It's been awhile since I've posted one of these missives, but regular readers might recall they're usually datelined either from some exotic locale, or from a berth at 35,000 feet jetting off to cover a story for TheCarConnection.com. This note, surprisingly, is being written from TCC's "world headquarters" in the little dot known as Pleasant Ridge, Mich., a town so small the sign on Woodward Ave. says both "Welcome to…" and "Thanks for visiting…" As soon as I finish typing, however, it's off again. And the fact is, few of TheCarConnection's editors and contributors have had much of a chance to sit in one place all year. Whether it's a breaking story or the introduction of a new product, the auto industry has never operated at a faster pace. And it takes a talented team of correspondents to keep readers like you on top of what's happening.
January will mark the sixth anniversary of the public debut of the Web's Automotive Authority. And it's nice to know that all our hard work has validated that motto in the eyes of independent outsiders. TheCarConnection's Daily Edition was recently named "Best-of-the-Web" in the International Automotive Media Awards. That's no mean feat considering the wealth of competition out there.
And that was only the most notable kudos from the jury of our peers. Daily also took a gold medal for its general auto show coverage, while yours truly and TCC Exec Editor Marty Padgett laid claim to a bronze for reporting on the 2002 Detroit auto show. Marty's road test of the 2002 Mini Cooper took a silver, while regular contributor Bob Hall took bronze for his 2003 Ford Expedition piece. Humbly, I'll note I captured a silver for coverage of the departure of Wolfgang Reitzle as head of Ford's Premier Automotive Group.
False modesty aside, since its debut, TheCarConnection has become the most award-winning source of automotive news on the Internet. It's no wonder the number of readers who turn to TCC has increased almost five-fold over the last 12 months, while the subscriber list for our Daily Edition continues to grow at an almost exponential rate.
With the introduction of Weekly Car Guide, our new consumer newsletter - or "push" e-mail, as the techies like to say - we hope to serve the unique needs of automotive buyers, sellers and owners.
You'll be seeing - and hearing - TheCarConnection.com in more places in the months to come. You may have noticed our What's New for 2003 project produced in cooperation with America Online. And perhaps you've heard us on the nationally syndicated auto talk program, The C.A.R. Show, or NPR's Morning Edition. We're lining up additional affiliations and partnerships for the months to come.
But one thing won't change: our dedication to delivering the most complete coverage of the auto industry, coverage that takes in the complete story, not just one dimension of this complex subject. No wonder TCC continues to win the right to call itself the Web's Automotive Authority.
