BBC Magazines Extends Top Gear Brand With Special Issue

BBC Magazines is to to build on the success of its Top Gear Turbo title with the launch of another special issue targeting 10 to 14 year old boys with an interest in cars.

The one-off issue will hit the news-stands today with a cover price of £1.95. It will include a range of news, features and information covering all aspects of motoring for younger readers.

The title will be covermounted with a sticker sheet and two posters of sports cars. It is designed to drive readers to the adult Top Gear magazine, which saw circulation decline by 4.1% year on year to 144,583, according to the latest ABC results for the six months to June 2003.

Commenting on the launch, Adam Waddell, publisher of the title, said: “The Top Gear television show has proved to be very popular ‘lads and dads’ programming and since we already produce an adult motoring magazine it made obvious sense to create a product for younger fans of Top Gear.”

He continued: “Our audience grasped the concept of Top Gear Turbo pretty quickly giving us the confidence to commit to future issues of what was originally a ‘one-shot’ title. Judging from sales of issue one and the emails that we’ve received from readers I reckon we’ve struck a chord with an interesting new audience.”

BBC Magazines recently announced that its new teenage title due to launch later this autumn will be called Dare.

The magazine will appear on the news-stands on 22 October and will be published fortnightly with a coverprice of £1.60. It will target ten to fourteen year-old girls and will have a strong celebrity focus (see BBC Magazines Dares To Be Different With New Teen Title).

BBC: 020 8743 8000 www.bbc.co.uk

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