REVS MAGAZINE
Revs Magazine was the younger, rawer cousin of Max Power. Launched in 1997, it ran until around 2004 and was aimed squarely at a younger, more rebellious crowd within the UK modified car scene.
Known for its edgy tone, budget builds, real-life reader rides, and wilder humor, Revs became a cult favorite for many enthusiasts who couldn't afford the high-end builds often showcased in Max Power.
While Max Power gradually became more polished and professional, Revs maintained its gritty, grassroots appeal throughout its run – printed on newsprint-style paper with loud fonts, crude humor, and graffiti-inspired design elements.
REVS MAGAZINE TIMELINE
Revs Magazine Launches
- Born as a more chaotic alternative to Max Power
- Emphasized real cars owned by real readers (not just big-money builds)
- Printed on newsprint-style paper with loud fonts, crude humor, and graffiti-inspired design
- Iconic early features: modded Novas, Saxos, Puntos, and Corsa SRis
From its first issue, Revs set itself apart with its raw, unpolished take on car culture. The magazine embraced an anti-establishment attitude, positioning itself as the voice of everyday enthusiasts rather than professional builders.
DIY Mods & Car Park Kings
- Revs hit its stride with budget tuning guides and "Your Rides" sections
- Introduced features like "Car Park Kings" – showcasing wild cars found at local meets
- "Tech Team" – real mod jobs like speaker installs, headlight tinting, engine swaps
- Focused on ICE (In-Car Entertainment) and big bass sound systems
This period established Revs as the go-to magazine for DIY enthusiasts. The "Car Park Kings" feature became legendary for spotlighting outrageous reader cars found at meets and cruises, creating a direct connection with the grassroots scene.
The Scene Explodes
- Revs reflected the street scene: neon lighting, underglow, wild vinyl graphics
- Continued covering budget builds but added higher-spec Jap imports (MR2s, Civics, Supras)
- Revs Cruise Reports rivaled Max Power's with more reader-submitted photos
As the millennium turned, the modified car scene exploded into popular culture. Revs captured this zeitgeist with coverage of increasingly wild visual modifications. The magazine's cruise reports became infamous for their unfiltered look at the weekend meet-ups happening across the UK.
Full Rebellion Mode
- Embraced boy racer culture head-on
- Famous for prank articles, spoof ads, ridiculous product reviews
- Girls were featured, but less glam-mag – more like party snapshots
- Cars got more extreme: full resprays, scissor doors, shaved bays
- Articles like "How to Build a Show Car in a Shed" became fan favorites
This era saw Revs fully embrace its rebellious identity. While Max Power became increasingly polished, Revs leaned into its rough-around-the-edges reputation with content that was often as hilarious as it was informative.
Jap & Euro Invasion
- More coverage of clean Euro builds and drifting influence from Japan
- Began featuring more S-body Nissans, JDM parts, and air suspension
- ICE builds reached insane levels – PlayStations, beer fridges, motorized boots
- Revs DVD included with issues featuring meet footage, music, and garage tours
As Japanese car culture and European styling influences started reshaping the UK scene, Revs evolved to cover these trends while maintaining its grassroots credibility. The inclusion of DVDs with the magazine brought readers even closer to the action.
The End of Revs
- With the rise of Fast Car and waning reader interest, Revs faded out
- Final issues reflected a more mature tone but kept the DIY spirit alive
- Left a massive cultural footprint for those into affordable, fun, loud car modding
Despite its devoted following, changing market conditions and competition from other magazines eventually led to Revs' closure. The final issues showed a more refined approach while maintaining the magazine's core values of accessibility and authenticity.
Sample Feature Builds
Budget Nova GSi
Full ICE boot build and neon kit on a tight budget, showing readers how to create maximum impact with minimal cash.
"Council Estate Corsa"
Full respray, wide kit, DIY air intake – emblematic of the working-class pride that defined the Revs readership.
JDM Nissan Silvia S13
Drift-style car with cut bumpers and painted steelies, showcasing the growing Japanese influence on UK car culture.
Euro-look Polo
Smooth bumpers, air ride, custom interior – representing the cleaner European styling that gained popularity in the scene.
Saxo VTS "Scene King"
Shaved engine bay and bonnet bra – the quintessential feature car that epitomized the Revs aesthetic.
Tech Content Focus
Unlike Max Power's focus on professional installs, Revs was renowned for its comprehensive DIY guides:
How-to Guides
Step-by-step instructions for fitting lowering springs, neon lights, bonnet pins, bonnet vents, and other affordable mods.
ICE Installs
Detailed walkthroughs of amp wiring, head unit installation, and custom sub box building for maximum bass.
DIY Paint Jobs
Guides to achieving impressive results using rattle cans and basic tools available to the average reader.
"Tech Team" Features
Photo-heavy step-by-step walkthroughs of real modifications performed by the magazine's staff.
Budget Gear Tests
Honest reviews of affordable modification parts from eBay, Demon Tweeks, and Halfords.
Models & Cultural Features
Real Scene Coverage
Less polished than Max Power – focused more on parties, girls-at-shows, and real fans rather than professional model shoots.
Reader Submissions
Regular inclusion of reader-submitted photos from events and house parties, creating a community feel.
Relatable Content
Model features that were cheeky but more down-to-earth than the glamour-focused approach of other magazines.
Covers & Distinctive Style
Wildly Modded Reader Cars
Cover stars were typically extreme examples of modified everyday vehicles rather than expensive exotics.
Bold Graphic Design
DIY text overlays, neon fonts, and outrageous claims like "THE LOUDER THE BETTER!" defined the magazine's visual identity.
Raw Interior Layout
Pages featured fan mail, prank content, coverage of questionable modifications, and parody advertisements.
Celebration of DIY Spirit
Famous for showcasing duct-taped spoilers, stacked speakers, and amateur fiberglass dashboard creations.
DVD/VHS Content
Cruise Footage
Raw video from key locations like Birmingham, Manchester, and Southend, capturing the energy of the scene.
Behind-the-Scenes
Unfiltered documentation of car builds, showing the reality of creating feature vehicles.
Action Content
Burnouts, rev battles, and in-car footage that brought readers closer to the sound and spectacle of modified cars.
Reader Submissions
Fan-submitted videos featured alongside professional edits, emphasizing the magazine's community focus.
REVS vs. MAX POWER
MAX POWER
REVS
Cultural Highlights
Revs vs. Max Power
Revs was grittier, funnier, and more reader-based, creating a distinct identity in contrast to the more mainstream Max Power.
Reader Rides
The heart of the magazine was its celebration of mostly working-class youth showing off their weekend projects and street-level builds.
Revs Shows
Coverage of events ranged from major meets to small local cruises and impromptu gatherings in sketchy car parks, documented in raw detail.
Mod Culture
The magazine embraced bold, colorful, and sometimes questionable modifications, always showcasing them with attitude and without judgment.
The Revs Legacy
Though shorter-lived than its more famous rival, Revs Magazine left an indelible mark on modified car culture in the UK. Its emphasis on accessibility, humor, and DIY spirit created a space where enthusiasts of all backgrounds could feel included in the scene.
What set Revs apart was its understanding that car culture wasn't just about the vehicles—it was about the community, the weekends spent working on projects, and the friendships formed at meets and cruises.
For many readers, Revs represented the authentic grassroots side of car modifying that prioritized creativity and individuality over budget. Its legacy lives on in the DIY ethos that continues to drive car culture today.
