Keith Martin Names Jeff Sabatini as First Editor

Aug 18, 2023

PORTLAND, Ore. (October 20, 2022) – Keith Martin, publisher of Sports Car Market Magazine, announced that Jeff Sabatini has been named the first editor-in-chief of the publication, effective immediately.

Sabatini has been an automotive journalist for more than 25 years. His first stint with SCM was from 2003 to 2005, and he returned to the magazine in August 2020. In between, his career has included stops at The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Autoblog and Car and Driver. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan and has a master's degree in journalism from Columbia College Chicago.

"As SCM begins its 35th year, we have only had four top-of-the-masthead editors. Jeff has been two of them," said Martin, who met Sabatini at a Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Arizona, in 2000. "We have never, however, had an editor-in-chief, until now.

"A gearhead, Jeff's irrational bouts of car ownership and refurbishment have included some 35 vehicles," said Martin, "from a 1971 Buick LeSabre convertible he bought at 16, to a 1985 Volkswagen Vanagon Westfalia he Subaru-engine-swapped, to the 2000 Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG he recently acquired for our SCM 1000 AMG Invitational.

"Jeff has brought tremendous energy along with industry-seasoned insight to SCM," Martin continued. "During the past two years, the magazine has achieved a new level of professionalism, with better writing, design and innovative approaches to thoughtful reportage. SCM membership is at new heights, and support from advertisers has never been better."

"Rejoining SCM two years ago was an incredible homecoming," said Sabatini. "Producing those first few issues of the magazine was like putting on a favorite pair of running shoes. I am really looking forward to seeing how the collector car world evolves through this generational change we’re now experiencing, and continuing to reflect those changes in SCM's coverage of the market.

"With so many Next Gen collector cars — the cars I grew up with — finally getting their due, and the recent rise of online auctions and other technologies that impact the hobby, these are really exciting times."

As editor-in-chief, Sabatini will assume a greater role in decision making for all aspects of SCM, from membership to social media and digital enterprises to SCM 1000 tours. "He will continue to challenge us to be forward-looking, ensuring that SCM remains the definitive publication of the collector-car world," added Martin.