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| Editor | Paulo Campo Grande |
|---|---|
| Categories | Automobile |
| Frequency | Monthly |
| Publisher | Editora Abril |
| Founded | 1960 |
| Country | Brazil |
| Language | Portuguese |
| Website | quatrorodas |
| ISSN | 0033-5908 |
Quatro Rodas (English: Four Wheels) is an automotive monthly magazine from Brazil, published by Editora Abril. [1] Its debut issue was released in August 1960.
The magazine was launched by Italian-Brazilian journalists Mino Carta and Victor Civita, with Civita being the founder and then general director of Editora Abril. [2]
The concept for the publication emerged from the increasing interest of Brazilians in automobiles during the 1950s. It aimed to offer readers detailed technical insights into vehicles available on the market, alongside coverage of the emerging Brazilian automotive industry and international automotive industries, many of which were undergoing major transformations and expansion during that period. [3] The magazine's first test drive took place in 1961, featuring the DKW Belcar.
In the following decades, Quatro Rodas became one of the most influential automotive magazines in Latin America. It closely tracked the growth and transformation of the automotive sector in Brazil and neighboring countries. [4]
The magazine's team documented historical milestones in the automotive world, such as the popularization of the Volkswagen Beetle, the launch of iconic vehicles in the South American market, and innovations in automotive safety and technology.
With the rise of the internet in the 2000s, the magazine expanded its presence into the digital realm, offering content on its official website and social media platforms. In 2010, a digital archive containing all previous issues was made available to subscribers. Though temporarily discontinued, it was reintroduced in 2023. [5]
The magazine provides exclusive reviews, videos, and interactive comparisons to complement its print content, including the renowned long-term test, where a vehicle is driven over 60,000 km (37,282 miles) under real-world conditions.
Each monthly issue features a diverse range of topics, such as:
In the 1980's, the magazine was at the forefront of discussing the impact of the brazilian government actions on the automotive sector, including the Proálcool program and emissions regulations. [6] In 2000, Quatro Rodas became the first magazine in Brazil to conduct a crash test involving four popular vehicles sold at the time, including the Fiat Palio. The test revealed a significant safety issue with the Palio's seatbelt latch, leading Fiat to issue an extensive recall across Brazil. [7]
In 2016, Quatro Rodas faced criticism from the Ministry of Finance of Brazil after publishing a report about vehicle protections, claiming they could be up to 70% cheaper than traditional vehicle insurance. The Ministry stated these practices are illegal under Brazilian law, lack financial guarantees, and could mislead readers into confusing them with authorized insurance. [8] The Ministry pointed out that legal actions were being taken against unauthorized entities and recommended that the magazine clarify the situation to ensure consumers were not misled. [9]
The Ford Verona and Volkswagen Apollo are a pair of small family cars that were manufactured in Brazil by Autolatina, a joint venture between Brazilian subsidiaries of Ford and Volkswagen. The Verona was produced from 1989 to 1992 and from 1993 to 1996, initially as a direct replacement for the ageing Ford Del Rey.
The Fiat Palio is a supermini car released by the Italian manufacturer Fiat in April 1996. It was produced until 2018 as hatchback, and 2020 as a wagon.
The Fiat Siena is a subcompact car produced by the Italian manufacturer Fiat from 1996 to 2022. It is the four-door sedan version of the Fiat Palio, a supermini car especially designed for developing countries. It was introduced for the first time in South America, and was produced in various countries worldwide. Later, in 2002, a similar car based on the same platform was developed for the European market, the Fiat Albea. It replaced the Siena in these European markets, such as Poland and Turkey, where the original model was previously sold.
The Fiat Duna is a small family car produced by Fiat in Argentina and Brazil, where it was sold as Fiat Prêmio. Launched in 1985 in Brazil, the Duna/Prêmio is based on the Brazilian Fiat Uno, but unlike the Uno, it was a two-door sedan. The range was expanded with a three-door estate in 1987 called the Fiat Elba, a four-door sedan added in 1987 and a five-door estate in 1989. The car was sold mainly in South America. Production ended in 2000 and the Duna and Elba models were replaced by the Fiat Siena and the Fiat Palio Weekend. The Duna was the best-selling car in Argentina between the years 1990 and 1995.
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The Fiat Marea is a small family car available as a saloon and an estate, produced by the Italian automaker Fiat. Launched in September 1996, the Marea models were essentially different body styles of Fiat's hatchback offerings, the Bravo and Brava. The Marea replaced the earlier Tipo based Fiat Tempra, as well as the larger Croma.
Grupo Abril is a Brazilian media conglomerate headquartered in São Paulo. The company is the holding company of Editora Abril, which publishes the weekly newsmagazine Veja.
Editora Abril is a major Brazilian publisher and printing company and one of the biggest media holdings in Latin America. The company was founded in 1950 by Victor Civita in São Paulo and is now part of Grupo Abril.
The Volkswagen Brasília is a rear-engined small family car developed by Volkswagen do Brasil and internally designated as the Type 321. Named for Brazil's capital city, the car was manufactured and marketed by Volkswagen in Brazil from 1973 to 1982; in Mexico from 1975 to 1982; and built from knock down kits in Nigeria, where it was marketed as the Igala from 1976 to 1980.
Demetrio "Mino" Carta is an Italian-born Brazilian journalist, publisher and writer. Carta helped in the creation of Veja, Istoé and CartaCapital, three of the four leading newsmagazines currently published in Brazil.
The history of ethanol fuel in Brazil dates from the 1970s and relates to Brazil's sugarcane-based ethanol fuel program, which allowed the country to become the world's second largest producer of ethanol, and the world's largest exporter. Several important political and technological developments led Brazil to become the world leader in the sustainable use of bioethanol, and a policy model for other developing countries in the tropical zone of Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa. Government policies and technological advances also allowed the country to achieve a landmark in ethanol consumption, when ethanol retail sales surpassed 50% market share of the gasoline-powered vehicle fleet in early 2008. This level of ethanol fuel consumption had only been reached in Brazil once before, at the peak of the Pró-Álcool Program near the end of the 1980s.
João Augusto Conrado do Amaral Gurgel was a Brazilian engineer and businessman. He founded Gurgel Motores, a Brazilian automobile manufacturer, in 1969, with the aim of producing vehicles entirely made in Brazil. The company's initial models featured fiberglass bodies mounted on Volkswagen Beetle (Fusca) chassis and machinery.
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Roberto F. Civita was a Brazilian businessman and publisher. Born in Italy, he emigrated at the age of two with his family to New York in 1938 to escape effects of the Race Laws. They moved again to Brazil in 1949, where his father Victor Civita founded Editora Abril, a publishing house.
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