L'Auto-Journal
Encyclopedia
L'Auto-Journal is a bimonthly magazine created in 1950 by Robert Hersant
and editor-in-chief Gilles Guérithault, devoted to automobiles. Notable journalists working for l'Auto-Journal were Roland Gaucher
and Jean-Marie Balestre
.
L'Auto-Journal became famous in 1955 by unveiling the aspect of the Citroën DS
. It is in fact the first automobile magazine to propose automobile scoops. Sketches of the future cars were drawn by car specialist and historian René Bellu.
L'Auto-Journal was also the first magazine to introduce real test drives of cars in France. At a time when the handling qualities of cars in post-war France were poor at best, it was a welcome innovation. The most famous test driver of the golden years of L'Auto-Journal was André Costa.
Citroën
reacted very strongly to some of L'Auto-Journals scoops, accusing them of industrial spying. The police even raided the offices of the magazine. The relationship with Citroën has remained sour for a long time.
Now computer generated images and photoshops have replaced Bellu's drawings, but the automobile scoops are still the specialty of L'Auto-Journal, especially regarding future French cars.
Robert Hersant
Robert Hersant was a French newspaper magnate with right-wing political views.- Biography :Hersant was born in Vertou, Loire-Atlantique....
and editor-in-chief Gilles Guérithault, devoted to automobiles. Notable journalists working for l'Auto-Journal were Roland Gaucher
Roland Gaucher
Roland Gaucher was the pseudonym of Roland Goguillot, a French far-right journalist and politician. One of the main thinkers of the French far-right, he had participated in Marcel Déat's fascist party Rassemblement National Populaire under the Vichy regime...
and Jean-Marie Balestre
Jean-Marie Balestre
Jean-Marie Balestre was a French auto racing executive, who was president of FISA from 1978 to 1991 and of the FIA from 1985 to 1993.-Biography:Balestre was born at Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, Bouches-du-Rhône....
.
L'Auto-Journal became famous in 1955 by unveiling the aspect of the Citroën DS
Citroën DS
The Citroën DS is an executive car produced by the French manufacturer Citroën between 1955 and 1975. Styled by Italian sculptor and industrial designer Flaminio Bertoni and the French aeronautical engineer André Lefèbvre, the DS was known for its aerodynamic futuristic body design and innovative...
. It is in fact the first automobile magazine to propose automobile scoops. Sketches of the future cars were drawn by car specialist and historian René Bellu.
L'Auto-Journal was also the first magazine to introduce real test drives of cars in France. At a time when the handling qualities of cars in post-war France were poor at best, it was a welcome innovation. The most famous test driver of the golden years of L'Auto-Journal was André Costa.
Citroën
Citroën
Citroën is a major French automobile manufacturer, part of the PSA Peugeot Citroën group.Founded in 1919 by French industrialist André-Gustave Citroën , Citroën was the first mass-production car company outside the USA and pioneered the modern concept of creating a sales and services network that...
reacted very strongly to some of L'Auto-Journals scoops, accusing them of industrial spying. The police even raided the offices of the magazine. The relationship with Citroën has remained sour for a long time.
Now computer generated images and photoshops have replaced Bellu's drawings, but the automobile scoops are still the specialty of L'Auto-Journal, especially regarding future French cars.