AUTOMOBILE MAGAZINE Announces Its 2004 Readers' Choice All-Star Awards; May 2004 Issue Recognizes Readers' Top Selections Across 14 Categories

NEW YORK--April 6, 2004--AUTOMOBILE MAGAZINE, America's leading automotive lifestyle publication, today announced the winners of its 2004 Readers' Choice All-Star Awards, representing the outstanding cars and trucks in 14 categories as selected by readers of AUTOMOBILE MAGAZINE. This is highly valued recognition among competitive manufacturers, and the winners will be featured in the May 20, 200404 issue, hitting newsstands April 13, 2004.

In each January issue, AUTOMOBILE MAGAZINE publishes a ballot form asking its readers to vote for the best vehicles in 14 categories, with the results of this survey published each May as the Readers' Choice All-Stars. The 2004 Readers' Choice All-Stars and some sample quotes from readers are as follows:

-- Best Luxury Sedan over $40,000: Audi A8L - "For my dollar, I want poise, presence, and power. The A8L has that in spades. It's the automotive equivalent of Jack Nicholson." Jake Palenske - Sachse, Texas

-- Best Luxury Sedan under $40,000: BMW 3-series - "The 3-series was the best, is the best, and always will be the best in this segment." Bobby Huen - Boston, Massachusetts

-- Best Small Car: Mini Cooper/Cooper S - "What other car in this category can instantly cause complete strangers to smile and strike up a conversation with you?" Rick Stannard - Colchester, Connecticut

-- Best Family Car: Honda Accord - "My next-door neighbor is German and owns one. Enough said." Michael Bucek - Nashville, Tennessee

-- Best Sport Sedan: Cadillac CTS V - "America, once again, shows Germany who's boss." Jesda Gulati - Saint Louis, Missouri

-- Best Coupe: Infiniti G35 Sport Coupe - "The G35 is the first car that would make me put posters back in my garage." Mike Keller, Exton, Pennsylvania

-- Best GT: Porsche 911 - "If we all could look so good at forty..." Will Sabel Courtney - Stowe, Vermont

-- Best Sports Car: Chevrolet Corvette - "Every trip to the corner store turns into a blast down the Mulsanne straight, through Indianapolis and Arnage, then toward Maison Blanche." Robert Upward - Orangeville, Ontario, Canada

-- Best Supercar: Porsche 911 Turbo - "This car is the reason state lotteries do so well." Greg Wantin - Saint Clair, Michigan

-- Best Large SUV: Land Rover Range Rover - "The Range Rover's breadth of competency is beyond any and all of its competitors." Charles Cherry - Glenview, Illinois

-- Best Mid-size SUV: Volkswagen Touareg - "It's like the Cayenne but not stupid." Devin Wilger - Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

-- Best Small SUV: BMW X3 - "It's the X5's Mini Me." Mark Cosmiano - Foster City, California

-- Best Pickup: Ford F-150 - "Toyota and Nissan have very credible entries, but with the new F-150, the full-size pickup remains the last bastion of American automotive superiority." Jeff Trepel - Gastonia, North Carolina

-- Best Minivan: Honda Odyssey - "The minivan for people who'd rather be driving a car." Steve Robinson - Billings, Montana

The readers have spoken, and AUTOMOBILE MAGAZINE congratulates this year's winning manufacturers. Coming from one of the leading automotive publications in the industry, AUTOMOBILE MAGAZINE's annual Readers' Choice All-Star Awards are highly respected distinctions that allow consumers to have a voice in acknowledging some of the industry's leading vehicles. These awards arrive on the heels of AUTOMOBILE MAGAZINE's annual editorial All-Star Awards, which are announced each January and recognize leaders, vehicles, and technology in the automotive sector.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Editor-in-Chief Jean Jennings and other AUTOMOBILE MAGAZINE editors are available for commentary. Art is available upon request.

About AUTOMOBILE MAGAZINE

AUTOMOBILE MAGAZINE, a PRIMEDIA publication, was founded in 1986 by veteran automotive journalist David E. Davis, Jr., and has a circulation of 550,000 and a total readership of 3,559,000 million. Recipient of more editorial awards than any other major automotive publication, AUTOMOBILE MAGAZINE is designed to appeal to the interests of passionate automotive enthusiasts. Its diverse editorial mix includes behind-the-wheel experiences in the world's most fascinating cars, as well as personalities, travel destinations, automotive art, vintage cars and industry trends.