Kris Culmer

Kris Culmer
Title: Chief sub-editor

Kris Culmer is the chief sub-editor for Autocar, meaning he is responsible for editing and fact-checking all articles published both online and in print. 

He has more than eight years of experience of reporting on the car industry, having joined What Car? in 2016 and then moved to sister title Autocar in 2020. 

Kris also frequently writes news and reviews for Autocar, his specialist subject being motorsport. He trained as a journalist at the Brighton Journalist Works, where he earned his NCTJ Gold Standard in 2016. 

Having a strong passion for history, Kris also manages Autocar’s office archive, which dates back to 1895, and regularly produces retrospective insights. 

Prior to joining the automotive media, Kris was a freelance contributor of news and sports reports to local newspapers in his home county of East Sussex. 

Kris is an expert in:

  • Motorsport, particularly Formula 1
  • The history and development of the global car industry
  • New car news
  • New car reviewing
  • Smaller and more obscure automotive companies

Kris Culmer Q&A

What was your biggest news story?

Long gallery-style pieces on the histories of car brands’ emblems and the dates of brands’ introduction on the UK required a lot of research but were rewarding, digging a lot of interesting information out of obscurity. And travelling to 2022 pre-season testing in Spain to get an exclusive view of the new Formula 1 cars also resulted in an interview with Esteban Ocon and a scoop on the F1 aero of the Alpine A290.

What’s the best car you’ve ever driven?

I adore bespoke sports cars, especially if they’re light, don’t go overboard with power and allow me to do the gear changes. The Subaru BRZ, Toyota GR86, Alpine A110, Porsche 911 and Mazda MX-5 therefore all stand out – but the best has to be a BMW M2 on track at Goodwood.

What will the car industry look like in 20 years?

Everyday cars will all be battery-electric, bloated with connectivity and driver-assistance technology, and all will look very similar indeed. Almost all of them will be crossovers and SUVs, sadly, and none of them will stir an old soul with their driving experiences. Thankfully, though, there will be an even more thriving old-car scene than there is today to keep us petrolheads happy.

LinkedIn

Muck Rack

News

How a cigar-chomping watchmaker invented the Smart car

Mercedes showed it was serious about Smart with two Eco Concepts in 1994

How a cigar-chomping watchmaker invented the Smart car
500 sec
Mercedes-AMG 500 SEC was one of the first Affalterbach-made models to launch in the UK
News

Looking back at AMG’s quiet 1982 UK debut

The German tuning company was an independent firm before it was acquired by Mercedes-Benz

Looking back at AMG’s quiet 1982 UK debut
News

When big American saloons were built in... Chiswick?

The story starts way back in 1911, when a London dealer introduced Brits to Hudson cars

When big American saloons were built in... Chiswick?
News

How GM's ownership of Lotus went 'appallingly wrong'

In January 1986, General Motors paid £22.75 million for 58% of the Lotus's shares

How GM's ownership of Lotus went 'appallingly wrong'
News

How GM's ownership of Lotus went 'appallingly wrong'

In January 1986, General Motors paid £22.75 million for 58% of the Lotus's shares

How GM's ownership of Lotus went 'appallingly wrong'
News

How GM's ownership of Lotus went 'appallingly wrong'

In January 1986, General Motors paid £22.75 million for 58% of the Lotus's shares

How GM's ownership of Lotus went 'appallingly wrong'
News

How GM's ownership of Lotus went 'appallingly wrong'

In January 1986, General Motors paid £22.75 million for 58% of the Lotus's shares

How GM's ownership of Lotus went 'appallingly wrong'
News

How GM's ownership of Lotus went 'appallingly wrong'

In January 1986, General Motors paid £22.75 million for 58% of the Lotus's shares

How GM's ownership of Lotus went 'appallingly wrong'
News

How GM's ownership of Lotus went 'appallingly wrong'

American giant bought the British sports car maker in 1986 and sold it just seven years later

How GM's ownership of Lotus went 'appallingly wrong'
GettyImages 1473449431
Japanese brand's enjoyed success at the expense of British car firms
News

When Britain halted the flood of Japanese car imports

Aggressive export drive led by Datsun led to allegations of 'dumping'

When Britain halted the flood of Japanese car imports
News

Skoda milestones: the cars that defined the brand

We take a look at the Czech marque's diverse and storied history

Skoda milestones: the cars that defined the brand

Pages