News

  • Thursday, June 01, 2023 2:00 PM | Michelle Suzuki (Administrator)


    Writers, photographers, videographers, and social media producers honored in national program

    June 1, 2023 — The Motor Press Guild, the nation’s largest association of automotive journalists and public relations professionals, is proud to announce the finalists for its Best of Automotive Journalism Awards. The national program is designed to promote the highest caliber work in the automotive media. Each year MPG solicits entries from across the country. 

    "In an age when machines threaten the human creative process, it is important to recognize individual achievements in writing, photography, video, and audio," Jack R. Nerad, President of the Motor Press Guild, said. "The finalists have invested their unique sensibilities in creating each of these praiseworthy works, and their achievements should be celebrated."

    The MPG Best of Automotive Journalism Awards program honors books, articles, photographs, and audio-visual creations. Each year the highest achievement in auto journalism from among all the nominees is recognized with the Dean Batchelor Award, an award named after one of the nation’s leading lights in auto journalism. The 2022 Motor Press Guild Best of Automotive Journalism Awards will be presented at MPG Drive Day 2023, June 6, at Calamigos Ranch in Malibu.

    The following is a list of the creators and their works that have been judged finalists for the 2022 awards. To qualify, an article, audio-visual, book, or photograph must have been published for the first time in calendar-year 2022. The finalists are presented in alphabetical order by their last names.

    Bob D’Olivo Award for Photography Finalists

    Christina Brinkerhoff, Cover of March 2022 issue of Porsche Panorama

    Jan Wagner, “NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Brandon Jones walked away from this”

    Randy Wells, “The Last Porsche 911 ST Race Car

    Best Book Award Finalists

    Randy Lanier with A.J. Baime, Survival of the Fastest

    Preston Lerner, Shelby American

    Sylvia Wilkinson, Dirt Tracks to Glory: The Early Days of Stock Car Racing

    Best Feature Article Award Finalists

    Mercedes Lilienthal (New York Times), “10 States, 2,400 Miles and More Than 100 Classic Cars”

    Mitch McCullough (Classic Motorsports), “Safari Survivor

    John L. Stein (Hagerty), “Getting My Goat”

    Best Road Test Article Finalists

    Basem Wasef (The Drive), “2022 Ferrari 296 GTB First Drive Review: The 818-HP Hybrid V6 Doesn’t Disappoint”

    Basem Wasef (Motor1.com), “2023 Porsche 911 GT3 RS First Drive Review: System Of A Down(Force)”

    Basem Wasef (Motor1.com), “2023 McLaren Artura First Drive Review: The Second Life Of Supercars”

    Best News Article Finalists

    Daniel Miller (Los Angeles Times), “Dream cars and some legal fender benders”

    Steven Cole Smith (Car and Driver), “How 'Drive to Survive' Helped Formula 1 Win Over America”

    Basem Wasef (Car and Driver), “Go Behind the Scenes as RM Sotheby’s Inspects a Pre-Sale McLaren F1”

    Best of Audio Visual Awards Finalists

    Dave Kunz / ABC7 Los Angeles, "Acura Integra - Flashback to the '80s"

    Basem Wasef and Anna Wyckoff, “Why Does She Hate the Mercedes-Benz W140?”

  • Wednesday, May 31, 2023 10:00 AM | Michelle Suzuki (Administrator)


    The Motor Press Guild played a key role recently during Industry Day at the Electrify Expo in Long Beach, where journalists and industry insiders experienced a wide array of electric vehicles, firsthand. From big names like Toyota and BMW to pioneering micromobility startups focusing on electric scooters, skateboards, and bicycles, the event offered a variety of options for test rides, drives, and demos. Even Tesla, known for their aversion to auto shows, had a notable presence. 

    Some of the more compelling attractions included an MPG-hosted state of the eTransportation Industry panel discussion, as well as the unveiling of the Hypercraft (an all-new, electric high-performance race vehicle) and the opportunity to test drive electric vehicles such as the BMW i4.  

    The panel discussion, hosted by MPG President of the Board Jack Nerad, presented mixed feelings on the state of electric vehicles.  Auto industry veterans Ed Loh (Head of Editorial, MotorTrend) and Ed Kim (President, AutoPacific) joined Nerad on stage in front of a packed house at the Long Beach Convention Center to present and analyze the results of a survey of MPG members on the EV industry. 

    More than half of those surveyed believe implementation of EVs is off to a good start, and though the full ramp-up of technology may be 10 years away, the industry has some great vehicles/technology and the start of necessary infrastructure. Conversely, 27-percent of those surveyed believe the ramp-up is only 5 years away, while 19-percent remain uncertain and believe it’s 25 years away.

    The biggest obstacle in the development of electric vehicles, according to the MPG member survey, is not price or not range anxiety, nor product misinformation, and it certainly isn’t the raw materials needed for production. The biggest obstacle, members said, is infrastructure. 

    More than 50-percent of members surveyed agreed that Tesla is leading growth in the EV segment in terms of product, path to market and consumer sentiment, with runners-up Hyundai Motor Group (including Hyunda, Kia and Genesis) in second place with 20-percent and a small piece of the pie belonging to Toyota, the only other notable manufacturer. 

    According to the survey, MPG members believe there’s a long road ahead of us in terms of infrastructure for eTransportation. Rome wasn’t built in a day, so we shouldn’t expect support for EVs to be up and running from day one either. But, before we look at how far we need to go, let’s take a look at how far we’ve come. 

    Hypercraft Racing at Pikes Peak with High-Performance EV

    During the unveiling of an all-new, all-electric high-performance race vehicle, the Hypercraft, it was announced that Lucy Block, the wife of late action sports superstar Ken Block, will race Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC) in partnership with SIERRA Cars and Hypercraft. Doing so in Ken’s honor will perpetuate his legacy and “gives us a way to carry Ken's spirit forward and do something he was excited to do himself,” Lucy Block said.

    But, why here? Why now? I caught up with Cole Powelson, founder of SIERRA Cars, and asked him the same thing.

    “The Electrify Expo’s probably the best place to debut something like this. You know, the Block family has ties to Long Beach… It just felt right,” said Powelson. “The timing worked out, the location was right, the venue… everything came together in kind of the perfect storm. I can’t imagine a better place to debut it than here.” 

    Quick Drive Impressions: All-Electric BMW i4

    Being behind the wheel of the BMW i4 eDrive40 proved to be a mundane experience. Lots of people believe electric cars are these performance monsters that’ll tear any ICE car apart. Although the i4 is pretty quick, it sadly felt like a normal EV with a BMW logo slapped on.

    The massive 14-inch infotainment screen that stretched from the driver’s side to the center console was more an eyesore than anything else. I wonder if this is the new design for vehicles moving forward or if it’s just a fad. In any case, the driving experience was smooth and fun. The 335 horsepower coming from the single motor via the rear wheels is torquey from a complete stop. The same cannot be said when flooring it from rolling speeds, though the disparity wasn’t too noticeable.

    I was pretty swamped with trying to figure out what the heck the “ePower %” gauge to the right of the speedometer was for. In all other cars, that gauge would be RPM. In an EV, it lets you know how much battery power is being used at any given point.

    Last but not least, the interior was very calm for a BMW. It had a lot of plastic, which for $60k+, is diffiuclt to swallow. You know how EVs have crazy interiors with buttons and screens all over the place that scream electrification? Well, nothing about the interior of the i4 lets you know that this is an EV, save for the aforementioned 14 inches of screen in your face. 

    Final verdict? The BMW i4 eDrive40 doesn’t feel like an exceptional car. If you’re seeking an EV with much better quality control than Tesla, I suggest you perhaps start with a more cost-effective alternative, but if you have the money, go nuts and go BMW. 

  • Monday, May 22, 2023 10:00 AM | Michelle Suzuki (Administrator)

    National program honors writers, photographers, videographers, and social media producers

    May 22, 2023 — The Motor Press Guild, the nation’s largest association of automotive journalists and public relations professionals, is proud to announce the nominations for its Best of Automotive Journalism Awards. The national program, which is designed to promote the highest caliber work in the automotive sphere, solicits entries of the highest quality from across the country. 

    “Recognizing and rewarding topnotch work shines a light on our profession,” Jack R. Nerad, President of the Motor Press Guild, said. “In this era, the quality of our work, not just the quantity, deserves to be celebrated. Our long-running awards program does just that.”

    The MPG Best of Automotive Journalism Awards program includes books, articles, photographs, audio-visual works, and social media content. Each year the highest achievement in auto journalism from among all the nominees is honored with the Dean Batchelor Award, an award named after one of the nation’s leading lights in auto journalism.

    The following is a list of the writers, photographers, and other content creators and their work that has been nominated for the 2022 awards. In order to qualify, an article, video, book, or photograph must have been published for the first time in calendar-year 2022.

    Bob D’Olivo Award for Photography Nominations

    Randy Wells, Cover of September 2022 issue of Porsche Panorama

    Randy Wells, “The Last Porsche 911 ST Race Car”

    Evan Klein, “Everyday RSK”

    Evan Klein, Cover of April 2022 issue of Porsche Panorama

    Nick Berard, “Pedigreed”

    Christina Brinkerhoff, Cover of March 2022 issue of Porsche Panorama

    Michael Alan Ross, Cover of January 2022 issue of Porsche Panorama

    Jan Wagner, “Mustang drifting too close to the wall”

    Jan Wagner, “NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Brandon Jones walked away from this”

    Best Book Award Nominations

    Matt DeLorenzo, How to Buy an Affordable Electric Car: A Tightwad’s Guide to EV Ownership

    Randy Lanier with A.J. Baime, Survival of the Fastest

    David Dewhurst, Motocross: The Golden Era

    Sylvia Wilkinson, Dirt Tracks to Glory: The Early Days of Stock Car Racing

    Evan Klein and Scott Black, The Shelby 60th

    Mark R. Brinker and Myron T. Vernis, A Quiet Greatness: Japan’s Most Astonishing Automobiles for the Collector & Enthusiast

    Preston Lerner, Shelby American

    Best Article Award Nominations

    Steven Cole Smith, “How 'Drive to Survive' Helped Formula 1 Win Over America”

    Basem Wasef, “2022 Ferrari 296 GTB First Drive Review: The 818-HP Hybrid V6 Doesn’t Disappoint”

    Basem Wasef, “2023 McLaren Artura First Drive Review: The Second Life Of Supercars”

    Basem Wasef, “2023 Porsche 911 GT3 RS First Drive Review: System Of A Down(Force)

    Basem Wasef, “Freezing Time: Behind the Scenes of a Moment with Two Landmark Concept Cars at Lingotto”

    Basem Wasef, “Go Behind the Scenes as RM Sotheby’s Inspects a Pre-Sale McLaren F1”

    Basem Wasef, “GT3 Touring: Design Language of Power”

    Basem Wasef, “Everyday RSK”

    Basem Wasef, “L.A. Story”

    John Chuldenko, “The Road to Recovery”

    Jan Wagner, “Gutsy Busch Light CLASH at the Coliseum" revs up a large new audience for NASCAR”

    Jan Wagner, “Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach features six major motorsports series”

    John L. Stein, “Getting my Goat”

    Daniel Miller, “Dream cars and some legal fender benders”

    Randy Wells, “The Rodfather - Behind the scenes with the outlaw Gary Emory”

    Mitch McCullough, “Le Mans Magic”

    Mitch McCullough, “Safari Survivor”

    Mercedes Lilienthal, “Worlds Apart, a Friendship Built on Dirt Tracks and 50cc Engines”

    Mercedes Lilienthal, “10 States, 2,400 Miles and More Than 100 Classic Cars”

    Best of Audio Visual Awards Nominations

    Basem Wasef and Anna Wyckoff, “Why Does She Hate the Mercedes-Benz W140?”

    Dave Kunz / ABC7 Los Angeles, "Acura Integra - Flashback to the '80s"

    Finalists in each of the categories will be announced on June 1. The 2022 Motor Press Guild Best of Automotive Journalism wards will be presented at MPG Drive Day 2023, June 6, at Calamigos Ranch in Malibu.

     

    The MPG Awards is a national program, and we’re soliciting works from the best outlets, large and small. We enthusiastically encourage all journalists and photographers to think about the best work that they (or a colleague) have done during 2022 and to get it in as early as possible for judging. Recognizing such work is something that encourages excellence in our chosen profession, and that helps to make what we do better understood by all.

    In order to qualify, an article, video, book, or photograph must have been published for the first time in 2022. We’d like to invite you to make a submission. 

    Have you written or read a great automotive news story this year? Is there a video, photograph or social media post that has turned your head, or a book that has informed you and caught your interest? 

    You can submit your own work or inspire others to submit their work, whether they are MPG members or not. If you’ve discovered a colleague’s work and think it is worthy of submission, but you’re not connected to them, you can email us at info@MotorPressGuild.org, and give us the details so that we can reach out and invite them to submit.

    To submit an entry access the MPG Awards entry form.

  • Monday, April 17, 2023 1:46 PM | Michelle Suzuki (Administrator)


    This year's Electrify Expo at the Long Beach Convention Center promises to be the best ever. And there is no doubt it will be a great event for MPG members because MPG has joined the event organizers to create a special panel discussion and lunch exclusively for our members.

    Electrify Expo wants your opinions regarding important issues revolving around vehicle electrification. Those opinions will be collected and released to the public at the Expo’s media day as part of MPG’s participation the event. 

    So please Take the Electrify Expo / MPG Survey.

    The Electrify Expo - MPG meeting, panel discussion, and luncheon will occur on Friday, May 19, at the Long Beach Convention Center. Details on the luncheon speakers and logistics will be announced soon, but mark your calendar today.

    You can also sign up to participate in this special event by clicking here and taking the survey.

  • Monday, April 17, 2023 1:44 PM | Michelle Suzuki (Administrator)


    Following up on our very successful 2022 event, MPG Drive Day will be held on Tuesday, June 6, at Calamigos Ranch in Malibu. It will include the opportunity to drive and evaluate new 2023 and 2024 model-year vehicles on the beautiful and challenging roads surrounding the ranch. The popular off-road course is back, too, promising to be more challenging — and more fun — than ever.

    In addition to exciting driving, MPG Drive Day will include breakfast, lunch, and snacks for all MPG member participants. As a bonus, we will hold our MPG Awards presentation ceremony during our midday lunch. This will give us the opportunity to honor all the great work by our members and others during 2022. 

    MPG Drive Day is open to all current MPG members.

     The day-of participation fee is $125, but MPG members can reserve their spot with an early-bird discount ($95). Journalist and Analyst members may drive test vehicles at the event. All other active members, photographers, and guests may ride along and join us for breakfast, lunch, and awards. 

    Go to the events page to register. Don't forget- you must be a member in good standing to register!

  • Monday, April 17, 2023 1:43 PM | Michelle Suzuki (Administrator)

    Since we have entered the second quarter of 2023, many of you have inquired why we haven’t opened up membership renewal and dues payment. Our new system, as outlined above, is the reason. After struggling with a so-so system for years, we have replaced it with a state-of-the-art system that you should find very easy to use.

    Membership renewals are now open and can be completed by clicking on this link. 



    In addition to the traditional membership levels, we have added enhanced levels for Journalist and Public Relations members. These premium levels enable members to enhance their directory listings with additional information and links. 

    Payment is straightforward and easy to complete. Membership cards are available for self-printing. 

    Please remember that all MPG memberships are on a calendar year basis, so the time to renew your 2023 membership has arrived. And remember, too, that our Drive Day event and many other events are “members only.” So please renew your membership today.

    Most of you should receive an email to log into the new website and renew your membership. Email info@motorpressguild.org if you need assistance. 

  • Monday, April 17, 2023 1:42 PM | Michelle Suzuki (Administrator)

    Many of us, including those on the MPG Board, have been disappointed by the timeliness of the MPG website. Many of the site's issues were caused by the behind-the-scenes structure of the site and the way it was administered. After battling these issues for years, the Board decided that the best way to fix it was to start over. So MPG is proud and happy to announce an all-new version of the organization's website, motorpressguild.org
    The website is based on a state-of-the-art architecture designed especially to serve nonprofit organizations like ours. It makes administering the website easier, quicker, and more straightforward, and it seamlessly supports other MPG functions — notably membership signups, renewals, and payments. 
    And, yes, to those who have been asking — you will be able to print out a current-year membership card after paying your 2023 membership dues. 

    The new site and associated automated functions won't solve all our issues, but they will go a long way to helping MPG serve its members the way they deserve to be served.
    We look forward to your contributions to the new MPG website.

  • Monday, April 17, 2023 1:41 PM | Michelle Suzuki (Administrator)

    Important News from the Motor Press Guild

     
    The Motor Press Guild has so much news to announce that it might not fit in one newsletter … but we’re going to try. 
     
    Here’s a bullet-point list of what’s new.

    • New MPG website (at the same address: motorpressguild.org)
    • New membership registration and dues payment procedures
    • New membership card available
    • New membership levels with enhanced listings
    • New member signup and dues payment procedures
    • MPG Drive Day details and signup
    • MPG Best of 2022 Award Program presentation details
    • MPG survey and lunch meeting at Electrify Expo
  • Tuesday, January 17, 2023 2:48 PM | Michelle Suzuki (Administrator)

    The 2023 Motor Press Guild (MPG) Board of Directors election results were announced on Monday, January 17, 2023 at the first MPG Board meeting of the year. Three new board members were elected to the Board by popular vote: Steven Ewing, Rebecca Lindland, and Sandra Munoz. Ryan ZumMallen was elected to serve on the board following a one-year appointment. 

    Once the 2023 MPG Board was seated, their first action was to elect new officers for the year, as required by the MPG bylaws. Board member Jack Nerad chaired the process. The new officers are: President Jack Nerad, Vice President Ryan ZumMallen, Treasurer Larry Rusznak and Secretary Lisa Delaney. Additional directors continuing service include James Bell, Jim Dvorak, and KJ Jones.

    The MPG Board would like to thank outgoing board member, Andrew Quillin for his noteworthy service on the MPG Board. 

    The 2023 MPG Board looks forward to bringing meaningful events, information, and value to the membership. 


Powered by Wild Apricot Membership Software