Going out in a blaze of glory...

Sad day. Last car review you'll ever read in the New York Times. Sharing this for John Pearley Huffman, the writer, if for nothing else than giving a multitude of clicks "berk you" to the bean counters who axed their section.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/21/automobiles/the-pony-express-blazes-another-trail.html?_r=0

Its nice that the last is something as iconic as the mustang instead of the next facelifted Camry/civic/subaru

Thanks. And thanks for sharing.

The NY Times axing that section...berkeleying idiots.

Lesley wrote: Sad day. Last car review you'll ever read in the New York Times. Sharing this for John Pearley Huffman, the writer, if for nothing else than giving a multitude of clicks "berk you" to the HIGHLY compensated NYT executives who axed their section.

FTFY

yes and no.. the generations younger than us have no interest in driving. The day of the transporation "pod" is soon to be upon us. As thus, I am not surprised that they axed that section of the NYT

So are they axing the entire car page or just the new car reviews? That page is the only reason I pick up the Sports section.

That was well written, shame they are cancelling the section. Thanks for sharing.

mad_machine wrote: yes and no.. the generations younger than us have no interest in driving. The day of the transporation "pod" is soon to be upon us. As thus, I am not surprised that they axed that section of the NYT

that's really a huge broom you're sweeping with … in rural America the car is still somewhat important to the teenagers … they don't have any public transportation worth speaking of … in many cases the income levels don't allow for the parents to be their chauffeurs … they may not be as much car enthusiasts as prior generations … but they still have to get around …

lots still "fix" their own, lots of areas are depressed, income wise, to the point that not everyone can have a shop take care of the routine "stuff" …

urban areas … higher income suburbs … shrug … yeah, maybe the kids aren't all that much interested in driving (I've a brother that's lived for in Manhattan since '86 … moved to Jersey City a couple of yrs ago) he has a DL, but hasn't owned a car since he left home in '81

That is sad. It certainly makes it harder to find such well-written reviews and less likely I'll ever read anything from the NYT. Thanks for sharing.

mad_machine wrote: yes and no.. the generations younger than us have no interest in driving. The day of the transporation "pod" is soon to be upon us. As thus, I am not surprised that they axed that section of the NYT

This is not the case based upon the evidence I see. I teach at a private college in one of the most densely populated suburban counties in the country, and surveying the parking lot semester after semester I see quite a few cars that are clearly driven by enthusiasts. Invariably, there are a few modified muscle cars, more "import tuner" types, and a couple of hopped-up trucks. Note that the vast majority of our students are not affluent, suggesting that those who are driving these cars are doing so on their own dime, and that their cars are a high priority to them.

More than a few students have spoken of working on their own cars. On the occasion that I have mentioned my own involvement with motorsports, the reactions have been more enthusiastic than expected.

Now, there is a severe problem of abject lack of good taste (automotive and otherwise), but there is still a segment of the younger generation that is interested and enthusiastic about cars and driving.

I don't thinks its a lack of car enthusiasts as much as a lack of people who both read the New York times, and read car reviews.

I imagine most people picking up a nyt aren't doing so to read car reviews they are looking for financial news and such. People looking for car reviews head to MT R&T or the internet.

I don't imagine JPH will be without an outlet for long, so there's that.

The New York Times is having money problems. I was just reading they have to get rid of somewhere around 100 people from their news room so I imagine there are several sections getting the ax.

Let's be honest, the Automobiles section is merely a way to group all the luxury brand lease offerings in the Tri state area. I grew up on these reviews (my folks subscribe to the times, not car mags), and I still love reading them. But the non-ad content has gotten smaller and smaller, and the non-review articles have practically evaporated. (The chump article in this edition is stunningly anomalous)

I'm sad to see the reviews go, but it might just be time to put the patient out of its misery...

Meanwhile, the WSJ has expanded their coverage, with a once-weekly collector car feature in addition to Dan Neil's weekend reviews.