0-60 (magazine) - History

History

0-60 was created in 2007 by then-editor-in-chief Brian Scotto. The concept behind the magazine was to fill the void that was left between niche enthusiast magazines and the traditional “buff books” in the United States. Instead of focusing on breaking news like many of 0-60’s competitors, the magazine has instead put their strength into longer format stories. The tone is educated and knowledgeable, but 0-60’s subtle snark is what created the magazine’s personality. 0-60 is also known for its high-quality paper package, often compared with British automotive publications.

The title of the magazine, 0-60 (while obviously a well-known performance benchmark), was actually an ode to the work of Tom McCahill, the inventor of the zero-to-60 measurement. The 1950s automotive journalist was known for his clever and creative writing that was also brutally honest. Ironically, the magazine is not known for reviewing automobiles based on data measurements such as zero-to-60 mph times. The tagline on the cover is called “Fast Cars”. It was inspired by the British punk-rock band called the Buzzcocks and their song “Fast Cars.”

In January 2008, the magazine drove a 2008 Subaru WRX STI from Seattle, Washington, to Tuktoyaktuk, Canada, which is located within the Arctic Circle. This was the first true adventure story by the magazine. Epic adventure stories are now one of the things that 0-60 is known for.

In the Fall 2008 issue, the magazine introduced their annual award, known as the Tommy. Although it was created in response to other magazines naming their car of the year, or listing their top 10 cars for the year, the Tommy is defined as “The Thomas McCahill Award for Excellence in Motoring, (also known as The Tommy, it is 0-60’s annual recognition for making fast possible). The award is named after the pioneer of snark, overwriting and "telling it how it is" in automotive journalism. He also created the zero-to-60 time.

In 2008, the Tommy Award went to the 2008 Nissan GT-R and the 2008 BMW 135i.

The final issue of the magazine, featuring the Koenigsegg Agera as the cover car, was the Winter 2011 issue. However, 0-60 continues in online-only format into the present day.

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