''Automóvil Panamericano'' or simply ''Automóvil'' (

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...

for "Panamerican automobile") is a Mexican automotive enthusiast

magazine A magazine is a periodical literature, periodical publication, print or digital, produced on a regular schedule, that contains any of a variety of subject-oriented textual and visual content (media), content forms. Magazines are generally fin ...

first published in 1995. It ranked as the ninth most read magazine in Mexico, and the most read Spanish language automotive magazine in the world. Critical testing, motor sports and buyers guidance have been a regular since its founding.

History

Originally based on the Spanish magazine ''Automóvil Fórmula'' (issued since 1978), the first issue of ''Automóvil Panamericano'' was officially released on 15 January 1995, whereas a sample #0 issue had appeared months earlier in October 1994. The layout of this first issue's cover would retain a simple style that would abide until today, presenting ''Automovils logo on the top header, the months' featured tested car centered, further tests on the bottom and various articles elsewhere. The first renewal of the magazine was issued in February 2002 as editorial director Ricardo Chan Robles took charge. The magazine's frame changed to black and the logo was changed, now using a bolder typography.

Sister projects

*''Auto Plus'' (initially called "Guía Util del Automóvil") was Automóvil Panamericano's sister publication, targeted at young enthusiasts and focusing on practical issues within the automotive world, short tests and a price list. It was published monthly for eight years between 2002 and 2010. *''Automóvil TV'' was the

television Television (TV) is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. Additionally, the term can refer to a physical television set rather than the medium of transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...

counterpart of the magazine. It featured from 2003 to 2008 on

Televisa Grupo Televisa, S.A.B., simply known as Televisa, is a Mexican telecommunications and broadcasting company. A major Latin American mass media corporation, it often presents itself as the largest producer of Spanish-language content. In April ...

's ''Galavision'' (Channel 9). *''Automóvil W'' is a

radio Radio is the technology of communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 3 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmitter connec ...

program first broadcast in March 2007 in ''W Radio'' (96.9 MHz FM, 900 MHz AM
Online
of Televisa Radio. ''Automóvil Digital'' is a running

online In computer technology and telecommunications, online indicates a state of connectivity, and offline indicates a disconnected state. In modern terminology, this usually refers to an Internet connection, but (especially when expressed as "on lin ...

project appeared in July 2007 to distribute a digital version of the magazine to a VIP readers list. ''MyAutomovil.com'' is the

counterpart appeared for the Latin market in North America in March 2008
WWW.MYAUTOMOVIL.COM
.

Special issues

On May 15, 2003, was launched the magazine number 100th. The cover was coloured yellow and were added up to 50 pages. The cover showed 20 exotic cars that were considered the best of the world, featuring the Pagani Zonda S, the Ferrari 550 Maranello and the

Mini Cooper Mini Cooper may refer to: *Performance Cars of the original Mini series with uprated drive train and brakes, called the "Mini Cooper", made by the British Motor Corporation and also the successors 1961–1971, and 1990–2000 *Cars of the Mini (mar ...

. The ten-year anniversary commemorative was launched on February 15, 2005. The frame now changed to red and were added up to 30 pages. In the cover featured the

Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren (C199 / R199 / Z199) is a grand tourer jointly developed by German automotive manufacturer Mercedes-Benz and British automobile manufacturer McLaren Automotive and sold from 2003 to 2010. When the car was develope ...

. The cover had remained the same since then. On February 15, 2010, was launched the magazine special edition the 15th anniversary.

Car of the Year

Since its first issue, ''Automóvil Panamericano'' would raffle off a brand new automobile with the ''Juzge su coche y gane un coche'' contest (Judge your car and win a car). The readers would review several aspects of their current car (if they had any) and send the answer sheet via post mail to ''Automóvils headquarters in

Mexico City Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...

. After the deadline, a winner would be chosen and the results of the survey would be published in the following month's issue. However, in 1999 the contest's rules underwent a major renewal, resulting in the ''Best Cars of the Year'' contest, in which the favourite automobile for each

category Category, plural categories, may refer to: General uses *Classification, the general act of allocating things to classes/categories Philosophy * Category of being * ''Categories'' (Aristotle) * Category (Kant) * Categories (Peirce) * Category ( ...

would be picked by readers, no longer having to review their own car; the contestants would send their answers via post mail as before. Since 2003, actual silver prizes would be awarded to the people-chosen winning cars; marques would send a representative to collect the small statue at a special ceremony. Additionally, a special golden award to the Best Car of the Year (overall) would be given.

''Juzge su coche y gane un coche''

*1995 Prize: BMW 325i *1996 Mercury Sable - Prize:

Land Rover Discovery The Land Rover Discovery is a series of five or seven-seater family SUVs, produced under the Land Rover marque, from the British manufacturer Land Rover, and later Jaguar Land Rover. The series is currently in its fifth iteration (or generat ...

*1997

Pontiac Grand Prix The Grand Prix is a line of automobiles produced by the Pontiac (automobile), Pontiac Division of General Motors from 1962 until 2002 as coupes and from 1989 through 2008 model years as four-door sedans. First introduced as a full-size car, full ...

- Prize: Volkswagen New Beetle *1998

Audi A6 The Audi A6 is an executive car manufactured by the German company Audi since 1994. Now in its fifth generation, the successor to the Audi 100 is manufactured in Neckarsulm, Germany, and is available in saloon and estate configurations, the l ...

(Mediano) - Prize: Peugeot 306

''Best Cars''

*1999 Prize:

Audi A3 The Audi A3 is a small family car (C-segment) manufactured and marketed by the German automaker Audi, Audi AG since September 1996. The first two generations of the Audi A3 were based on the Volkswagen Group A platform, while the third and fo ...

*2000 Prize: Volkswagen Jetta *2001 Prize: Volkswagen New Beetle Turbo *2002 Prize: Mercedes C200K Estate

''Best Cars and Car of the Year''

*2003

Renault Mégane The Renault Mégane (), also spelled without the acute accent as Megane, especially in languages other than French, and also known as the Renault Megavan for an LCV in Ireland, as the Renault Scala in Iran and as the Renault Mégane Grandcoup� ...

(Prize: Audi A3) *2004

Porsche Cayenne The Porsche Cayenne is a series of automobiles manufactured by the German company Porsche since 2002. It is a luxury crossover SUV, and has been described as both a full-sized and a mid-sized vehicle. The first generation was known within Por ...

(Car of the Year) - Prize: Chrysler Crossfire *2005 Volkswagen Jetta (Car of the Year) - Prize: SEAT Altea *2006

Volkswagen Bora The Volkswagen Bora is a small family car, the fourth generation of the Volkswagen Jetta, and the successor to the Volkswagen Vento. Production of the car began in July 1999. Carrying on the wind nomenclature from previous generations, the car ...

(Car of the Year) - Prize: Suzuki Grand Vitara *2007 Volkswagen Golf GTI (Car of the Year) - Prize: Audi A3 TDI *2008 Prize:

Mazda Miata The Mazda MX-5 is a lightweight two-person sports car manufactured and marketed by Mazda. The convertible is marketed as the or in Japan, and as the Mazda Miata () in the United States, and formerly in Canada, where it is now marketed as the ...

*2009

Audi R8 The Audi R8 is a mid-engine, 2-seater sports car, which uses Audi's trademark quattro permanent all-wheel drive system. It was introduced by the German car manufacturer Audi AG in 2006. Production ended in the first quarter of 2024. The car is ...

(Car of the Year) - Prize: Fiat 500 Sport *2010 Prize: Suzuki Kizashi *2011 Prize: Audi A1 *2012 Prize: Volvo S60 *2013 Prize: Seat Toledo *2014 Prize:

Porsche Macan The Porsche Macan is a compact luxury crossover SUV (D-segment) produced by German manufacturer Porsche since 2014. It is the smaller SUV from Porsche below the Cayenne. The first-generation Macan went on production from February 2014 with pet ...

Editorial direction

References

External links

Automóvil Online
- official site
Motorpress Ibérica
- official site
Motorpresse International
- official site {{DEFAULTSORT:Automovil Panamericano 1995 establishments in Mexico Automobile magazines Magazines published in Mexico Magazines established in 1995 Spanish-language magazines Monthly magazines published in Mexico