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June 5, 2003updated 17 May 2007 11:30am

Diesel Car courts younger readers with ‘pretty girls’

By Press Gazette

Diesel Car magazine has spiced up its image and introduced scantily clad models in a bid to boost its readership.

The title has already increased its sales, despite having three different editors in the space of three issues.

The relaunch was conducted by Predator Publishing on behalf of its holding company, Goodfellas. The cover price has increased from £3.25 to £3.50 and it is now printed on heavier, glossier paper.

Dave Perry, managing director of Predator, said Diesel Car had been allowed to “stagnate” and was not competitive enough. “It was a very stuffy magazine before,” he said. “The way we see it, diesel motoring is no longer middle of the road; it is quite sexy. We have made it more reflective of the younger, aggressive market. I have yet to meet a man who isn’t interested in looking at pretty girls.”

Perry said the relaunch was inspired by the bigger, more mainstream car magazines. Titles such as Max Power and Fast Car have also boosted sales by taking a laddish stance. Perry claimed the new look had already shown positive results for Diesel Car. “The figures from the first relaunch issue justify the decision. We have had the best first week of sales in over two years and doubled revenue of any previous issue in the past year,” he said.

Diesel Car is hoping to announce a new editor next week. The magazine’s former editor, Ivor Carrol, left before the relaunch. He was replaced by his deputy editor Barnaby Jones, who quit last month to join another magazine.

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