David E. Davis, Jr.

David E. Davis, Jr. is an automobile journalist and magazine publisher. His career in the automotive industry spanned from race car driver, factory worker and car salesman to ad salesman with Road & Track and copywriter for Corvette advertisements before becoming a writer for Car and Driver magazine in 1962. He wrote for that publication until 1967 and later became its editor and publisher from 1976 to 1985 before leaving to found Automobile magazine. During this time, his "Driver's Seat" columns for Car and Driver, and "American Driver" columns for Automobile, became wildly popular and influential in the industry. Time magazine called Davis the "dean of automotive journalists." He is also the editorial director of Motor Trend magazine. He has been semi-retired from day-to-day operations on Automobile since 2000, and continues to serve as editorial director of Motor Trend. In 1985, during a 60 Minutes special report on the Lamborghini Countach, he said "I believe that anyone who is worth their salt should drive a V12 once before they die." A statement that mirrored his earnest appreciation, at times even for the ridiculous, for great automobiles. Image File history File links DavidEDavis. ... Image File history File links DavidEDavis. ... Karl Benzs Velo (vélo means bicycle in French) model (1894) - entered into the first automobile race 2005 MINI Cooper S. An automobile (also motor car or simply car) is a wheeled passenger vehicle that carries its own motor. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Road & Track is an automobile enthusiast magazine in the United States, founded by two friends in 1947. ... French steam corvette Dupleix (1856-1887) Canadian corvettes on antisubmarine convoy escort duty during World War II. A corvette is a small, maneuverable, lightly armed warship, smaller than a frigate but larger than a coastal patrol craft. ... Cover of Car and Driver from age of psychedelic lettering Car and Driver is an American automotive enthusiast magazine. ... 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar). ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ... 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ... 1985 (MCMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Automobile Magazine is an automobile magazine in the United States. ... (Clockwise from upper left) Time magazine covers from May 7, 1945; July 25, 1969; December 31, 1999; September 14, 2001; and April 21, 2003. ... Motor Trend is one of the oldest automotive magazines still publishing. ... Lamborghini Countach from the top. ...

In 2004, Davis received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from the University of Michigan, and served as its spring commencement speaker. He received a standing ovation for the speech, which delved into the triumphs and tragedies of his personal life, including a race car accident at age 25 which left his face severely disfigured and required extensive plastic surgery. After that, he said, "I suddenly understood with great clarity that nothing in life — except death itself — was ever going to kill me. No meeting could ever go that badly. No client would ever be that angry. No business error would ever bring me as close to the brink as I had already been." He often describes the incident in speaking engagements and columns as thoroughly life-changing, and says he was "born again." 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (UM, U of M or U-M) is a coeducational public research university in the U.S. state of Michigan. ...

Mr. Davis is now Editor-in-Chief of Winding Road an e-zine for high-performance vehicles. It is published by Absolute Multimedia, Inc. of Austin, Texas, publishers of 'The Absolute Sound' and 'The Perfect Vision.' Winding Road is a digital automotive magazine owned by Absolute Multimedia, Inc. ...

Mr. Davis lives in [Ann Arbor], [Michigan].

External links

• Davis bio at Motor Trend
• Review of Davis' collection of columns at cars.com
• University of Michigan 2004 commencement article including recount of Davis' commencement address