Welcome to Kilometer Magazine, a new kind of online magazine from Vortex Media Group dedicated exclusively to the great cars and motorcycles — past, present and future — from Europe. We take great pride in being able to share this special brand of motoring culture with you through the comfort and convenience of the Internet.



Why would we create a magazine just for enthusiasts of European vehicles? The answer to that is simple: Kilometer Magazine is an extension of the work we’ve been doing for well over a decade with brand-enthusiast websites like VWvortex, Fourtitude, Swedespeed, MWerks and others. European cars and motorcycles are what we know and what we truly enjoy, and Kilometer allows us to share even more of that world with others who share this passion.



We know, it’s not really a magazine; at least not in the traditional sense. Your mail carrier hasn’t spilled his lunch on the torn cover, subscription cards aren’t falling out with every turn of the page, and there isn’t a card-weight tobacco ad tripping up your thumb in its search of that one article you really wanted to read.



Aside from all that (and the fact that it’s free) Kilometer is a magazine in just about every other way. Everything you’ll read on Kilometer — whether it be a news story about your favorite brand, a drive review of the latest model, or some other article that addresses the unique world of European motoring — is an original piece of work created by our passionate crew of writers and photographers.



We’ve taken great care to make the Kilometer experience as satisfying as possible for you, our reader. That means a fresh, clean design that looks nothing like other automotive publications. It means we haven’t overwhelmed our pages with advertisements. It also means we’ve worked to create quality, original content that is both informative and relevant. Just take a look at what’s inside and decide for yourself.

KM News:

Everybody does news, but Kilometer Magazine news is a bit different. We aren’t simply cutting and pasting press releases, and we aren’t cluttering the pages with unfounded rumors, speculation, or random eBay spottings. Instead we concentrate on delivering our informed take on the most important product, industry, and aftermarket happenings.

KM Garage:

The Kilometer Magazine Garage is a busy place, and this section highlights the daily happenings at our home office. Articles found inside the KM Garage are fairly brief and fall into one of three categories: Passing Lane, Daily Driver, or Project. In the Passing Lane are those new vehicles in which we spend extended time, typically a week or more, giving us an opportunity to live with and note the finer details of recent debuts. With Daily Driver articles we deliver regular updates on the select group of vehicles we’re lucky enough to drive (and sometimes modify) for longer stints, often a full year. Project articles offer a look at our personal vehicles, the ones our significant others often wish we’d never bought.

KM Features:

Forgive us for not keeping our Features section as concise as News and Garage, but there are just so many different story types we want to bring you here. They are a bit longer in format and with totally original layouts, often with our own unique photography.

• Preview: For some more notable model debuts, we’ll go beyond the news story and provide a deep analysis of a design and technology prior to our first drive opportunity.






• First Drive/Ride: We hope this one is self-explanatory. These stories will feature our first drive (or ride, with bikes) impressions of the latest new models.






• Euro Spec: The grass is always greener on the other side. Or is it? When we’re in Europe we make an effort to drive the cool stuff we can’t get here in the States. We’ll bring you along for the ride with these stories.






• Evolution: They don’t build ‘em like they used to, and sometimes that’s a good thing. In our Evolution series we look at some of the most legendary models and chronicle their progress through the generations.






• Hindsight: It’s 20/20, you know. So when we drive older models for these features, we analyze them through modern eyes.






• Icon: In this series we’ll work through an open-ended list of the greatest cars and bikes built in the old world, focusing on those qualities and achievements that have made them so legendary.






• Matchup: Sometimes you just have to pull a couple of competitors side-by-side and see what each one is really made of. Our Matchups aren’t the dull, consumer-variety comparisons you see in other places.






• Tuned: The aftermarket can be a wonderful place. Our Tuned articles highlight the best full-on tuner machines from the most respected companies out there.






• Grand Touring: Get out and live a little. We do, and this is where we share our journeys on the road of life. Come along as we visit some of the most memorable places and events in the motoring world.






• Equipped: Half the fun of motoring is all the gear that comes along with it. We fill you in on our latest discoveries and favorite finds for your desk, your garage or your closet.






• Tech: The modern world can be complicated, but we’ll help you figure it all out. Whether it’s technology or technique, we tell you everything we know about the subject at hand.






• Persona: The world of European motoring is full of colorful, passionate people. Our Persona articles offer a glimpse into the thoughts and pursuits of the most memorable personalities we encounter.






• Event: Follow us as we attend some of the world’s great events with live photos, first impressions, and gossip from gatherings around the world.






• Viewpoint: Sometimes we need to rant, and sometimes there’s simply something that needs to be said but can’t be worked into a review or news update. Such as this introduction to Kilometer Magazine, which happens to be a Viewpoint feature.

KM Lounge

: Join us in the Kilometer Lounge, a dedicated discussion forum for all of Kilometer’s news and feature stories. And feel free to start your own topics here as well. If the topic involves European motoring, throw it out there and see where it goes.



So now you have a better idea what to expect from us. We could tell you that Kilometer Magazine is the only site you’ll ever need to read, but we’re a humble bunch, and we’ll spare you the hard sell. We hope you’ll bookmark Kilometer Magazine and make it one of your daily stops. See you up the road.