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HomeDavid E. Davis

David E. Davis

Quotes

David E. Davis offered his take on John Z. DeLorean

May 24, 2025 Steve 9

Whether John Z. DeLorean was merely a car guy with a tragic life trajectory or a sociopath has been an ongoing debate here at Indie Auto. Thus, I was intrigued to come across David E. […]

Links

Jean Jennings’ death reminds us of Automobile magazine’s greatest legacy

December 18, 2024 Steve 1

(EXPANDED FROM 7/9/2021) The recent death of Jean Jennings is a useful reminder that Automobile magazine’s biggest journalistic legacy was arguably that it elevated an unusually large number of women into senior editorial roles. This […]

Thurston Delphi aurora
Photo Essay

If David E. Davis could do road trips, why can’t Indie Auto?

November 6, 2024 Steve 4

(EXPANDED FROM 10/18/2023) David E. Davis often wrote about his road trips when he was editor of Automobile. Jack Baruth (2011) suggested that the magazine’s motto, “No Boring Cars!” served as “an excuse, er, reason […]

1970 American Motors ad with Chapin
Links

Car and Driver gives Roy D. Chapin royal treatment in 1970 AMC Hornet story

March 26, 2024 Steve 0

Car and Driver under David E. Davis gave the royal treatment to American Motors’ head Roy D. Chapin Jr. A case in point was a story about the 1970 AMC Hornet, which treated Chapin’s marketing […]

Media Analysis

Car and Driver endorsing Dan Gurney for prez showed auto media’s insularity

September 3, 2023 Steve 4

Journalist Bruce McCall (2002) once called Detroit a “self-isolated world” that “matches that of any West Virginia hollow for insularity.” I was reminded of his quip when reading Car and Driver magazine’s endorsement of Dan […]

1991 Chevrolet Caprice - Motor Trend's Car of Year
Quotes

Maryann Keller: General Motors once again punished its media critics

April 13, 2023 Steve 5

“GM’s old critics were sharpening their knives. In January [1992] David E. Davis, editor and publication director of Automobile magazine, gave a biting speech to the Washington Auto Press Association in which he blasted past […]

A Baruthosaurus at the keyboard
Media Analysis

Successful automotive journalists need to master these two rules

April 4, 2022 Steve 0

(ORIGINALLY POSTED 5/24/2014) Many are called but few are chosen to be professional automotive writers. Some things you can’t control, like technological change and media consolidation. However, aspiring writers can increase their odds of success by […]

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    June 3, 2026 0
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    June 2, 2026 16
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    Three videos: The death of car culture, rich people’s cars and the 1957 Nash
    May 29, 2026 6
  • 1963 Mercury Marauder
    1963 Mercury Marauder: Ford tries to do a premium-priced car on the cheap
    May 27, 2026 11
  • Did 1964 Ramblers share more parts between size classes than competitors?
    May 26, 2026 1
  • Patrick Foster shows how International Harvester failed to adapt
    May 13, 2026 5
  • Internet problems reminded me of U.S. automakers in the 1970s
    May 2, 2026 1
  • 1956 Buick hood scoop
    Readers brainstorm ideas for future Indie Auto stories
    October 14, 2022 141
Society of Automotive Historian award to Indie Auto

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