John C Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 As I remember it; 4x4 (and off-road action) was the magazine that had the topless pics in its early days. It was launched as a rival to Off Road and 4 Wheel Drive by an outfit in Essex. There had been an IPC title earlier called Four Wheel Drive Off Road and 4 Wheel Drive was originally Overlander then Off Road and 4 Wheel Driver then Off Road and 4 Wheel Drive 4x4 (and off-road action) was edited by Russell Fisher who dropped the topless pics, then moved to Leeds and launched 4x4 Driver LRO was launched around this time (with Mark Phillips and a Range Rover by a stable on the cover of No 1). With Fisher gone to 4x4 Driver, Colin Dawson took over at 4x4. 4x4 eventually closed. 4x4 Driver changed into 4x4 Sport Truck Driver then closed. Someone (Dawson?) launched International Off-Roader (IOR). EMAP bought LRO and IOR and licenced out IOR to Richard Thomas. Link House (publishers of OR4WD) launched LRW. IOR closed and Richard Thomas launched LRM. LRE was launched by Richard Green. Link House sold to IPC who continued to publish OR4WD and LRW Off Road and 4 Wheel Drive was renamed 4x4 Total Off-Road launched Planet 4x4 launched Planet 4x4 closed EMAP - LRO - sold to Bauer LRW and 4x4 magazines (and others) sold to to Kelsey by IPC LRM sold to Dennis Publishing LRE incorporated into LRM LRO has had four (at least) editors in its time with EMAP and Bauer LRW and 4x4 magazines editor - me - changed shortly after sale to Kelsey Presently, in terms of Land Rover mag sales; LRO is market leader, LRM second and LRW after that 4x4 and TOR (now Total 4x4) struggle on with niche audiences JC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiddler Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 As I remember it; 4x4 (and off-road action) was the magazine that had the topless pics in its early days. It was launched as a rival to Off Road and 4 Wheel Drive by an outfit in Essex. There had been an IPC title earlier called Four Wheel Drive Off Road and 4 Wheel Drive was originally Overlander then Off Road and 4 Wheel Driver then Off Road and 4 Wheel Drive 4x4 (and off-road action) was edited by Russell Fisher who dropped the topless pics, then moved to Leeds and launched 4x4 Driver LRO was launched around this time (with Mark Phillips and a Range Rover by a stable on the cover of No 1). With Fisher gone to 4x4 Driver, Colin Dawson took over at 4x4. 4x4 eventually closed. 4x4 Driver changed into 4x4 Sport Truck Driver then closed. Someone (Dawson?) launched International Off-Roader (IOR). EMAP bought LRO and IOR and licenced out IOR to Richard Thomas. Link House (publishers of OR4WD) launched LRW. IOR closed and Richard Thomas launched LRM. LRE was launched by Richard Green. Link House sold to IPC who continued to publish OR4WD and LRW Off Road and 4 Wheel Drive was renamed 4x4 Total Off-Road launched Planet 4x4 launched Planet 4x4 closed EMAP - LRO - sold to Bauer LRW and 4x4 magazines (and others) sold to to Kelsey by IPC LRM sold to Dennis Publishing LRE incorporated into LRM LRO has had four (at least) editors in its time with EMAP and Bauer LRW and 4x4 magazines editor - me - changed shortly after sale to Kelsey Presently, in terms of Land Rover mag sales; LRO is market leader, LRM second and LRW after that 4x4 and TOR (now Total 4x4) struggle on with niche audiences JC I believe this is on the curriculum in some schools nowadays Giles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CwazyWabbit Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 As I remember it; 4x4 (and off-road action) was the magazine that had the topless pics in its early days. It was launched as a rival to Off Road and 4 Wheel Drive by an outfit in Essex. There had been an IPC title earlier called Four Wheel Drive Off Road and 4 Wheel Drive was originally Overlander then Off Road and 4 Wheel Driver then Off Road and 4 Wheel Drive 4x4 (and off-road action) was edited by Russell Fisher who dropped the topless pics, then moved to Leeds and launched 4x4 Driver LRO was launched around this time (with Mark Phillips and a Range Rover by a stable on the cover of No 1). With Fisher gone to 4x4 Driver, Colin Dawson took over at 4x4. 4x4 eventually closed. 4x4 Driver changed into 4x4 Sport Truck Driver then closed. Someone (Dawson?) launched International Off-Roader (IOR). EMAP bought LRO and IOR and licenced out IOR to Richard Thomas. Link House (publishers of OR4WD) launched LRW. IOR closed and Richard Thomas launched LRM. LRE was launched by Richard Green. Link House sold to IPC who continued to publish OR4WD and LRW Off Road and 4 Wheel Drive was renamed 4x4 Total Off-Road launched Planet 4x4 launched Planet 4x4 closed EMAP - LRO - sold to Bauer LRW and 4x4 magazines (and others) sold to to Kelsey by IPC LRM sold to Dennis Publishing LRE incorporated into LRM LRO has had four (at least) editors in its time with EMAP and Bauer LRW and 4x4 magazines editor - me - changed shortly after sale to Kelsey Presently, in terms of Land Rover mag sales; LRO is market leader, LRM second and LRW after that 4x4 and TOR (now Total 4x4) struggle on with niche audiences JC Pretty impressive first post You seemed to have covered pretty much the last quarter century of off road publishing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 Holy thread revival batman!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landmannnn Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 It might be a revival but nothing has changed. JC - nice bit of history even if you haven't mentioned your own participation in most of these publications! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roverbo Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 Would it be possible to show us non-UK foreigners some of the mentioned frontpages? And who is Mark Philips? I´ve seen him in an old TopGear videoclip (on Youtube), where he´s presented as "...some of the best people drive Range Rovers..." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffR Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 Now you are all making me feel bloody old.... I can remember buying loads os those mags in the 70's along with others suchas Cars and Cars Conversion, who, incindently had a series on building your own workshop kit, things like belt linishers made from washing machine motors. Them was the days...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBMUD Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 And who is Mark Philips? I´ve seen him in an old TopGear videoclip (on Youtube), where he´s presented as "...some of the best people drive Range Rovers..." Mark Phillips Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Webster Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 Comprehensive history JC, about how I remember it. I'm weighing down my house with copies of all the above (even one of the few issues of Four Wheel Drive, I think!), in case it felt like being blown away! There were no UK 4x4 Magazines in the 70's unless you count club publications, I think Overlander started in '83. I've got some old All Wheel Drivers (AWDC mag) that date back to about 1973. In those days if you wanted a glossy 4x4 magazine it was an import from the USA job. The AWDC club shop used to sell a few. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Webster Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 Now you are all making me feel bloody old.... I can remember buying loads os those mags in the 70's along with others suchas Cars and Cars Conversion, who, incindently had a series on building your own workshop kit, things like belt linishers made from washing machine motors. Them was the days...... PPC (Practical Performance Car) does something similar these days. My personal favourite of the current mags. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mutley Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 Old Dirty 4x4 mags or Land Rovers......All sound like Knuckle Bashers to me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 Let me fix that for you: I believe this is on the curriculum in some schools universities nowadays Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John C Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 It might be a revival but nothing has changed. JC - nice bit of history even if you haven't mentioned your own participation in most of these publications! I didn't think anyone would care what I'd been up to - just a cog in the whole system but here's a slightly further expanded version; As I remember it; 4x4 (and off-road action) was the magazine that had the topless pics in its early days. It was launched as a rival to Off Road and 4 Wheel Drive by an outfit in Essex. There had been an IPC title earlier called Four Wheel Drive Off Road and 4 Wheel Drive was originally Overlander then Off Road and 4 Wheel Driver then Off Road and 4 Wheel Drive 4x4 (and off-road action) was edited by Russell Fisher who dropped the topless pics, then moved to Leeds and launched 4x4 Driver (JC freelanced for Russell Fisher on both these) LRO was launched around this time (with Mark Phillips and a Range Rover by a stable on the cover of No 1). With Fisher gone to 4x4 Driver, Colin Dawson took over at 4x4. 4x4 Driver changed into 4x4 Sport Truck Driver then closed. (JC went to work on 4x4 Driver with Russell then edited it when Russell Fisher was promoted. JC left to go to BSH) Someone (Dawson?) launched International Off-Roader (IOR). 4x4 eventually closed (JC freelanced for it until it did). EMAP bought LRO and IOR and licenced out IOR to Richard Thomas. Link House (publishers of OR4WD) launched LRW. (JC freelanced for it for a while then went to work there as editor) IOR closed and Richard Thomas launched LRM. LRE was launched by Richard Green. Link House sold to IPC who continued to publish OR4WD and LRW (JC still on LRW) Off Road and 4 Wheel Drive was renamed 4x4 (JC moved to edit 4x4, then later edited both 4x4 and LRW) Total Off-Road launched Planet 4x4 launched Planet 4x4 closed EMAP - LRO - sold to Bauer LRW and 4x4 magazines (and others) sold to to Kelsey by IPC LRM sold to Dennis Publishing LRE incorporated into LRM LRO has had four (at least) editors in its time with EMAP and Bauer LRW and 4x4 magazines editor - me - changed shortly after sale to Kelsey (JC left as anything was preferable to working for Kelsey) Presently, in terms of Land Rover mag sales; LRO is market leader, LRM second and LRW after that (JC freelances for LRO) 4x4 and TOR (now Total 4x4) struggle on with niche audiences JC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happyoldgit Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 Comprehensive history JC, about how I remember it. I'm weighing down my house with copies of all the above (even one of the few issues of Four Wheel Drive, I think!), in case it felt like being blown away! There were no UK 4x4 Magazines in the 70's unless you count club publications, I think Overlander started in '83. I've got some old All Wheel Drivers (AWDC mag) that date back to about 1973. In those days if you wanted a glossy 4x4 magazine it was an import from the USA job. The AWDC club shop used to sell a few. That is just about the sum of how I remember it too. My loftspace used to groan under the weight of many of those early [and some later] publications but most of them went to the great skip in the sky along with some quite staggeringly huge piles of old Shooting Times as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hybrid_From_Hell Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 Reads like a real success story Glad none are surgeons Nige Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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