Csaba Csere, <i>Car And Driver</i> Editor-In-Chief, Resigns [Csaba Csere]

Jalopnik has confirmed Csaba Csere, the famously unpronounceable Editor-in-Chief of Hachette Filipacchi Magazines' flagship moneymaker Car and Driver, will be resigning his position effective January 1, 2009. Why?

We've been given no reason, but Csere has been in charge of Car and Driver since 1993 and with the magazine since 1980. Hachette will now be conducting a search for Csere's replacement.

UPDATE: The automotive pundictroacy is all atwitter about whether Car And Driver is looking to make the move out of Ann Arbor and out to sunny California to join their comrades at Road & Track. We've also learned Csaba may have taken issue with Hachette's desire to foster greater combining of assets with Road & Track in a bid to save money. We're still getting more and we'll share it when we've got it.

UPDATE 2: Hachette has issued an official press release about Csere's departure, its full text follows:

CSABA CSERE, VICE PRESIDENT, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, CAR AND DRIVER WILL BE

LEAVING HACHETTE FILIPACCHI MEDIA U.S. AT THE END OF THE YEAR

John Owens, Senior Vice President, Group Editorial Director for the Men’s Titles,
Named Acting Editor-in-Chief

New York City (December 16, 2008) – Alain Lemarchand, President & CEO, Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S. (HFM U.S., www.hfmus.com) announced today that Csaba Csere, Vice President, Editor-in-Chief, Car and Driver, will be leaving the company at the end of the year. Senior Vice President, Group Editorial Director John Owens will be Acting Editor-in-Chief until a permanent replacement is named.

“Csaba is widely respected as one of the top authorities on cars and the automotive industry, making regular appearances on national television programs like The Today Show, NBC and CNN to comment on new models as well as the business of the automotive industry. We thank Csaba for his contributions at this magazine and wish him all the best in the future,” commented Lemarchand.

Car and Driver’s expert editorial team is recognized by car enthusiasts and automotive manufacturers as credible journalists who practice to the highest standards. The magazine is published by Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S. (www.hfmus.com) twelve times each year delivering an audience of over 10 million readers monthly (source: MRI Fall 2008). With a circulation of over 1.3 million copies (ABC Jan-June 2008), the Car and Driver is the world’s largest monthly automotive magazine. The magazine is a leading publication for in-market buyers, and the Car and Driver brand extends to many platforms including websites, mobile sites, radio, custom marketing programs and an integrated marketing database.