We know who you are:
-When a dictator leaves town, you wonder what happens to his car collection
-A grainy picture you saw as a child has fueled a hunt for a bespoke Roll-Royce that continues today
-You’re quietly building a car company out of spite
…And while you’re the best-informed enthusiasts in your circles, we’re the ones who can teach you something new.
So no matter if you read AutoMinded by a crackling fire or the porcelain throne, time with our books feels like visiting your exclusive club. And the stories are our leather-backed armchairs.
WHO WE ARE
AutoMinded is about recognizing thoughtful enthusiasts.
These stories aren’t for the masses. The information age isn’t out to purposely destroy the old ways (after all, you’re reading this online.) But it does hurt a little to see tweets from Dawn Patrol. Even some of the most celebrated magazines are having their independent voices yielding to ad space.
AutoMinded is a quarterly publication that has zero page constraints and no advertisements. Because of this, we get to have some of the best automotive writers unlock the treasure chest of legends that were too long or too involved for other publications. We value the premium you put on good stories. So readership is limited to only 3,000 members. Your subscription comes with a personal number, and this is embossed on every cover just for you.
Each edition will have at least four exclusive features – no sharing on the internet; no reprints for outside publications. You pay a premium for your subscription. Your reward is receiving the stories that cannot be told anywhere else. Thus, delivering that extra kernel of automotive knowledge that keeps your automotive passion fueled.
WHY HAVE A LIMITED RELEASE AND A HIGH MEMBERSHIP PRICE?
Our prohibitively high membership price means you’re not joining unless you want those little-known stories we love to tell. That’s why the process is simple from here: if one of our 3,000 memberships is available, you can sign up immediately. There’s no fuss of an application – you don’t want to fill one out, and we don’t want to read it. After all, we’re just here to tell the best stories, and if you want to be a member, we’re happy to have your support.
Our topics come from funding the subjects that automotive writers and collectors have always wanted to share, but have run into the road block of commercial appeal. With no advertisers to anger and no space requirements, AutoMinded is where they take their passion projects.
So, you know that one chapter that makes every book worth the time? Think of AutoMinded as a collection of those chapters.
THE RIGHT SIZE
We know your subscription could buy plenty of used books. But the sad truth is that there are also more distractions today than in previous eras. We bet your home has a nightstand or shelf overfilled with all the “someday” topics you’d love read.
AutoMinded might be an old-fashioned collector book format, but each story is a digestible size. It’s designed to be that bedtime story or travel companion that stimulates your mind and completes its journey long before you can finish the first chapter of your “someday” novel.
WHO WE ARE NOT
–Hacks shouting from rooftops – A few large promotions could easily yield our maximum 3,000 subscribers, but that’s not what we do. Instead, a slow, quiet, and organic growth gives AutoMinded the opportunity to reach the true enthusiasts.
We want your member number to be like a badge of honor. Because if we do our job to bring the best stories, you’ll take pride in your member number.
–Greedy – Your annual membership yields four premium collector books filled with authors who are paid correctly to tell the stories they’ve been holding back for years. Your subscription is not buying the editorial staff a monthly surf-n-turf dinner, and if the process ever gets efficient enough to do so, then we’ll re-evaluate – our members are a priority, not a bonus program.
–A recycled voice – It’s only natural to look at the shape of each book and evoke the ghosts of other Quarterly publications. We were absolutely fans, and we wish they were still around, too. But AutoMinded is inspired by a larger world view that takes history and tries to brings it as close to your doorstep as possible. The goal is to not only gain more knowledge by the end of each edition, but also discover where you can still interact with the best automotive history today.