Automobile Year
Automobile Year is an annual international yearbook covering the automobile industry, motorsport and car culture.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
Automobile Year is an annual automotive reference publication and editorial brand founded in 1953 by Ami Guichard, a Swiss motoring writer and publishing entrepreneur from Lausanne. It began under the title Annual Automobile Review and was issued through Guichard's company, Edita S.A. The yearbook was conceived as a substantial retrospective of the preceding automotive year rather than as a conventional periodical, combining industry reporting, coverage of new vehicles, motorsport analysis, race results and broader aspects of automobile culture. The publication developed an international identity through multiple language editions. Its principal versions were English, French and German, with the French edition known as L'Année Automobile and the German edition as Auto-Jahr. The English-language edition adopted the name Automobile Year in 1956, initially retaining the former title as a subtitle before dropping it the following year. Later editions used the tagline “The Annual For Car Enthusiasts,” emphasizing the book’s role as a durable reference work for enthusiasts, historians and industry observers. Guichard assembled a notable network of writers, photographers and automotive specialists. Contributors associated with the early publication included Charles Faroux, founder of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Giovanni Lurani, Yves Debraine, John Fitch, Paul Frère, Denis Jenkinson and Federico Kirbus. Bernard Cahier was also important to the publication’s motorsport connections; Guichard credited Cahier with helping introduce him to the international racing world. Later contributors and editors included Jacques Ickx, Gordon Murray, Günther Molter, José Rosinski and others drawn from automotive journalism, engineering and racing. The editorial structure traditionally centered on three broad areas: Industry, Motorsport and Culture. The industry section reviewed developments in the motor industry and presented new automobile launches. Motorsport coverage surveyed major international disciplines, including Formula One, Indianapolis and other American open-wheel series, endurance racing, touring cars and rallying. Depending on the period, the book covered events and championships such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the World Sportscar Championship, Le Mans-related series, the American Le Mans Series, FIA GT, the World Rally Championship and the Dakar Rally. A final culture section examined automobiles as design objects, historical artifacts and elements of enthusiast life. Its treatment of racing evolved over time. Earlier editions separated new-car and culture material from season reviews and results. Motorsport sequencing also changed, with coverage at different times giving priority to Formula One, sports-car racing, American racing, rallying, Formula 3000 and touring-car competition. The publication expanded or reorganized its coverage as championships changed, including the development of world touring-car competition and the changing significance of series such as CART, NASCAR, DTM and IMSA. Detailed race-result tables, particularly for Formula One and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, were eventually integrated into the relevant editorial sections rather than always being placed in a separate concluding results chapter. Leadership passed from Guichard to Jean-Rodolphe Piccard after Guichard’s death in 1986. Piccard had served as deputy editor for approximately a decade and subsequently operated the publication through Editions JR. When Piccard retired in 2005, Christian Philippsen, a Monégasque consultant in the motoring industry, assumed responsibility for the yearbook. In 2009, ETA-I, a French organization, took over publication after acquiring the rights from Philippsen. The series continued for many decades and reached at least issue 63 in 2015. By that issue, the publication was being issued only in French under the title L'Année Automobile, marking a significant reduction from its earlier multilingual model. The available reference material does not establish the publication’s current operating status, ownership, publication frequency beyond its annual format, or whether later editions appeared after 2015. Automobile Year is therefore best understood as an automotive publishing brand and historical yearbook rather than an automobile manufacturer or vehicle product line.
History
Automobile Year originated in 1953 as Annual Automobile Review, an annual publication founded by Swiss motoring writer and entrepreneur Ami Guichard. Guichard published the book through Edita S.A. and built a contributor network that connected automotive journalism with international motor racing. Early contributors included Charles Faroux, Giovanni Lurani, Yves Debraine, John Fitch, Paul Frère, Denis Jenkinson and Federico Kirbus. Bernard Cahier helped connect Guichard with the motorsport community, while later contributors included figures such as Jacques Ickx and Gordon Murray. The English edition adopted the name Automobile Year in 1956. French and German versions continued under the titles L'Année Automobile and Auto-Jahr. The yearbook’s editorial purpose was to document the preceding year in automobiles through a combination of industry news, new-model coverage, motorsport reports, results tables and cultural material. Its recurring structure eventually became organized around Industry, Motorsport and Culture, although the order and scope of the motorsport chapters changed across different eras. Motorsport coverage was broad and internationally oriented. Formula One received prominent treatment, alongside American open-wheel racing, endurance events, touring cars and rallying. Depending on the edition, the book covered the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the World Sportscar Championship, IMSA, the American Le Mans Series, FIA GT, Formula 3000 and its predecessor Formula Two, Formula Three, CART, NASCAR, DTM, the World Touring Car Championship, the World Rally Championship and the Dakar Rally. The publication also provided detailed results for major races and championship points, with these statistical materials later incorporated into the relevant racing chapters. Jean-Rodolphe Piccard, who had served as deputy editor for about ten years, succeeded Guichard after Guichard died in 1986. Piccard’s Editions JR then managed the publication. Piccard retired in 2005, when Christian Philippsen took over. In 2009, ETA-I acquired the rights from Philippsen and assumed publication responsibilities. By issue 63 in 2015, the series was reported to be published only in French as L'Année Automobile. The available sources do not confirm the brand’s later publication history or current status.
- 2015
Series becomes French-only
[1]Issue 63 and later reported editions were published only in French under the L'Année Automobile title.
- 2009
ETA-I takes over publication
[1]ETA-I acquired the rights from Philippsen and became the publication’s reported operator.
- 2005
Piccard retires
[1]Christian Philippsen assumed responsibility for the yearbook after Piccard retired.
- 1986
Change in leadership after Guichard's death
[1]Jean-Rodolphe Piccard succeeded the founder and Editions JR took over the publication’s operation.
- 1956
English-language rebranding
[1]The English edition became Automobile Year, separating its title from the original Annual Automobile Review name.
- 1953
Launch as Annual Automobile Review
[1]Ami Guichard launched the annual automotive yearbook through Edita S.A. in Switzerland.
Products and positioning
A premium, reference-oriented annual for automotive enthusiasts, combining industry reporting, new-car coverage, international motorsport reviews, race results and automobile culture in a heavily illustrated yearbook format.
Annual automotive yearbook · 1956
Automobile Year
The principal English-language edition of the annual reference work. It combined reviews of automotive-industry developments and newly launched vehicles with extensive coverage of international motorsport, race results and automobile culture. The English title was adopted in 1956 and was used for the publication’s international English-language identity for much of its history.
French-language annual automotive yearbook · 1953
L'Année Automobile
The French-language edition of the yearbook, retaining the publication’s original annual-review concept while presenting automotive industry developments, new vehicles, racing seasons and automobile culture. By issue 63 in 2015, the series was reported as being published only in French under this title.
German-language annual automotive yearbook
Auto-Jahr
The German-language edition of the Automobile Year publishing concept. It formed part of the brand’s earlier multilingual model alongside the English and French editions. The available source identifies the title but does not provide a complete publication chronology or current status.
Brand decisions
2015
Consolidate the series around the French editionStrategyBackground
Automobile Year had historically been published in English, French and German.
Action taken
From issue 63, the publication was reported as appearing only in French under the L'Année Automobile name.
Aftermath
The multilingual publishing model was reduced to a French-language edition. The available sources do not establish whether English or German editions later returned.
2009
Transfer publication rights to ETA-IM&ABackground
Christian Philippsen had been responsible for the yearbook since Jean-Rodolphe Piccard’s retirement in 2005.
Action taken
ETA-I acquired the publication rights from Philippsen and took over publication.
Aftermath
ETA-I became the reported publishing organization, although the available material does not describe the commercial terms or subsequent operating performance.
1956
Rename the English edition Automobile YearStrategyBackground
The English edition had originally been issued under the Annual Automobile Review title, while the publication also maintained French and German language identities.
Action taken
The English edition adopted Automobile Year as its main title, initially retaining the former name as a subtitle and then dropping it.
Aftermath
The new title became the principal English-language identity of the yearbook and distinguished it from the French and German editions.
Recent events
- 2015
Issue 63 is published only in French[1]
Product generation
From issue 63, the series was reported as being published only in French under the title L'Année Automobile, ending the previously established English, French and German edition structure.
- 2009
ETA-I acquires publication rights[1]
M&A
The French organization ETA-I took over publication after purchasing the yearbook rights from Christian Philippsen.
- 2005
Christian Philippsen takes over the yearbook[1]
Leadership change
Piccard retired and Christian Philippsen, a Monégasque motoring-industry consultant, assumed responsibility for the publication.
- 1986
Editions JR assumes responsibility after Ami Guichard's death[1]
Leadership change
Following Guichard's death, Jean-Rodolphe Piccard succeeded him and his company, Editions JR, took over operation of the yearbook.
- 1956
English edition adopts the Automobile Year name[1]
Other
The English-language edition changed its title to Automobile Year, while the original title was briefly retained as a subtitle before being removed.
- 1953
Annual Automobile Review launches as an automotive yearbook[1]
Product launch
Ami Guichard launched the publication in Switzerland under the title Annual Automobile Review, establishing the annual industry, motorsport and automobile-culture reference format.
Sources2 sources
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