Author Archives: jeff

WordSearch March 18, 2013

Overview

Don’t wait for stories to appear in the store when you can become a member of Wheelbase Media’s weekly news service and save more than 50 percent while gaining instant access to the new features as they’re produced. Click here to get started.

If you are not a member of the media, but still wish to read this and other feature stories from Wheelbase Media, visit www.shiftweekly.com to subscribe to Auto Shift Weekly newsmag, available for your Apple iPad or for your home PC or laptop in pdf format.

Description

Use: Interactive content for media professionals looking to bolster recurring readership and increase the amount of exposure time for their products, whether print or Web.

What it is: Why are auto publications so dry and so serious? We’re living proof that car nuts have a sense of humor and want to have a little sugar on their Corn Flakes. Your readers will have fun with the “Driver ’s Seat” Word Search as they unearth people, places and events. Driver ’s Seat is just one step in making your auto product more interactive, which provides more exposure for advertisers and more revenue for all.

Product specifications

Due to the highly complicated graphic nature of this product, we do not yet offer a version that can be played online. Instead, visitors to your Web site can print out the crossword and play it at their leisure. Vote yes to having a playable online verion by clicking here.
High-resolution 300 dpi jpg CMYK file suitable for print and Web.

Please contact us to order this feature.

The Octane Lounge – Early warning – March. 18, 2013

Overview

The Octane Lounge – Cheap street – March. 25, 2013

Description

With spring at long last officially here, it’s not too early to be looking ahead two full seasons until fall, when the 2014 new cars start hitting the streets. Following are 10 all-new models we’re looking forward to seeing soon.

Please contact us to order this feature.

Shift! March. 18, 2013

Overview

Use: Media professionals demanding automotive content on technology and vehicles designed to reduce pollution and save readers money.

What it is: The first “green” feature. One of our most popular new weekly features takes a look at the auto world from the unique perspective of fuel efficiency and technology as it relates to the environment, from hydrogen, hybrids, electric power and other alternative methods of propulsion. “Shift” is exactly that: a shift in thinking. What will the vehicle of tomorrow look like? Your readers can find out today in Shift. This predesigned module can be used as-is or reconfigured to fit just about any space.

Product specifications

Mac and PC page layout with accompanying text and art files for maximum work flexibility.
High-resolution artwork suitable for print.
Includes Photoshop layers file of main “Shift” art.
Multi-platform page layout opens with either Quark Xpress or Adobe Indesign.
Layout is 8″x13″, but can be reconfigured by your designer to fit most spaces.
PDF of layout included.
About 900 words: separate text file included.
Fonts are not included, but we attempt to stay with standard system fonts. If not, just change the fonts to match your style.

Topics Covered

Diesel 3 Series gets New York moment
Note gives nod to better small-car vision
VW “e-ups” small car ante
Hyundai Hybrid speaks to efficiency
Norway government goes pro-electric
More Texans turn to hybrids

Please contact us to order this feature.

2013 Toyota RAV4

Overview

Description

What a difference a couple of decades can make.
The original Toyota RAV4 that helped usher in the compact-utility segment back in 1996 was a major design and marketing breakthrough. Vehicles such as the Honda CR-V, Ford Escape and others eventually followed, with all offering an economical and affordable way to deal with just about any type of inclemency that Ma Nature might have tossed our way.
The latest RAV4 is no less capable, but over the years has evolved into an elegant, sophisticated and highly detailed wagon. Physically it now displays all sorts of swoops and curves that replace a boxier design. In back, the side hinged cargo door with attached spare

Please contact us to order this feature.

Auto Almanac – March. 11

Overview

Use: Media professionals demanding non-traditional and interesting automotive content for print/Web.

What it is: A treasure trove of essential automotive quick hits. After designing a highly successful Almanac for one of our daily-newspaper customers, we wondered if we could put together an automotive version. As a result, your new Auto Almanac contains trivia, concept-car spy info, auction notes and even games. All along the way, we invite readers to interact and submit their own ideas.

Product specifications

Mac and PC page layout with accompanying text and art files for maximum work flexibility.
High-resolution artwork suitable for print.
Multi-platform page layout opens with either Quark Xpress or Adobe Indesign.
Layout is the standard one-column newspaper format, but can be reconfigured by your designer to fit most spaces and shapes.
PDF of layout included.
About 600 words: NO?separate text file included.
Fonts are not included, but we attempt to stay with standard system fonts. If not, just change the fonts to match your style.

Please contact us to order this feature.

Wally Parks

Overview

Use: Media professionals demanding top-quality automotive content for print/Web.Professional artwork, editing.

What it is: Cars are nothing without the people who create them and those who own, collect and preserve them. Profiles is designed to bring prominent, interesting car people to your readers’ attention. Fun, informative and masterfully designed, like most Wheelbase features, Profiles comes to you as a Quark Xpress/Adobe InDesign module that is completely editable for any space within your print pages or automotive Web site.

Product specifications

Mac and PC page layout with accompanying text and art files for maximum work flexibility.
High-resolution artwork suitable for print.
Includes Photoshop layers file of main art, where applicable.
Multi-platform page layout opens with either Quark Xpress or Adobe Indesign.
Layout is 8×21.5 inches (for newspaper use), with some depth variation from week to week, but can be reconfigured by your designer to fit most spaces.
PDF of layout included.
About 850 words: separate text file included.
Fonts are not included, but we attempt to stay with standard system fonts. If not, just change the fonts to match your style.

Description

It’s sometimes said that if you did a good job managing something, it could run itself when you were gone.

National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) drag racing thrives today even though its founder, Wally Parks, died in 2007. Before that, though, he personified life in the fast lane. Except in Goltry, Okla., that is.

Even if you wanted to try it, the folks here would tell you it’s probably impossible to do 200 mph through this town of 268 people (give or take). Finding a straight line through Goltry is a problem, plain and simple…

Please contact us to order this feature.

Upgrade a stereo? How? Why?

Overview

What is Auto Edit?

Welcome to AutoEdit, a new and slightly more irreverent weekly feature from Wheelbase Media.
Rather than your pages being a collection of random auto stories, the AutoEdit feature is intended to be the glue that holds it all together. Just as your editorial page is intended to be the pulse of your newspaper, Auto Edit can also be the pulse of your auto pages.
Auto edit runs 500-550 words and is all about your readers becoming more familiar with our key staff members via their personal views on the automotive world. Of all 18 of our weekly features, AutoEdit is the only one intended to provide weekly commentary. Journalistically speaking, this is just common sense since such commentary does not belong in our other news-type features.
Whether your readers agree or disagree with what’s written, they’ll know exactly how the writers of AutoEdit stand on their chosen topics. And, quite frankly, a little spirited debate is a healthy thing and that seems to be missing from more and more newspapers these days. AutoEdit is all about soul, getting back to the basics of solid content and showing readers that there are real people behind the nine-point typeface.

Story Intro

As a kid, I loved music. I think I was about 5 when mom snuck up on me while I was belting out what may well have been the first that song I ever, ummm . . . wrote.

Somehow I had made up words to go along with Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass. As you may recall, there are no actual lyrics. It’s instrumental music, but that didn’t stop me from howling, “when will be toniiiiiiiight,” at the top of my lungs along with Herb’s horn section. I would later use the word “precocious” to describe it. My mother would use the phrase “tone deaf.”

Please contact us to order this feature.

2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Overview

Description

Sport utility vehicles might be fading from the automotive landscape, but at least a couple of Chrysler’s Jeep-branded models tenaciously hold firm to the go-anywhere concept.

Of course Jeep’s warrior-inspired Wrangler is the group’s undisputed icon, but there’s certainly nothing old fashioned about the updated Grand Cherokee that’s now rolling off the assembly lines. The new 2014 model shows a freshly scrubbed face plus some major adjustments under the hood.

Please contact us to order this feature.

1907 Thomas Flyer

Overview

Use: Media professionals demanding top-quality automotive content for their print products and/or Web sites. Professional artwork, editing.

What it is: Many of you asked if we could put our expertise to work to create a feature that covers not just classic cars, but those vehicles that have left an indelible mark on car culture. The Fine Lines series examines significant vehicle marques, their backgrounds and their contributions to the history of the automobile. All this, with real artwork.

Product specifications

Mac and PC page layout with accompanying text and
art files for maximum work flexibility.
About 850 words: separate text file included.
Layout is 8×21.5 inches (newspaper), but can be
reconfigured by your designer to fit most spaces.
PDF of layout included.
High-resolution artwork suitable for print.
Includes Photoshop layers file of main art.
Multi-platform page layout opens with either Quark
Xpress or Adobe Indesign.
Fonts are not included, but we attempt to stay with
standard system fonts. If not, just change the fonts to
match your style.

Description

It’s a stunt that few of us would ever pull off . . . even with an airplane. Unless, of course, it was for a hit TV show called The Great Race.

But imagine racing to Paris, France, from New York, N.Y., in mid-winter by crossing the North American, Asian and European continents. Essentially, around the world…

Please contact us to order this feature.

AutoCross March 11, 2013

Overview

Description

Use: Media professionals demanding top-quality automotive content for their print products and/or Web sites. Professional artwork, editing.

What it is: For the auto thrill-seeker, this is one of the most unique additions to your publication. The International AutoCross will test the knowledge of your readers with trivia that scours automobile parts bins, dealer showrooms and the history of people and places that have made the automobile what it is today. Retain readers and have them coming back on a regular basis for more. Like Wheelbase’s other features, International AutoCross comes to you formatted and ready to use.

Product specifications

Due to the highly complicated graphic nature of this product, we do not yet offer a version that can be played online. Instead, visitors to your Web site can print out the crossword and play it at their leisure. Vote yes to having a playable online version by clicking here.
High-resolution 300 dpi jpg CMYK file suitable for printand Web. Postscript file also included for even higher resolution and no bitmapping of fonts.