Autoblog

In the ongoing struggle between magazines and websites, it should be immediately clear to anyone where we stand. With websites like ours getting constantly updated as the news emerges, magazines are increasingly becoming an outdated relic for delivering automotive news to enthusiasts (like yourself, reading this post).

There are, however, a few redeeming publications out there that deliver the kind of features that are best enjoyed in print, despite the stale news that precedes the juicy articles. Some of our favorite magazines come from across the pond, where members of the motoring press seem to have a better grasp of what makes for a quality publication. Among them are evo and Octane, two small-time magazines that consistently deliver quality content that rivals, if not exceeds, the offerings from the more established car mags on the news stand. (Check them out at your local magazine rack and you'll see what we mean.) evo consistently puts the most exciting cars through the paces while forgoing the boring minivan group tests, with a long-term test fleet that includes track cars and exotics. Octane, meanwhile, is a favorite of classic car enthusiasts and features regular columns from the likes of Jay Leno and Carroll Shelby alongside retrospectives and buying guides on the most iconic cars ever to grace asphalt.

Now these two quality publications will be coming under the same roof, as evo's parent Dennis Publishing has announced the acquisition of Octane Media. Dennis is an independent publishing house, where Octane joins its motoring division along with evo and Auto Express. The new synergy between these two top-drawer magazines should only help both continue to elevate the level of quality that will keep us reading even during those sad moments when we have to step away from our monitors.

Press release after the jump.

[Source: Dennis Publishing]

Every driver  is feeling the pinch at the pump these days, but the skyrocketing cost of gasoline is affecting more than just your commuting habits. Ordering out for pizza? You might want to reconsider the pepperoni. Having flowers delivered to your sweetie? Might want to switch the roses for carnations. Need a landscaper? Take a look in the mirror-- because the rise in oil prices is leading service-based businesses of all stripes to ratchet up their prices or lose revenue.

While many are resisting adding a dollar or two to the costs of their goods and services, if pump prices continue to trend upward as expected, fewer will be able to avoid passing the buck to consumers. For many, a slight surcharge to account for gas premiums won't curtail their spending habits, but for some, it may mean the difference between ordering-in or cooking at home. Regardless, it's another way in which the high cost of filling up is affecting local and national economies.

Have you noticed an increase in costs attributable to gasoline prices? Sound off in 'Comments.'

[Source: The Daily Breeze; SushiCam.com]

In what must be one of the most ill-timed product launches in history, British Petroleum has chosen a time of record pump prices to launch a new brand of ultra-premium fuel that retails for nearly $20 a gallon in the U.K. (that's about $16.32 per U.S. gallon).

BP's new Ultimate 102 boasts an octane rating of - you guessed it - 102, and is made in limited quantities by BP's Specialty Fuels Technology Centre, using the same techniques used to craft Formula 1 race fuel.

What's the point? The high-octane fuel typically boosts power output on modern performance cars by between 4 and 7.5 percent over BP's standard Ultimate 97, provided your ride is willing and able to remap its ignition and/or increase turbo boost.

Ultimate 102 has its own minisite here, and (this must be a first) the fuel will soon have its own blog here. The product is only available in the U.K., at least for now.

[Source: BP]