Sports Car Illustrated ceasing publication after the Nov. '08 issue

[Lil bastard]

Sadly, Sports Car Illustrated will be ceasing publication with the Nov. '08 issue now on the shelves as it's last.

I was a charter subscriber since they first published in 1985 and always liked both the feel and the content of this magazine better than most other car mags. In fact, SCI and Hemmings Sports and Exotic Car were the only two car mag. subscriptions I maintained, having let all the others lapse for lack of interest.

Unlike R&T, C&D and others, this mag seemed somwhat less biased in favor of it's advertisers, often calling a piece of junk, just that - junk. They also explored many more often overlooked marques and models than some of the others.

The mag was printed on good quality stock rather than the more economical paper seemingly used by many magazines of all types - think Time, People, etc. And their color plates were far better than those of other car mags as well.

The information age and internet access certainly played a part, as did their reluctance to play the 'advertiser game', which became a very slippery slope for some of the more 'greedy' publications, often playing a significant role in the content and 'truths' published.

It's a shame, because while the information will remain available, there's just something about a book over a flat-panel display, aside from the obvious freedom from the ever-mighty electron. Having a 23 yr. collection at hand allowed you to gain more information about more cars than a specific search engine request ever would. You could take them to the 'Throne Room', not such a habit with a laptop and certainly not a desktop. There was also something nice about getting a 'surprise' every month in your mailbox without having to do a thing except once a year send in your renewal.

I'm sure I'm not alone when I say a significant part of my interest in cars was sparked by seeing and reading car mags of all types when I was younger, often by accident - something the search driven internet isn't as good at.

All print media is dying and soon most, if not all, of the other car mags will follow suit. That's the reality of it... but it doesn't necessarily make it 'better'.