With Labor Day 2016 in our rear view mirrors and summer slipping into fall, ’tis the season for transitions. While the end of long, lazy days and the threat of colder weather can be downers, for car enthusiasts like us, one fall changeover that’s always enjoyable is the arrival of the new model year cars. The October issues of buff books are just now showcasing the 2017s, so the ritual is still alive and kicking, albeit less dramatic, since new model year products now hit the market whenever they are ready, rather than being held until the “official” fall new model year introduction season. But that wasn’t always the case: for decades the new model year changeover was filled with excitement and energy. So let’s take a look back at some of those buff book announcement issues of yesteryear! Over the next five weeks, I’ll be posting examples of “Gala New Car Issues” for model years ending with “7.”
In the 1950s, excitement around the arrival of new automotive model years was tremendous. Annual makeovers were comprehensive, and many Americans were delighted to track the changes. Motor Trend naturally offered plenty of coverage and sneak peeks at coming 1957 models as fall 1956 got underway, but they saved their most comprehensive new car issue until the January 1957 cover date. That issue, which came out in early December 1956, was timed to coincide with the 42nd Annual National Motor Show, which opened in the New York Coliseum on December 8, 1956.
For the 1967 model year, Motor Trend showcased the new products by category in the November 1966 issue. Offerings from every U.S. maker were showcased for Compacts, Intermediates, Full Size and Luxury and the booming new Specialty category that included Personal Luxury cars and Pony cars. Advertising was also abundant, making this the thickest Motor Trend of the year.
1977 was a monumental year, as “downsizing” firmly took hold. Longer, lower and wider was out; trimmer, more efficient designs were in. Sharp-eyed readers will note that the October issue of Motor Trend featured all the new cars from GM, Chrysler and AMC–but not Ford. However, fear not, Blue-Oval fans, as FoMoCo offerings were highlighted in Motor Trend’s September issue (I’ll post those pages too). Perhaps Dearborn made a deal with Petersen Publishing to get the advance treatment in order to avoid going head-to-head with the dramatic new GM Full Size cars.
In the 1980s, my absolute favorite of all the October new car launch issues was Car and Driver. Their annual “Charting The Changes” article gave a concise–and often witty–overview of the latest from Detroit. C&D also served up “Short Take” drive reports on key new products, and engineering advances (or lack thereof) were also fully covered.
Automobile Magazine hit its stride the 1990s, as David E. Davis and his crew polished their writing style and offered plenty of intelligent and tongue-in-cheek commentary. SUVs were now featured along with cars, as each manufacturers offerings were dissected, along with some very pointed commentary on the health and focus of the parent companies.
Whew! This will be a lot of content–5 weeks worth–but hopefully all will enjoy tracking the changes over the decades. So put on your seatbelt and get ready to go back to 1957, starting tomorrow. Each day will have a post (or two) will lots of new car information from that year. And we’ll wrap up each week with a QOTD: What New 19×7 Car Would You Have Bought? So as you read through the articles, be sure to pick your favorite and tell us about it on Friday.
I used to read EVERY issue of Car&Driver, and even subscribed several times, “scanned” issues of Motor Trend and Road and Track, and used to save every car magazine I bought. Nowadays, I usually buy the C&D and maybe the Automobile Buyer’s Guide and/or the new car issues, and random issues during the year.
For me, the more appealing issues of these types of magazines are the issues we are now seeing with the cover story ” XX new cars you need to wait for”….or something similar.
BTW, the latest 2 new car issues of Car&Driver have been VERY difficult to read because the text is so heavily “sliced and diced”.
“BTW, the latest 2 new car issues of Car&Driver have been VERY difficult to read because the text is so heavily “sliced and diced”.”
I find that with a lot of new magazines. Hard to tell the stories from the ads and all sorts of font colors on different backgrounds. One reason I don’t bother buying many magazines anymore. The other reason being, of course, that most stories can be found online.
Had that Automobile issue!
This will be interesting, just thinking about it there’s some significant 19×7 a cars that immediately pop in mind.
I used to love the new car issues in the 1970’s and 1980’s. I’m tad bit too young to remember the new car issues from the 1960’s (I was born in the 1960’s), and by the mid-late 90’s I kind of lost the mystique of the new car editions. Actually owning cars back then with young children and a mortgage, etc., etc., new cars were only a dream.
I too, was a great fan of the David E. Davis Car & Driver years, and also a fan of the old school Road & Track years (up until the late 1980’s). I tried real hard to like Automobile magazine when it arrived and even with Jean Lindamood on the masthead, it never really happened for me.
Oddly, one of my favorite newsstand rags back in the 00’s was AMI Auto World Weekly magazine. It was a newsprint style mag similar to the National Enquirer (but only in size and paper stock) and sold in the supermarket check out lanes. It actually was a bi-weekly, but I believe it started as a weekly. The editor in chief on the masthead was William Jeanes a former Car & Driver chief editor. IIRC, it was cheap, $1.50 or so, and actually had some decent editorials and consumer information. Before it folded (I want to say in 2001 or 2002) it started to rely on manufacturer supplied PR statements for more of the content. But I suspect that the writing was on the wall for that mag and they were probably doing what they needed to do to sell advertising and keep the mag on the store racks.
I’m looking forward to this series!
The problem is there are so few car manufacturers left. As a kid I loved reading about the new grill on Pontiacs, or a exclusive option on some Mercury. Yes they were all basically the same cars in each division of GM, Ford or Chrysler, but it seemed like there was so many variations to read about. Now its endless tests of 911s or the new 3 series sport packages.
I was always looking forward to reading news about the Mercury Marquis de Sade Edition in C&D.
Year after year they lamented no de Sade edition, I remember that. I used to really enjoy the new car issues-back before internet that was all we had for information. I’d love to read that October 86 Car and Driver, what a line up of stories. I don’t buy the buff books anymore(I do read the digital copies free from the library) but I don’t find them as entertaining to me, I really don’t excited reading road tests of today’s cars, they are all about the same in quality and performance now and I’m old enough to realize I’m never going to own a Lambo so the supercar stories don’t make me dream anymore.
Early 80’s my mom got me a subscription to Autoweek (when it was like a newspaper) and I thought this is great I’ll get the new car news faster, well I didn’t realise back then the automakers gave out information months in advance but told the buff books what month they could print the news.
For inside information, the trade magazine Automotive News was the thing to read. The only problem was a subscription was pricey (I’d read it at the library). To this day, it’s the go-to source for up-to-date industry info.
The Detroit Free Press was a good resource, as well.
I agree, and register for online Auto News/AutoWeek daily emails. AN will allow some amount free stories, AW’s are free.
Before internet, would do a weekly trek to library to read AN, and make copies of stories to share. They were first to confirm the Dec. ’93 sale date of the ’94 SN 95 Mustangs*, for example and I spread the news with buddies.
*Buff books kept saying spring ’94 as a 1995 model.
I always loved that too! First thing I looked for year after year, and it made me laugh every time.
Some of the wittier writing was in the response to letters section (although I’m certain some were made up by the staff). One of my favorites was (supposedly) from a guy in Champaign, IL who had proposed some sort of wager.
Their reply: “We bet no hick from Champaign”.
I keep joking that I should get a personalized ‘De Sade’ plate for my ’91 GM.
The more you wanted news about the de Sade edition, the less likely you were to get it.
LOL!!!
Neat idea. With 7’s you could take it all the way back to 1897. Wouldn’t work for some other digits. Books.google.com has trade journals from those early decades, and they include lots of reviews and test drives. Not up to Uncle Tom’s standard, but often lively.
The 7’s are a great choice. I’m not sure whether that was planned or just serendipitous, but in each of the covered decades the “7” models seem to represent the culmination of the then-current decade’s design and technology while hinting at the next decade’s trends. This should be a fun ride. Looking forward to this series.
Speaking of sevens…
I bought this magazine because the 1957 Desoto Fireflite convertible is my all-time favorite symbol of American automotive exuberance and impatience.
1957 was also the year that emphasized gold and white paint schemes for top of the line models, e.g., the Desoto Adventurer, the Studebaker Golden Hawk, the Packard Clipper, the AMC Rebel (more of a silver and gold), the Plymouth Fury, and the Mercury Montclair. And probably a few more that I missed.
You could get the the 1957 Golden Hawk in gold and white (above), or in white and gold (below).
And, while the yellow (single headlight) 1957 Desoto Fireflite on the cover of the magazine might be a bit gaudy for some, most agreed that the ultra-Desoto 1957 Adventurer was just about right (IMHO) in white and gold.
Well, at least then, if not now.
I guess you just had to be there.
In 2010 Sothebys sold a gold and white 1957 Adventurer convertible for $341,000.
In 2012 Barrett-Jackson sold one for $225,500.
Pikers.
If prices keep dropping, I may be able to get one when I’m, let’s see now, 109 years old.
Anniversaries
60: ’57 Chevys, “Forward Look” Mopars
50: First Camaro/Firebird
40: GM’s B/C body downsizing gamble, Bandit Trans Am
30: Aero look Fox Mustang
20: Last 4 seat T-Bird
10: Ummm? 😉
Feel free to add any others you all think are memorable.
Family had a 2 door ’57 Olds 88 Super hardtop, a 4 door post version is on the cover of the ’57 M/T magazine. Bought used in 1968.
Also had a ’67 Monterrey 4 door, in light metallic green, one is on the ’67 M/T cover as well.
Bought used in 1971.
Looking forward to the reprints!
In the days before the internet, I remember eagerly waiting for the Car and Driver new-car issue. One section listed all of the models offered by each brand, along with a description of any changes. The best part was the section of well-written reviews of the all-new or heavily revised models.
Nice. Thanks for posting, GN! Would love to see the review of the H-body Bonneville in the Nov. 1986 C&D, if you’re so inclined.
I was a loyal C&D subscriber from the mid ’60’s until I discovered AutoWeek (newspaper format) in the late 1970’s. Occasionally, bought a copy of R&T and read MT rarely. Popular Science also had new car editions and I was a subscriber.
Enjoy C and D to this day..