Dylan Campbell farewells editorship of MOTOR magazine

I've only space here for public service announcements this issue, and there are a few of them.

This is Dylan Campbell's final editorial, from the October 2020 issue of MOTOR Magazine.

I had planned to bang on about how happy I am Nissan is putting the 370Z in the microwave for another 90 seconds with the ‘400Z’, or whatever the Z Proto over page ends up being called, and no, I’m not being sarcastic.

What’s not to like about a new rear-drive sports car with a twin-turbo V6 and likely 300kW/475Nm, and one that’ll cost hopefully no more than $70K?

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Forget how old some of the part numbers in it might be; it could be like a cheaper, Japanese flavoured BMW M2. And it’s worth bearing in mind that car is being discontinued. A new sports cars is never bad news, and Nissan, you should probably focus on your ageing US portfolio rather than a sports car but I’m glad you haven’t. Go Nissan!

Moving instead on to said announcements, which are somewhat drier, but necessary, and if anything provide a contrast to what’s in store for the magazine's future.

First, the mag has gone up in size. Huzzah! We’re going to keep trying to do this as we recover from the Covid curveballs hurled at us and everyone else. We’ve been able to bring back Hot Source, the numbers-fest in the back of the back. Thank you to those who’ve patiently awaited its return.

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It has meant two other things. The mag is now a bit narrower (sorry to those who collect them) and we’ve copped a paper downgrade. We did this deliberately so we wouldn’t have to put pressure on the words and photos that go on said paper, and we’ve been successful for the most part in that regard. Nevertheless, thank you for your patience through this whole bizarre time; it’s your business too I’m thinking of, and you.

Another change, and maybe this will turn out to be an upgrade – I’m outta here! After god only knows how many issues (89, but who’s counting), I’m off to sort out Wheels as its Editor, or something like that. I’m excited, but also sad.

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I’ll very much miss MOTOR, my dream job as a teenager. And from that very first 4am deadline that will go down in publishing infamy (there was very nearly not a December 2013 issue of MOTOR), to the countless phone calls of varying moods to the world’s car makers, the shagged tyres, the PCOTYs, the thousands of testing kilometres, and pies, the 16-hour days, the photographer’s ‘one last shots’, the cars – the cars! – the whole lot. It’s been a blast.

I’ll miss it a lot. And I’ll miss you lot. Not that I’d ever say so. But seriously, I’m also incredibly proud of the job we’ve done on MOTOR the last seven years and I hope it’s shown.

I look forward to becoming a reader again (does that mean I have to stop showering as well?) and enjoying MOTOR’s next chapter.

My replacement is Andy Enright who has more roadtesting and car magazine experience – and utterly wild stories – than I might ever hope to have. As for me, see you around the traps. Jumping a Camry for the cover of Wheels, hopefully. Enjoy.

This column appeared in MOTOR magazine - grab it now by subscribing at a great rate right here!