Australian Muscle Car (AMC) has cracked the ton with the publication this month of its 100th issue. The title sits within the stable of sports magazines at German-owned Australian publisher nextmedia.
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“Nought to 100 in a whisker over 16 years! We’re mightily proud of those performance figures,” AMC editor Luke West declared.
“When the magazine first appeared in late 2001 it was an instant hit. It tapped into a niche that wasn’t being catered for and quickly established a strong following. Those readers have stuck with us as we’ve told the back stories to the many iconic cars released by Australian manufacturers over the years and their famous moments on the racetrack.
“It’s a magazine that flies under the radar to some extent, but has a core group of enthusiasts wanting more.”
The milestone issue celebrates reaching triple figures with a cover design mimicking the very first issue, albeit with a twist.
AMC issues #1 and #100
Instead of six older Aussie classics in its grid formation, issue #100 names and features the top six most desirable and significant modern muscle cars – cars released since AMC first appeared on newsstands. This includes the last Australian muscle car, the HSV GTSR W1 of 2017, and the Blue Oval’s last GT Falcon model, the GT-F.
AMC issue #1 was a sellout with its cover naming six Bathurst-inspired Aussie classics people could then own for less than $20k.
The machinery this modest budget bought you back then has appreciated considerably. For example the Holden HK Monaro GTS 327 was valued at about $18,000 in 2001, whereas good, original examples of that model now sell for over $200,000.
Issue #100 also features exclusive interviews with reclusive racing great Norm Beechey and the father of the Ford Falcon GT-HO, ex-Ford executive Al Turner. The magazine tracked down the latter, now aged 85, to his home and boat in Florida.