Car and Driver vs. Motor Trend: Road Tests and Comparisons

Car and Driver vs. Motor Trend collecting is the American automotive magazine corner of periodical collection, focused on the two long-running monthly books that have defined car enthusiast journalism for decades. Car and Driver (1955-) established itself on David E. Davis-era irreverent writing; Motor Trend (1949-) built a more straightforward testing reputation and created the influential Car of the Year award. Collectors work specific eras (the David E. Davis years at C&D, the 1970s fuel-crisis coverage, the 1980s Malaise era, the 1990s performance revival), specific road tests (the contentious Corvette Z06 vs. Ferrari 348 comparisons, the BMW E30 M3 first tests), and the long-form feature writing that made the magazines more than spec sheets.

Car and Driver vs. Motor Trend matter because the magazines document American automotive history as it happened, with the specific car-culture perspective that defined each decade. The road tests from the 1960s and 1970s are primary historical material for anyone researching vintage American muscle.

Two practical habits. Cross-reference comparison tests when researching specific cars, because the two magazines often reviewed the same vehicles within weeks of each other, and comparing the verdicts shows how subjective car-testing actually was. And keep subscription copies with mailing labels distinct from newsstand copies, because the labeling conventions are consistent enough that the presence or absence of a subscription label affects both dating and completeness. This community runs on generosity and careful archival filing.

The enthusiast-magazine long game

Learn the Magazines fundamentals - Car and Driver and Motor Trend editorial history, issue identification, which dealers actually handle automotive magazine runs reliably - and keep a simple log of what you paid and why.

Find the other car-magazine fans

Niches like Car and Driver vs. Motor Trend grow sharper when collectors working specific eras can compare issues. Amassable lets you log issues, covers, and road-test content, show the shelf like a gallery, and meet others chasing the same cars. Early members help shape how a specialty grows.

Your turn

Turn the garage stack into a browsable library. Amassable is built for Car and Driver vs. Motor Trend collectors - catalog what you own, refine the want list, and start conversations. Download Amassable from the official store links on our homepage, and help bring the Car and Driver vs. Motor Trend community together, one issue at a time.