• by Ray Schultz , Yesterday

Hearst Magazines has effectively killed the Autoweek brand, but its area of coverage apparently will continue.  

The Autopian reports that the 67-year-old magazine/website laid off or transferred most of its staff, with no warning. 

Deb Williams, a longtime contributor to Autoweek, tweeted, “Just days before the #NASCAR Cup and Truck playoff, I receive word that http://Autoweek.com has shut down, effective immediately. It’s a stunning blow when the website/publication you’re writing for does that without any warning.”

However, the site was still live at deadline, and Hearst claims it is positioning the brand for the future. 

Hearst said in a statement that Autoweek, which focused on auto sports, would “join the Motor Trend family of brands,” and would continue to publish original content, according to The Autopian.