The Auto Exklusiv magazine - a Swiss invention
01/11/2013
What magazines such as Octane or Autobild's new Motor Revue do today, namely combine reporting on old and new sports cars in one magazine title, was also what Rob de la Rive Box was aiming for as editor-in-chief of "Auto Exklusiv". He started in the late summer of 1983 and quickly gained a regular audience.
In every issue, Rob shared his in-depth knowledge of rare cars and sports cars. He wrote about Bugattis, Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Astons, but didn't shy away from American cars either. He was supported by prominent car experts such as Doug Nye, Jerry Sloniger, W. O. Weermink, Jan Apetz, Peter Fokker, Jan Norbye, Max Nötzli, Martin Wyler, etc.
From the beginning, Auto Exklusiv was published monthly until June 1992, when the end of the popular magazine was sealed. The title lived on (for a while) as a bundle/part of Automobil Revue.
Like so many other car magazines, Auto Exklusiv - even in the care of its big mother "AR" - could no longer hold its own in the increasingly difficult magazine market, and the separate glossy edition was discontinued for cost reasons. Classic car fans shed many a tear for the publication, as illuminating articles on Swiss coachbuilders and many a niche automotive product were barely represented in other classic car magazines available at the time.
With this article, we are continuing our loose series on (almost) forgotten classic car magazines. We think it's a shame that these well-made stories were only printed in relatively small editions and have largely been forgotten, as only a few collectors still have these magazines stored in their cellars (or storerooms).
