With no explanation from the publisher nor comment as yet from Csaba Csere, he is out as vice president, editor-in-chief of Car and Driver. He left at the end of 2008 after 28 years with the publication, 16 as EIC. Hachette Fillipacchi Media Sr. VP and group editorial director John Owens is acting EIC until a replacement is named. . . . Robert Golfen who oversaw the Wheels section at the Arizona Republic left the paper after 20 years, taking a new post at Speed Channel as Auto Editor. . . . Andrew Ganz former editor of the mothballed American Driver, now edits the daily blog www.LeftlaneNews.com and writes for the bimonthly upscale magazine Luxe Registry and RM Auctions catalogs.
Mark Williams says he has heard the phrase “hiring freeze” too often since leaving his post as editor of Truck Trends. While he is open to the “Car Czar” post he is pursuing other options, including a couple of book deals and freelance assignments. His email address is: m_e_williams@sbcglobal.net . . . Xavier Dominicis has departed Toyota PR and the auto industry for Plano, Texas based Rent-A-Center where he is vice president of public affairs. . . . Dan Passe has departed his Communications and Marketing post at Penske Racing and can be reached at dan@autopasse.com .
Former Newsweek Midwest Bureau Chief Keith Naughton stayed ahead of the magazine’s closing of all of its domestic bureaus except D.C. He is now a reporter for Bloomberg News in the Motor City.. . . . John Zajac reports that his Chrome Sweet Chrome pdf chats are moving from the late 20th century to the 21st by migrating to a web site, www.chromesweetchrome.com He notes that all columns from the past are archived and can be referenced for dispute or praised by one and all viewing the site. . . . Wallace Higginbotham has a Porsche blog at www.porscheofhiltonhead.com and plans similar blogs for BMW, Mercedes and Alfa Romeo . . . Neal Dunlop now freelances and can be reached at ndunlop@mac.com.