Author Archives: Tabitha

SEMA show isn’t just about parts, it’s an experience
Full Throttle Aug 24, 2015

Courtney_1Overview

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.

Use: Media professionals looking to diversify their automotive readership with women authors who provide their views on a wide variety of topics.

What it is: Courtney Hansen, America’s favorite Garage Girl and the former host of The Learning Channel’s Overhaulin’ auto makeover show, a new-book author and the host of Spike TV’s weekend “Power Block,” has teamed up with Wheelbase Communications for this exclusive column. If you’re looking to build more regular readership and to bring more women into the pages of your print publication and Web pages with the help of a friendly and outgoing automotive celebrity, this bi-weekly column that alternates with our own Rhonda Wheeler is a must.

Product specifications

  • About 800-900 words; Word text file plus high-resolution art files for print and Web use.
  • Mac and PC layout with accompanying text and art files for maximum work flexibility.
  • High-resolution artwork suitable for print.
  • Coming soon! Multi-platform page layout that opens with either Quark Xpress or Adobe Indesign.

Description

Many people refer to Las Vegas, Nev., as the Disneyland for adults. Well, I would definitely call the years Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas the Disneyland for automotive enthusiasts.
During the first week of November, automotive parts and accessory companies and major vehicle manufacturers showcase their latest wares to prospective volume buyers: other companies. Not open the public, the show is the beginning point for what will be on store shelves this season.

Please contact us to order this feature.

Mercedes-Benz GL-class: 2007-’12
Aug 24, 2015

AutoFile_MERCEDES_GLOverview

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 check out some of our stories online, visit www.theoctanelounge.com, which is owned by Wheelbase Media.

Description

A six-inch stretch between the front and rear wheels over the ML allowed the GL three rows of seats instead of two. Mercedes-Benz’s designers literally went to great lengths to create sufficient head and leg room for two full-sized passengers perched on the 50/50 split- and power-folding rear bench. Cargo capacity was also generous, especially when both second- and third-row seats were folded flat.

 Please contact us to order this feature.

2016 Audi TT
Aug 24, 2015

Untitled-19.inddOverview

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 check out some of our stories online, visit www.theoctanelounge.com, which is owned by Wheelbase Media.

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

Some cars are instantly recognizable, for all the right or wrong reasons. In the Audi TT’s case, the now familiar soap-dish silhouette evokes mostly lust and passion among fans of the German-engineered coupe and roadster (both TTs are assembled in Hungary). But of the two body styles, the slinky 2+2 coupe usually garners the most attention and sales.
The TT caused a sensation when it was first introduced to North America for the 2000 model year and the third-generation editions now arriving in dealer showrooms are set to do it again for 2016.

Please contact us to order this feature.

L.A. Auto Show
AutoKnow Aug 24, 2015

AutoKnow_LA_AUTO_SHOWOverview

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 check out some of our stories online, visit www.theoctanelounge.com, which is owned by Wheelbase Media.
Use: Media professionals demanding a variety of automotive topics for broader readership.
What it is: Diversity matters. An automotive print product or Web site largely based on new-vehicle reviews is missing an enormous readership. Auto Know gives us the latitude to explore fantastic auto-related stories outside the realm of mere reviews. Whether it’s about how surround sound is engineered into a vehicle, European cars that will land on our shores, or knowing when it’s time to throw in the towel on your old beater, Auto Know is the perfect tool to capture new readers. . . with solid, interesting stories.

Product specifications

  • Mac and PC page layout with accompanying text and art files for maximum work flexibility.
  • Layout is 8×21.5 inches (newspaper), but can be reconfigured by your designer to fit most spaces.
  • PDF of layout included.
  • About 800-900 words; separate Word text included if you don’t want to use the supplied layout.
  • Artwork resolution (200-250 dpi) is high enough for print use.
  • 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

The Los Angeles Auto Show will forever be known for its glitz and “greenery” due to a blend of celebrity status and eco-friendliness.
Beyond the hybrid and luxury markets, the L.A. Auto Show (Nov. 20-29), has never been known for an extensive lineup of groundbreaking introductions. But this year’s show outdid itself with more than 50 diverse debuts that complemented a West Coast wave of news and announcements that could dramatically change the course of automotive direction and design.

Please contact us to order this feature.

The Auto Sleuth
Aug 24, 2015

Untitled-18.inddOverview

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 check out some of our stories online, visit www.theoctanelounge.com, which is owned by Wheelbase Media.
Use: Voted the best automotive news column available: you need it.

What it is: If you could have only one automotive feature, this should be it. At Wheelbase Communications, we’ve chosen to stay away from providing an automotive-news column until we could do it in a non-traditional way. And here it is: the Auto Sleuth. Our worldly gumshoe has his ear to the ground, digging up the latest news on everything from product launches and updates to names in the news. The column is solely driven by reader interest. No boring statistics or auto-company pap here, just the straight goods peppered with the Auto Sleuth’s commentary and speculative, gossipy-style.

Product specifications

  • Mac and PC print layout with separate text and art files for maximum work flexibility.
  • High-resolution artwork suitable for print.
  • Multi-platform layout opens with either Quark Xpress or Adobe Indesign.
  • Layout is 8×16 inches (newspaper), 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.

Please contact us to order this feature.

Shift!
Aug 24, 2015

Untitled-16.inddOverview

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 check out some of our stories online, visit www.theoctanelounge.com, which is owned by Wheelbase Media.
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.

Please contact us to order this feature.

Profiles, Louise Smith
Aug 24, 2015

Untitled-15.inddOverview

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 check out some of our stories online, visit www.theoctanelounge.com, which is owned by Wheelbase Media.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

Stock-car racing has always been about the “good ol’ boys.” But what about the “good ol’ girls?”
What about the wild woman from Barnesville, Ga., who used to show her passion for driving fast by outrunning the police in her hometown? What about the woman who loved hanging it out there so much that she nearly broke every bone in her body . . . and was darn proud of it?

Please contact us to order this feature.