Practical Performance Car magazine ran this article in its January 2015 issue in which it says drivers of TVRs, Audis and Lotus Elises are, 'Tossers".
In order to survive amidst the torrent of free shite emanating from the internet car magazines can either concentrate on developing themselves a niche audience (niche of a niche in some cases) by hiring top-drawer journalists and publishing quality articles for a discerning set of readers (see Autocar for the perfect example) or they can join the ranks of OK and Take A Break by evolving into trash mags.
I'd never heard of Practical Performance Car before but by its name it sounds like the kind of magazine I'd pick up every now and again. Except now I won't, because of the above article.
Notwithstanding the fact that every Audi, TVR and Lotus Elise driver certainly isn't a tosser the article smacks of desperation and the need to generate talk (and sales) for the sake of it on the back of a nasty headline.
Yes, some of the cars listed are not well liked by most car enthusiasts - the X6 is almost universally despised by petrolheads - but the way the article encourages laddish name-calling and division amongst the car community seems daft.
It all feels a bit like the People's Front Of Judea.
Having scanned its website PPC seems to be a decent kind of mag, generally. In fact this article looks out of place amongst the others - about old Cadillacs, Mk2 Escorts and Morris Minors.
It's like Fiona Bruce on the Antiques Roadshow calling a Lowry painting brought in by some blue-rinsed old dear a, "...stupid northern sketch for wankers."
PPC can publish what it likes. Frankly I don't care, but calling all Audi and TVR owners tossers is to alienate a LOT of the car community. Methinks they've shot themselves in the foot. Judea People's Front indeed.
NB - the article was spotted and uploaded by our Facebook editor, James Wright. It provoked quite a lot of debate. Join in here:
By Matt Hubbard