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.

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Muck Rack

Alpine F1 A110 A290
F1 is a "huge booster for awareness" regardless of track position, said de Meo
News

F1 involvement vital to growth of Alpine brand

Value of Alpine brand has tripled in four years thanks to F1, says Renault Group boss

F1 involvement vital to growth of Alpine brand
2
New liveries were presented on demo cars
Opinion

Season launch extravaganza showed the good side of 'Netflix F1'

Brash new event wasn't to traditionalist tastes but you have to admire the ongoing growth and diversification of F1

Season launch extravaganza showed the good side of 'Netflix F1'
Renaultsport Megane R26 front tracking
Any fast Renault is "gonna be a yellow car", de Meo said
News

Renault mulls revival of Renaultsport performance brand

Performance-focused sub-brand was "put in the fridge" to make way for Alpine

Renault mulls revival of Renaultsport performance brand
Car review

Leapmotor T03

Arch rival for the Dacia Spring takes on a more mature, equipment-laden approach

Leapmotor T03
Long-Term Review

MG 3 hybrid 2025 long-term test

Can this hybrid compete with the best superminis? Here’s our verdict

MG 3 hybrid 2025 long-term test
Cars on the farm
Subaru MV pick-up was a competent farmhand
News

Brat winter: Subaru MV vs left-field Landie rivals in 1982 showdown

In 1982, Autocar gathered the six most significant imports on a farm in rural Kent to see what was what

Brat winter: Subaru MV vs left-field Landie rivals in 1982 showdown
News

Remember when trains would take your car across the UK?

Double-decker trains were introduced as Motorail’s popularity boomed in the 1960s

Remember when trains would take your car across the UK?
News

Chaos and anger at the first-ever World Rally Championship event

The championship's inaugural event in 1973 was far from auspicious, with most crews ending up disqualified

Chaos and anger at the first-ever World Rally Championship event
News

The short but vibrant life of Britain’s Pininfarina

International Automotive Design was a big player up until 1993 when a recession hit the car industry hard

The short but vibrant life of Britain’s Pininfarina
News

London's war on driving has been raging since 1973

Restrictions on cars in town centres and parking limitations meant navigating London was a challenge

London's war on driving has been raging since 1973
News

How the average car went from £1000 to £29,000 in 75 years

Now that our digital archive is complete, the possibility of taking a long-term view of inflation is intriguing

How the average car went from £1000 to £29,000 in 75 years

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