Hemmings Sports and Exotics has missed the mark

Before you read the post; quick, what's the first car that pops into your head when you read "80's turbo charged car". Start your post with that.

I like Hemmings Sports and Exotic magazine, despite the fact that a few of the writers seem to get paid a bonus for each obscure big word they use.
Anyway, I was reading an article on 80's turbo cars in the latest issue. Now, they weren't ranking the cars, but the writer of the article polled the office staff, and then wrote a few paragraphs on each car that was mentioned. Now, I think when you say "80's turbo car", most people will have one of a few cars pop to mind. For me, GLH and Grand Nat pop to mind. But, this office of people working on a car magazine seem to be off the mark. Yes, they had some cool stuff, but nowhere was a turbo dodge to be found. Really, in the U.S. a Peugot is mentioned before a turbo Dodge? THEY TURBOCHARGED EVERYTHING THEY HAD for goodness sake and they don't even get a mention? Really? If nothing else, the Shelby tie-in warrants a mention. Since the 4th word in the title of the magazine is exotic, how was there no mention of the 959 or F40? I can't think of a more influential car than the 959 from the 80's and it's not even mentioned? Not even the skyline?

I'm waiting for the article about fun to drive, 2 seat cars where the Ford EXP is mentioned and the Miata is absent.

Not complaining or whining, just saying.

Supra, but it would be a stretch to call me informed about '80s era cars or turbo cars, let alone the combination.

I was a charter subscriber of HS&EC, but dropped it last year. Felt like they were running out of ideas, and instead of covering the more attainable older sports cars, they were tracking down the one-of-28-ever-made's. Meh. Not enough "how to" for my liking either.

Hurray for GRM.

Supra, Starion, RX7, Celica, Turbo Dodge, MX6/626 in that order is what popped in my head.

It's not a bad magazine, but more interested in car-as-object than car-as-machine for my tastes. I had to laugh when they were restoring an MGB GT and were carefully measuring the location of all underhood placards so they could be replaced in the absolutely correct location. Great if you're restoring a car built by robots. For a 1970's BL product, you should just be glad they're not upside down!

Of course, all "list" articles exist to "engage readers" - ie, stir the pot of controversy. Mission accomplished.

Mustang, RX7, 944, 300ZX, GNX.

So, some other magazine made you mad and you're complaining here?

Keith Tanner wrote: It's not a bad magazine.....

I usually sign up for a year when they toss me a $10 or less/year. Then it runs out and I hold off for a deal. It is a once read through and recycle.

I am sure the magazine people hate my type of crowd.

I know that early on in the Muscle Machines magazine, they had some features on various Turbo Dodge cars. That's how I learned about the 1987 Shelby CSX.

I'm surprised they left the Turbo Dodge stuff off their list. They were pioneers in the turbo sport compact scene, and some of the first cars that made affordable, serious power with turbo 4-cylinder cars.

I was suprised with the picks too. Fiat? No GLH Turbo or GN?
That said the mag is still my favorite. Gets red before GRM every time.

In reply to DrBoost:

The magazine's focus has always been on imported cars, hence why the US cars weren't really mentioned. Hemmings publishes a few other magazines to cover US makes, you know.

Starion.

Just because a friend's mom bought one new and it was the most amazing futuristic fast thing ever. She went from an Iroc Z to a Starion. Yes she had a mullet.

944 Turbo

It's an OK magazine, but written for a different type of reader i think. It's more of the show and touring crowd rather than the racer crowd. Also, their geographic location I think gives it a different mix of cars. For instance, the 205 was never a good seller in most parts of the south, but in the northeast, that was probably a different story with seemingly more dealers located in that part of the country. Besides, northeast people are strange.

Seriously, the turbo Dodges never entered my mind. And I even sat there and thought about what others were missing. But list stories like that are not my favorite and are just a list guys in a room come up with. In the long run, they mean nothing but a favorites list, you either agree with it or you don't. Like Keith said, I think they are designed to make you think. Every car cannot be on them.

One item I do like in the magazine is the driveable dream segment.

stuart in mn wrote: So, some other magazine made you mad and you're complaining here?

I'm not mad, just surprised. And I'm complaining here because the only thing wrong with GRM is that it's soo good that (I think) my mailman is reading it first, then getting it to me. You guys have all read the magazine and are on the second page of a thread about an article that I haven't even seen yet.

Supra, Grand National and 300ZX were my first thoughts. Forza Turbo and Dodge GLH were up there too.

A Grand National was my second thought and I'm not an American, it's not my kind of car and I don't think I've ever seen one IRL.

HS&E doesn't seem to include that many American cars, more Japanese than American cars make it into the mag but the main focus seems to be European. It seems that if it isn't European it isn't in the magazine. Maybe they think that what they don't cover is included in another Hemmings Mag which isn't really true. I have 3 magazine subscriptions, GRM, CM and HS&E. Each focuses on different aspects. And I like each one for their different aspects.

DrBoost wrote: THEY TURBOCHARGED EVERYTHING THEY HAD

I know you were specifically calling out Dodges on this, but this was true of EVERY manufacturer... I would have just said that, put a list of pics 100 cars long, and called it a day.

Merkur XR4Ti

Yeah, I did Hemmings trial subscription and canceled it promptly due to lack luster things such as that.

So you're thinking that a mid 80's Dodge was an Exotic?

When I hear "80's Turbos", Dodges are among those that pop into my head.

Note that the sub-heading on the cover is: "15 To Buy Now!". Dodges aren't even close to making that list.

carguy123 wrote: So you're thinking that a mid 80's Dodge was an Exotic?

If they can call the 280ZX and XR4TI an exotic, then I can call a car messaged, and named, by the great Carrol Shelby himself an exotic. At least the GLHS was a limited run.

Flight Service wrote: Merkur XR4Ti Yeah, I did Hemmings trial subscription and canceled it promptly due to lack luster things such as that.

The Merkur is one of the 15 cars they chose.

I really like Sports & Exotic Car. It amazes me how they manage to find obscure 1 of 1 cars all the time to write about. I don't care that I'll never own one or probably even never see one. If they hadn't done an article about it, I might not have known about it at all.

The big difference between them and the GRM/CMS group is they don't have magazine project cars and they aren't allowed to accept any sort of free or discounted parts for their personal cars. So while the editors have a ton of cars (mostly LBC's), progress on them tends to be slow as they're financing the work with their own money when they can... just like us.

Well they did mention the Colt turbo so they sort of mentioned turbo dodges....just not the one you were thinking of.

Ian F wrote: The big difference between them and the GRM/CMS group is they don't have magazine project cars and they aren't allowed to accept any sort of free or discounted parts for their personal cars.

Well, that plus the "1 of 1" aspect is more important to them than how the car drives.

Honestly, probably Turbo Dodges.

Then 951.

Then Ur Quattro.