The Truth About Cars
Encyclopedia
The Truth About Cars is a website covering automobile
s, automotive products and the auto industry. Its features include the GM
and Ford
“Death Watch” and Chrysler
"Suicide Watch" series. The site began publishing in 2002, and features a mix of automotive reviews, editorials and news. The site is home to the annual Ten Worst Automobiles awards, which are nominated and selected by the readers.
The web site currently receives over 175,000 monthly unique visitors, with a strong demographic favorable to automotive products and accessories. Time Magazine calls TTAC one of the 25 "Best Blogs of 2011." Forbes Magazine lists TTAC as a “Best of the Web.” PC Magazine
listed TTAC as one of its "100 Favorite Blogs" in 2007.
TTAC is one of the few automotive websites that maintains a network of international correspondents.
Andrei Avarvarii provides conceptual drawings of future models.
Their review comparing the grill of the Subaru B9 Tribeca to a vagina caused BMW
to officially stop providing review cars. Many other manufacturers also withheld access to their press fleets in the past, but that is changing as readership grows. Aston Martin
, Bentley
, Mercedes-Benz
, Audi
, Volkswagen
, Cadillac
, Jaguar, Kia
, Maserati
, Mazda
, Mitsubishi
, Suzuki
, Nissan, Ford
, Land Rover
, and General Motors
now provide access to their press cars.
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
s, automotive products and the auto industry. Its features include the GM
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
and Ford
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
“Death Watch” and Chrysler
Chrysler
Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
"Suicide Watch" series. The site began publishing in 2002, and features a mix of automotive reviews, editorials and news. The site is home to the annual Ten Worst Automobiles awards, which are nominated and selected by the readers.
The web site currently receives over 175,000 monthly unique visitors, with a strong demographic favorable to automotive products and accessories. Time Magazine calls TTAC one of the 25 "Best Blogs of 2011." Forbes Magazine lists TTAC as a “Best of the Web.” PC Magazine
PC Magazine
PC Magazine is a computer magazine published by Ziff Davis Publishing Holdings Inc. A print edition was published from 1982 to January 2009...
listed TTAC as one of its "100 Favorite Blogs" in 2007.
TTAC is one of the few automotive websites that maintains a network of international correspondents.
Staff
- Editor-In-Chief, Edward Niedermeyer
- Managing Editor, Bertel Schmitt (Asia)
- Regular contributors:
- Stephan Wilkinson, author and former Car and DriverCar and DriverCar and Driver is an American automotive enthusiast magazine. Its total circulation is 1.31 million. It is owned by Hearst Magazines, who purchased prior owner Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S. in 2011...
Editor-in-Chief - Mike Solowiew (Germany)
- Sajeev Mehta
- Michael KareshTrueDeltaTrueDelta.com is a car information site that claims over 30,000 registered members as of December 2008 and 40,000 registered cars. The site focuses on the reporting of automobile reliability and gas mileage, and also contains vehicle pricing and comparison information...
- John Clay WolfeJohn Clay WolfeJohn Clay Wolfe is an American radio personality and entrepreneur, who resides in Fort Worth, Texas.Wolfe also hosts syndicated radio car show The Real Deal, broadcast each Saturday morning in Dallas Rock station , Houston's ESPN , Amarillo JackFM , Wichita Falls both , Austin, Texas The big...
- Jack BaruthJack BaruthJack Baruth is a former professional BMX racer, cycling instructor, and cycling/auto journalist, perhaps best known for writing the "One Racer's Perspective" and "BMX Basics" columns for the National Bicycle League, for his regular contributions to The Truth About Cars and for maintaining the now...
- William C. Montgomery
- Steven Lang
- Alex L. Dykes
- Martin Schwoerer (Germany)
- Jay Shoemaker
- Don Gammill Jr
- Thor Jonsen (Sweden)
- David Holzman
- Tal Bronfer
- Marcelo de Vasconcellos (Brazil)
- Paul Niedermeyer
- Murilee Martin
- Stephan Wilkinson, author and former Car and Driver
- Past contributors:
-
- Frank Williams
- P.J. McCombs
- Matthew Neundorf
- Megan Benoit
- Samir Syed
- Adrian Imonti
- Justin Berkowitz
- Robert Farago
- Lesley Wimbush
Andrei Avarvarii provides conceptual drawings of future models.
Style
The site offers its writers total editorial freedom to serve its readership. Reader comments are moderated to prevent flaming the site, its authors or fellow commentators, and to maintain a civil discourse in the comment section. Although some readers claim the site has a pro-import bias, the writers are outspoken in their criticism of both domestic- and foreign-branded automobiles.Criticism
Writers from the site have been excluded from many major manufacturer press events. All automakers have been explicitly invited to disprove any controversial statements.Their review comparing the grill of the Subaru B9 Tribeca to a vagina caused BMW
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
to officially stop providing review cars. Many other manufacturers also withheld access to their press fleets in the past, but that is changing as readership grows. Aston Martin
Aston Martin
Aston Martin Lagonda Limited is a British manufacturer of luxury sports cars, based in Gaydon, Warwickshire. The company name is derived from the name of one of the company's founders, Lionel Martin, and from the Aston Hill speed hillclimb near Aston Clinton in Buckinghamshire...
, Bentley
Bentley
Bentley Motors Limited is a British manufacturer of automobiles founded on 18 January 1919 by Walter Owen Bentley known as W.O. Bentley or just "W O". Bentley had been previously known for his range of rotary aero-engines in World War I, the most famous being the Bentley BR1 as used in later...
, Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
, Audi
Audi
Audi AG is a German automobile manufacturer, from supermini to crossover SUVs in various body styles and price ranges that are marketed under the Audi brand , positioned as the premium brand within the Volkswagen Group....
, Volkswagen
Volkswagen
Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is...
, Cadillac
Cadillac
Cadillac is an American luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors . Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mostly in North America. Cadillac is currently the second oldest American automobile manufacturer behind fellow GM marque Buick and is among the oldest...
, Jaguar, Kia
Kia Motors
Kia Motors , headquartered in Seoul, is South Korea's second-largest automobile manufacturer, following the Hyundai Motor Company, with sales of over 1.4 million vehicles in 2010...
, Maserati
Maserati
Maserati is an Italian luxury car manufacturer established on December 1, 1914, in Bologna. The company's headquarters is now in Modena, and its emblem is a trident. It has been owned by the Italian car giant Fiat S.p.A. since 1993...
, Mazda
Mazda
is a Japanese automotive manufacturer based in Fuchū, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan.In 2007, Mazda produced almost 1.3 million vehicles for global sales...
, Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi
The Mitsubishi Group , Mitsubishi Group of Companies, or Mitsubishi Companies is a Japanese multinational conglomerate company that consists of a range of autonomous businesses which share the Mitsubishi brand, trademark and legacy...
, Suzuki
Suzuki
is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Hamamatsu, Japan that specializes in manufacturing compact automobiles and 4x4 vehicles, a full range of motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles , outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a variety of other small internal combustion engines...
, Nissan, Ford
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
, Land Rover
Land Rover
Land Rover is a British car manufacturer with its headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire, United Kingdom which specialises in four-wheel-drive vehicles. It is owned by the Indian company Tata Motors, forming part of their Jaguar Land Rover group...
, and General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
now provide access to their press cars.
Content
- Detailed car reviews and editorials from contributing writers
- Worldwide industry reports
- Monthly sales statistics for major markets
- “Death Watch” editorials detailing the decline and fall of the US car industry
- Annual Ten Worst Automobiles award, based on reader selections
- News blogBlogA blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
and commentary - Moderated comments section (free registration required)
- "Curbside Classic" editorials focusing on old cars, including "GM's Deadly Sins."