Autoblog

Robert E. Petersen passed away today after a short battle with neuroendocrine cancer at the age of 80. Automotive journalists everywhere owe a good degree of gratitude to Petersen, who founded such magazines as Motor Trend, Hot Rod and Car Craft with his company, Petersen Publishing Inc. In fact, many of the titles published by Petersen reflected the man's own interests beyond the realm of autos, for instance Guns & Ammo. Petersen also realized his dream (and many of ours) of building a museum honoring the automobile, and in 1994 the seminal Petersen Automotive Museum was opened in Los Angeles.

To learn more about Robert E. Petersen and his life, check out the press release we received after the jump, as well as this interesting interview recently published by Motor Trend Classic.

Petersen is survived by his wife, Margie. In lieu of flowers, the family asks donations be made to the Petersen Automotive Museum or the charity of the person's choice in his honor.