About YOUNGTIMER

YOUNGTIMER

YOUNGTIMER is the Stuttgart-based classic-car magazine of the Motor Presse Stuttgart publishing house, dedicated to the enthusiast vehicles of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. First published in 2003, the magazine appears eight times a year with a circulation of around 25,000 copies, serving the growing community of drivers and collectors of modern classics — the cars too young for oldtimer status but old enough for devotion. The editor-in-chief is Hans-Jörg Götzl, who has led both YOUNGTIMER and its sister title Motor Klassik since December 2011.

Overview

The modern-classic definition gives the magazine its editorial territory: the Scheinanglizismus "youngtimer" — unknown in English, where "modern classic" is the equivalent — covers the enthusiast vehicles not yet oldtimers. The German usage's 20-year rule of thumb and the H-plate 30-year threshold frame the segment; the magazine's last-quarter-of-the-20th-century definition fixes the canon.

The eight-issues rhythm structures the year: the regular buying guides, the restoration series, and the thematic specials. The ~25,000-copy circulation's enthusiast readership gives the B2B advertisers — parts suppliers, insurers, restorers — the targeted audience.

The Götzl dual leadership connects the titles: the Motor Klassik's pre-war-to-1970s oldtimer journalism and the YOUNGTIMER's 1970s–1990s modern-classic coverage complement each other in the shared Stuttgart newsroom. The 1994-joined Götzl's three-decade Motor Presse career gives the editorship its authority.

The magazine YOUNGTIMER of the Motor Presse Stuttgart publishing house dedicates itself, according to its cover, to the vehicles of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. Since the magazine first appeared in 2003, the 1970s vehicles were still within the common definition at the time; the perspective defines — regardless of today's age — all motor vehicles built roughly in the last quarter of the 20th century as youngtimers.

YOUNGTIMER appears eight times a year with a circulation of approximately 25,084 copies. The readership comprises the enthusiasts of modern classics: drivers, collectors, and restorers of the 1970s–1990s cars and motorcycles. The magazine's program covers buying advice, restoration reports, model histories, and market observations for the youngtimer segment.

The editor-in-chief is Hans-Jörg Götzl, born 1967 in Dorsten, the German motoring journalist who has led YOUNGTIMER and Motor Klassik since December 2011. Götzl joined Motor Klassik as an editor in 1994 and became deputy editor-in-chief of both Motor Klassik and YOUNGTIMER in 2006, taking over the editorial leadership from Malte Jürgens in 2011.

History

The 2003 launch year's scene context framed the program: the 1970s cars' emerging collectibility, the 1980s icons' enthusiast following, and the modern-classic market's formation. The Motor Presse Stuttgart's classic-car expertise — the 1984-founded Motor Klassik — gave the spin-off its publishing base.

The Cremers continuity embodies the magazine's enthusiast soul: the from-the-start editor's 41-car buying history since 2003, the personal passion documented in the editorials, and the "man sieht sich zweimal" — missed opportunities return — philosophy. The Jürgens 2005 book's Stuttgart publication marked the early canonization.

The 2011 Götzl takeover's timing aligned with the segment's growth: the youngtimer market's maturation, the 1990s cars' collectibility arrival, and the joint Motor Klassik leadership's synergies. The 2025 digital samples document the ongoing eight-issues operation.

The 2003 first issue placed YOUNGTIMER in the emerging modern-classic wave: the 1970s and 1980s cars were becoming collectible, and the Motor Presse Stuttgart — home of auto motor und sport and Motor Klassik — created the dedicated title for the segment. The magazine's definition of the youngtimer, fixed on the last quarter of the 20th century, gave the growing scene its editorial home.

The editorial continuity is embodied by Alf Cremers, with YOUNGTIMER from the very beginning: "Alf Cremers ist bei YOUNGTIMER von Anfang an dabei. Seit 2003 kaufte er 41 Autos" — since 2003 he bought 41 cars. The 2005 book "Youngtimer" by Malte Jürgens, published in Stuttgart, documented the early editorial perspective.

The Götzl era since 2011 brought the joint leadership with Motor Klassik: the December 2011 appointment as editor-in-chief of both titles, the shared Stuttgart newsroom, and the coordinated classic-car journalism. The 2025 issues document the current operation, with the digital reading samples on digital.motorpresse.de.

Coverage and Content

The Mercedes-Benz journalism anchors the German canon: the V12 flagships' twelve-cylinder indulgence, the R129 SL's typical-youngtimer status, and the Stuttgart brand's modern-classic heritage. The "fetten Zwölfzylinder" celebration captures the enthusiast tone.

The Japanese-car journalism addresses the Nippon cult: the editorial team's favorite Japanese models, the import-scene coverage, and the catalog's comprehensive overview. The Japan special's thematic depth serves the JDM enthusiasts.

The Volkswagen journalism covers the people's classics: the Corrado G60 and VR6's everyday usability, the notchback Golf's "sind Sie etwa normal?" curiosity, and the Bora VR5's five-cylinder character. The Wolfsburg models' accessible collectibility defines the segment's breadth.

The BMW motorcycle coverage includes the two-wheel youngtimers: the K1's typical motorrad-youngtimer status and the 1980s–1990s bike journalism. The four-and-two-wheel scope gives the magazine its complete modern-classic program.

The buying-advice journalism serves the market: the ten-unusual-cars features, the price observations, and the purchase checklists. The restoration series' hands-on guidance supports the DIY readership.

The model coverage spans the youngtimer canon: the Mercedes-Benz V12 flagships — CL 600, 600 SEL, SL 600 — celebrated under "Gönnen Sie sich einen fetten Zwölfzylinder!"; the Mazda MX-5 restoration features; the VW Corrado G60 and VR6 everyday-classic reports; and the notchback Golf and VW Bora VR5 curiosities.

The Japan special illustrates the thematic issues: the "Großes Japan-Spezial" with the Japan catalog covering the Nippon cult and the editorial team's favorite Japanese cars. The ten-unusual-cars features and the buying guides serve the collectors' practical needs.

The restoration journalism addresses the hands-on readership: the MX-5 restoration series, the workshop guidance, and the parts-sourcing advice. The market coverage tracks the youngtimer values and the scene's events.

Organization and Ownership

The Motor Presse Stuttgart's automotive portfolio frames the title: the auto motor und sport's 14-dayly flagship, the Motor Klassik's monthly oldtimer journalism, and the YOUNGTIMER's eight-issues modern-classic coverage. The Stuttgart headquarters' motoring-press concentration gives the magazine its newsroom.

The Götzl-Cremers editorial team defines the journalism: Hans-Jörg Götzl's editor-in-chief leadership of both classic titles, Alf Cremers' from-the-start YOUNGTIMER authorship, and the shared classic-car expertise. The 2006 deputy-editorship's joint structure anticipated the 2011 dual leadership.

The enthusiast-publisher economics sustain the niche: the ~25,000-copy circulation's dedicated readership, the parts-and-service advertisers' targeted spend, and the eight-issues frequency's focused program. The modern-classic segment's growth supports the magazine's continued operation.

YOUNGTIMER is published by the Motor Presse Stuttgart, one of Germany's major special-interest publishers headquartered in Stuttgart. The editor-in-chief is Hans-Jörg Götzl, leading both YOUNGTIMER and Motor Klassik since December 2011. The long-serving editor Alf Cremers has shaped the magazine since its 2003 founding.

Current publisher-side management details beyond the Motor Presse Stuttgart corporate structure are not publicly confirmed in the sources reviewed. The magazine operates within the publisher's automotive portfolio alongside auto motor und sport, Motor Klassik, sport auto, and AutoStraßenverkehr.

Digital Presence

The youngtimer-magazin.de portal's content serves the scene's daily needs: the article teasers, the issue previews, and the subscription management. The portal's Stuttgart-publisher integration gives the digital presence its professional base.

The digital.motorpresse.de sampling gives the prospective readers the trial: the 03/2025 issue's reading sample, the cover-story previews, and the editorial's personal voice. The e-paper availability extends the eight print issues digitally.

The Motor Presse Stuttgart's automotive digital network amplifies the brand: the auto-motor-und-sport.de cross-traffic, the Motor Klassik's shared audience, and the publisher's classic-car event presence. The print magazine's enthusiast journalism anchors the brand in the physical youngtimer scene.

The digital home is youngtimer-magazin.de, the magazine's portal. The digital.motorpresse.de platform offers reading samples of current issues, such as the YOUNGTIMER 03/2025 edition. The Motor Presse Stuttgart's digital infrastructure supports the title's online presence alongside the eight annual print issues.

Through the portal, the digital reading samples, and the print magazine's youngtimer journalism, YOUNGTIMER maintains its role as the voice of the modern-classic scene — the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s enthusiast vehicles — since 2003.