For those of you that like your gearhead information in an old school format, might we suggest Retromotive. It’s a stylishly produced car enthusiast magazine out of Australia that is making its U.S. debut, and boy, does it pack a wallop. On many levels.
More Than a Novelty
Yeah, I know, a magazine. In 2021, saying you’re rolling out a new magazine is akin to saying you’re going to make a steam train. Except it’s not. People still read books and magazines, and a lot of those people are gearheads like you and me. Retromotive is not a just novelty, far from it.
It’s a thick, heavy book of a magazine that, if anything, reminds me of a softbound version of Automobile Quarterly. You don’t have to know much about printing, paper stock, photography, or anything like that to tell that Retromotive is choice (to use the old hot rod term). The magazine is filled with splendidly curated photo essays, interviews with passionate owners, auto industry heavyweights, and our fellow gearhead brethren. And it’s all presented with a unique, minimalist, and artistic aesthetic meant to embrace the unique design language of each vehicle or person portrayed.
Retromotive was created three years ago by an automotive photographer named Nathan Duff. To hear Nathan tell it, the heart of their Down Under success has been its revealing investigation of the intimate journey of very special cars and their owners. “Retromotive focuses on rare classic cars and the personalities who own, love, and cherish them,” Duff explained. “We’re illuminating the chase, the restoration and the journey that has brought man and machine to the point of perfection and satisfaction.”
Subscribe to Retromotive
All magazines will come with a $20 discount on a yearly subscription. It is published quarterly, with special editions printed throughout the year. Obviously, you should check out Retromotive asap, and probably get yourself a subscription. “We believe in print as an enduring medium with which to display the world’s most beautiful cars, and have plans to evolve the Retromotive offering further in the near future,” Duff said.
The roll out edition in the U.S. features an interview with the man himself, Mario Andretti, a spotlight article on the ISO Bizzarini AC/3, a Le Mans Class winner owned by the founding chairman of the Petersen Automotive Museum, Bruce Meyer, and a great convo with Bub Lutz (yeah, that Bob Lutz).
Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He is the author of Bricks & Bones: The Endearing Legacy and Nitty-Gritty Phenomenon of The Indy 500, available in paperback or Kindle format. Follow his work on Twitter: @TonyBorroz.
