A magazine is about to launch which hopes to close the gap in the classic car market between grandads and “boy racers”.
Retro Cars is gearing up to launch on news-stands later next week, where it plans to fill the void between the younger titles, with bikini-clad models on the cover, and the “pensioner image” of the remainder of the titles.
The monthly, owned by A&S Publishing, is aimed at 25- to 44-year-old readers, including men who used to own classic cars when they were younger, but sold them when they had kids and are now interested in buying them again.
Editor Simon Woolley said it would remind readers of their youth. It will cover cars from the Sixties through to the Eighties, featuring British classics such as the Triumph Dolomite or the sporty MG to quirky cult cars such as the original Beetle, Ford Escort or Capri.
Woolley said the launch was inspired by the success of Classic Ford, a title also published by A&S and one which he edited up until January. He joined A&S as a sub-editor on Mini Magazine and took over as editor of Classic Ford in 1998.
“Classic Ford has grown hugely over the past five years. It has basically grown its own market so that is where the idea of Retro Cars came from,” he said.
Retro Cars has been produced by a small team including art editor Sarah Heppenstall from Total Vauxhall magazine. Woolley said the team would be expanded once the magazine was up and running.
The first issue is due to launch nationwide on 12 June with a print run of 80,000 and £3.50 cover price.
A&S said it was predicting big sales from the first issue. Woolley said he would be content with at least 40,000 copies.
The launch will be promoted in sister titles and through mailings to car clubs across the UK.
It is the ninth magazine launch from A&S, which was founded in 1985, with just one magazine and two members of staff. A&S now has 60 staff and publishes a number of titles including Classic Ford, Mini Magazine, Trucking, Total BMW, Total Car Audio and Fast Ford.
By Ruth Addicott
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