & Drag Illustrated
1991 Rupert Murdoch (Murdoch Magazines) sells magazine to K-III Inc. Automobile
1991 Bernie Finkel sells title to Dobbs Publishing Keepin' Track of Vettes
1991 K-III Inc renamed to K-III Communications n/a
1992 Continental Web Press sells title to SCI Publishing Inc Sports Car International
1994 Tex Smith sells title to Stephen Schneider Hot Rod Mechanix
1994 Ken Yee of McMullen-Yee Publishing dies n/a
1995 Tom McMullen of McMullen-Yee Publishing dies n/a
1995 K-III Communications acquires McMullen-Yee Publishing. DETAILS 4-Wheel & Sport Utility, All Chevy, Chevy Truckin, Custom Rodder, Kit Car Illustrated, Mustang Illustrated, Mini-Truckin, Street Rodder, Truckin, Truckin Classic Trucks, VW Trends
1995 K-III Communications acquires Argus Publishers Corporation. McMullen Argus Publishing formed. European Car, Off-Road, Popular Hot Rodding, Super Chevy
1995 2D Studios sells title to Enthusiast Publications Ltd British Car
1996 Robert E. Petersen sells Petersen Publishing to former Hearst executive D. Claeys Bahrenburg for an estimated $550 million. DETAILS Multiple
1996 Ramblin’ House Publishing sells title to TAM Communications Rodder’s Digest
1997 Park Avenue Publishing sells title to McMullen Argus Publishing, a division of K-III Communications DETAILS Lowrider
1997 CSK Publishing sells multiple titles to McMullen Argus Publishing, a division of K-III Communications High Performance Mopar, High Performance Pontiac, Vette, Bracket Racing USA, Muscle Mustangs and Fast Fords
1997 K-III Communications changes name to Primedia Inc. DETAILS n/a
1997 Jim Prather sells title to Bill & Bonnie Wolf Vette Vues
1998 Dobbs Publishing sells eight titles to former Petersen Companies. DETAILS Super Ford, Mustang Monthly, Muscle Car Review, Mopar Muscle, Corvette Fever, Chevy Truck, Crusin’ USA, and, JP
1998 Petersen Companies sells multiple titles to EMAP PLC for $1.5 billion, becomes EMAP-Petersen. DETAILS multiple
1999 General Media sells four titles to EMAP-Petersen for an estimated $35 million. DETAILS Four Wheeler, Stock Car Racing, Drag Racing Monthly, and, Open Wheel
1999 IGC and publisher Kipp Kington sells titles to Primedia Import Tuner, Turbo & Hi-Tech Performance
1999 TAM Communications ends title Rodder’s Digest
1999 OLM Publishing sells title to Ristra Publishing Orlie's Lowriding
2001 EMAP-Petersen sells 60 titles for $515 million to Primedia. DETAILS Multiple titles including:Hot Rod, Motor Trend, Car Craft, 4-Wheel & Off-Road, Kit Car, Rod & Custom, Sport Truck, Chevy High Performance, Mustang & Fords, Custom Classic Trucks, Super Street, MaxSpeed, 5.0 Mustang & Super Fords, Hot Rod Deluxe
2002 Terry Ehrich sells his Hemmings brand to American City Business Journals DETAILS Hemmings Motor News, Rods & Performance, Special Interest Autos
2003 Paisano Publications sells title to Buckaroo Publishing American Rodder
2005 Aaron Laskey sells title to Koolhouse Publishing Car Kulture Deluxe
2005 Y-Visionary Publishing sells titles to Apprise Media's Action Pursuit Group DETAILS Street Trucks, Drag Racer, Import Racer
2006 Apprise Media's Action Pursuit Group acquires events and online media from Action Media DETAILS Hot Import Nights events, Nightshift events, and related websites
2007 VerticalScope sells websites and magazines to Primedia's Enthusiast Media Division. Modified Magazine, Modified Luxury & Exotics, Modified Mustangs, and numerous websites
2007 Primedia sells its Enthusiast Media Division to Source Interlink Media for $1.2 billion. 70 titles and 90 websites
2008 Source Interlink ends 3 titles based on earnings loss. DETAILS Stock Car Racing
2009 Source Interlink files for bankruptcy, Citigroup becomes 80% owner. DETAILS n/a
2010 Apprise Media sells titles to Beckett Media LLC Diesel World, Street Trucks, Drag Racer, Import Racer, Muscle Car Power
2011 Hearst Communciations purchases assets from Hachette Fillapacchi Media. DETAILS Car and Driver, Road & Track
2014 Source Interlink Media rebrands as The Enthusiast Network, ends multiple titles. DETAILS Rod & Custom, High Performance Pontiac, Popular Hot Rodding, Custom Classic Trucks, 4 Wheel Drive & Sport Utility, 5.0 Mustangs and Super Fords, Modified Mustangs & Fords, Mud Life, Camaro Performers, GM High-Tech Performance, Import Tuner, Honda Tuning
2016 Athlon Media purchases titles from Harris Publications which was going out of business. DETAILS 74 titles including Mopar Action, 0-60, Rides, and America’s Best Big Trucks
2018 The Enthusiast Network rebranded as the Motor Trend Group. n/a
2019 Koolhouse Publishing sells titles to Murphos Publishing Car Kulture Deluxe, Ol' Skool Rodz
Late 2019 to early 2020 Motor Trend Group, TEN Publishing division, shutters 19 magazines. 4-Wheel & Off-Road, Automobile, Car Craft, Chevy High Performance, Class Trucks, Diesel Power, Hot Rod Deluxe, JP, Lowrider, Mopar Muscle, Muscle Car Review, Muscle Mustangs & Fast Fords, Mustang Monthly, Street Rodder, Super Chevy, Super Street, Truck Trend, Truckin' and Vette
2021 Lares Corporation purchases content rights Skinned Knuckles
2023 Murphos Publishing ends titles Car Kulture Deluxe, Ol Skool Rodz
2023 Motor Trend Group end title after 60 years and 710 issues Four Wheeler