Automotive News

What Automotive News does

Automotive News is a privately held B2B trade media brand operated by Crain Communications Inc., founded in 1925 and headquartered in Detroit, Michigan. It publishes a flagship weekly automotive industry title (digital and print) with regional editions for Europe, Canada, China, and a German-language sister title Automobilwoche, supported by editorial bureaus in Tokyo, Atlanta, Stuttgart, and Berlin. The product portfolio spans multi-tier subscriptions, proprietary data tools (Catalyst IQ pricing tracker, Data Center, Dealer Census, Top 150 rankings, Future Product Pipeline), an AI research feature (AutoNews Answers), podcasts and video, and branded events and awards including the PACE Awards and Global Outlook Panel.

The business operates a hybrid revenue model combining recurring B2B subscriptions (62,882 paid subscribers with 94% renewal), display and newsletter advertising sold through an internal sales team, and event/awards sponsorship and attendance. Distribution spans website, email newsletters, podcasts, video, mobile, and live events, with content aggregation partnerships with Bloomberg and Reuters Business News. The company serves a horizontal industry audience of vehicle manufacturers, franchised dealers, OE suppliers, and allied professionals across finance, insurance, and technology.

Name

Automotive News

Legal name

Crain Communications Inc.

Website

https://autonews.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1925

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Automotive News is a 100-year-old B2B trade media brand (Crain Communications) providing subscription news, proprietary data tools, and industry events for automotive manufacturers, dealers, suppliers, and allied professionals across North America, Europe, and Asia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Automotive Trade Media and Industry Intelligence

NAICS

Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Business, Financial & Trade News Publishers (MPAJADAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Automotive & Transportation Magazines (MPAJAEAI), Data Journalism & News Intelligence Publishers (Indexes, Election/Market Data) (MPAJADAK)

Keywords

• Automotive news
• Industry trade publication
• Automotive data analytics
• Automotive market research
• Industry events and awards

Headquarters

HQ city

Detroit

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Digital Subscriptions: Multiple digital subscription tiers providing access to global news coverage, newsletters, digital edition, and archive access. Revenue from annual and monthly billing cycles.
2. Print + Digital Subscriptions: Combined print delivery with digital access, including additional benefits such as U.S. Sales, Production, and Inventory Reports, analysis tools, and downloadable rankings.
3. Print and Digital Advertising: Display advertising in digital and print formats, including newsletters, video/audio content, lead generation, jobs board, and branded content. Custom content solutions for thought leadership.
4. Events and Awards: Recognition programs and conferences including PACE Awards, Top 150 Dealership Groups, Best to Work For rankings that generate sponsorship and attendance revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Automotive News is a 100-year-old trade publication providing news, data, and analysis on the automotive industry. Its core offering is a multi-tier subscription-based digital and print publication covering OEMs, dealers, and suppliers, supplemented by data tools (Catalyst IQ, Data Center, Future Product Pipeline), industry events and awards programs, podcasts, and video content for automotive industry executives.

Product overview

Automotive News operates as a comprehensive multi-platform media organization under Crain Communications, offering a portfolio of products across print, digital, and data formats. The core offering is the main Automotive News publication (available digitally and in print), supplemented by regional editions including Automotive News Europe, Automotive News Canada, Automotive News China, and the acquired German-language title Automobilwoche. The product suite includes research and data tools (Data Center with market reports, Dealer Census, Future Product Pipeline, Top 150 Dealership Groups rankings), subscription tiers with varying access levels (Basic Digital, Premium, Digital All Access, All Access + Print), industry events and awards (PACE Pilot Awards), podcasts and video content (Daily Drive, First Shift, Canada Conversations), and specialized tools such as the Catalyst IQ vehicle pricing tracker and AutoNews Answers beta feature. The products range from news subscriptions to premium data analytics, serving automotive industry executives, manufacturers, suppliers, and dealers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Automotive News (Main Publication) Flagship automotive industry publication providing global news coverage across North America, Europe, and Asia through digital and print formats. Targeted at automotive industry executives.
• Automotive News Europe Dedicated European edition covering automaker news, supplier developments, and industry trends across European markets. Targeted at European automotive industry professionals.
• Automotive News Canada Canada-specific edition covering dealers, manufacturers, suppliers, and retail trends in the Canadian automotive market. Targeted at Canadian automotive industry professionals.
• Automotive News China Edition focused on Chinese automotive industry news, manufacturers, and market developments. Targeted at professionals tracking the Chinese automotive market.
• Automobilwoche German-language automotive publication covering European industry news, operated as part of the Automotive News Group.
• Catalyst IQ Vehicle Price and Inventory Tracker Tool measuring vehicle prices and inventory levels, providing average marketed prices and active inventory data with comparisons to prior periods. Targeted at automotive retail and dealer professionals.
• Data Center Research and data platform providing market data, production statistics, sales reports, dealer census, and analysis tools for the automotive industry. Targeted at automotive executives and analysts.
• Top 150 Dealership Groups Annual ranking and analysis of the top 150 U.S. dealership groups by revenue and market presence.
• Events and Awards Programs Conferences, recognition programs, and industry events including PACE Pilot Awards that recognize automotive innovation.
• Digital Edition Digital version of the print publication accessible online with full archival access.
• Jobs Board Employment platform connecting automotive industry professionals with job opportunities across manufacturers, dealers, and suppliers.
• Reprints and Licensing Service Reprint licensing service allowing users to obtain permissions for reproducing Automotive News content.
• Daily Drive Podcast Daily automotive industry podcast featuring interviews and analysis of current market developments.
• First Shift Video Video news program covering daily automotive industry developments and interviews.
• Canada Conversations Podcast Podcast focused on Canadian automotive industry news, featuring interviews with industry leaders including Magna CEO and Unifor president.
• Future Product Pipeline Interactive tool tracking upcoming vehicle launches and product announcements across the automotive industry.
• Dealer Census Annual count of franchised dealerships by automotive make in the United States.

Quantifiable outcome

• 94% renewal rate demonstrates strong customer loyalty
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BloombergcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerContent partnership providing aggregated business news alongside Automotive News coverage, enhancing comprehensive industry news delivery on autonews.com
• Reuters Business NewscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNews aggregation partnership combining Reuters business news with Automotive News original reporting, providing 24/7 comprehensive automotive coverage
• ABB RoboticsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPublishing partner for Executive Insights content series exploring how collaborative robots are transforming auto manufacturing

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Edmunds: Automotive pricing, reviews, and dealership data platform. Comparable to Automotive News' Catalyst IQ and Data Center in providing vehicle price, inventory, and consumer-trend intelligence.
• WardsAuto (Informa): Long-standing U.S. automotive trade publication and data provider covering OEMs and suppliers, owned by Informa. Direct competitor in B2B auto news, rankings, and industry intelligence.
• Car and Driver: Automotive enthusiast and industry publication covering reviews, buying advice, and automaker news. Overlaps with Automotive News on consumer-facing coverage and OEM/dealer advertising.
• Auto Remarketing: Trade publication focused on used-vehicle, remarketing, and dealer-consignment markets. Comparable B2B editorial model and dealer-segment coverage to Automotive News.
• MotorTrend: Major automotive media brand covering new cars, reviews, and industry news across print and digital. Comparable content categories (automaker news, reviews, rankings) and overlapping advertiser base.

Emerging players

• Autoblog: Digital-first automotive news and reviews site. Emerging digital-native peer competing for editorial reach and OEM advertising, particularly with non-trade consumer audiences.
• Cars.com: Digital automotive marketplace and editorial site combining listings, reviews, and news. Partial overlap with Automotive News' consumer/dealer-facing content and pricing data.

Broad incumbents

• Cox Automotive: Large automotive services conglomerate (Manheim, Autotrader, Kelley Blue Book) with deep dealer and OEM data products. A broader incumbent in automotive intelligence and data that Automotive News increasingly overlaps with via data tools.
• J.D. Power: Provider of automotive quality, customer satisfaction, and resale value research widely used by OEMs and dealers. Comparable as a premium automotive data and intelligence subscription product.

Others

• Bloomberg Auto / Reuters Business News: Existing content syndication partners that also independently cover automotive as part of broader business news. Adjacent ecosystem players rather than direct competitors, but compete for OEM executive mind share and ad dollars.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/automotive_news
• Facebookfacebook.com/autonews

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Automotive News