Rooted in Dallas: Journalist Steven Cole Smith
Rooted in Dallas: Journalist Steven Cole Smith
It was in 1988 that this writer, then managing a Lotus showroom in Plano (TX), reached out to Steve Smith. At that time, Steve was writing for the Dallas Times-Herald, covering both television and the auto industry. Steve generously took my call, listened to the pitch and agreed to test drive Lotus’ Turbo Esprit. And while I can’t attribute any subsequent sales to Steve’s article, his treatment of automotive subject matter was as well honed and carefully crafted then as it is today, some thirty years later.
If you don’t immediately recognize Steve’s byline, you’ll certainly recognize Steve’s outlets. Steve worked in North Texas, at both the Times Herald and – when the Times Herald folded – the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, from 1983 thru 1995. It was then that he joined Car and Driver in Detroit, first as a senior editor and, within a short time, the pub’s executive editor. Today, as a freelance writer, Steve works as a hired gun for Automobile, AutoWeek and Grassroots Motorsports, while past outlets have included Car and Driver, Business Insider, the New York Times and the Orlando Sentinel. Although most of Steve’s assignments focus on motorsports, his automotive enthusiasms transcend the competitive landscape, and on any given month will include both automotive product and auto-related personalities.
In Steve’s garage are too many cars to itemize, ranging from a Consulier to a couple of 240Zs; his daily driver is a Mini Cooper. Steve’s bike inventory includes two BMWs and a Yamaha.
