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DriveTribe Is Shutting Down and It's As Official as It Gets

Five years, eight months, and 14 days ago, I reported about a new online project that was started by the old Top Gear team. That project was DriveTribe, and it will be shut down at the end of January. The news comes directly from the platform, which published a message for the community that was signed by the team.
Screenshot of the DriveTribe welcome page before the website was launched 13 photos
Photo: Screenshot from DriveTribe.com
Richard Hammond doing a review on DriveTribeJeremy Clarkson explaining things at the pubJames May reviews Dacia Sandero with a custom bike twist on DrivetribeJames May reviews Dacia Sandero with a custom bike twist on DrivetribeJames May reviews Dacia Sandero with a custom bike twist on DrivetribeJames May reviews Dacia Sandero with a custom bike twist on DrivetribeJames May reviews Dacia Sandero with a custom bike twist on DrivetribeJames May reviews Dacia Sandero with a custom bike twist on DrivetribeJames May reviews Dacia Sandero with a custom bike twist on DrivetribeJames May reviews Dacia Sandero with a custom bike twist on DrivetribeJames May reviews Dacia Sandero with a custom bike twist on DrivetribeJames May reviews Dacia Sandero with a custom bike twist on Drivetribe
The decision is motivated by the challenges of the industry, which have led to "severe reductions in marketing budgets across the industry." As the DriveTribe team explained, the budget cuts described made the whole situation an "incredibly difficult operating environment" for businesses that are dependent on advertising.

As the message explains, the company behind the DriveTribe website, as well as its app, along with the FoodTribe website and app, will be brought to a close at the end of January. Users have until then to generate PDF versions of the articles they published on DriveTribe.

Those who gathered a large following on the site are encouraged to let their online friends know where they can follow them after the website is shut down.

Moreover, subscribers who have active subscriptions will get their money back for the rest of the time they have on them, as well as those who spent money on Tribecoin.

Users who set up an account on an Android device will get their refund automatically, while iPhone users will have to request a refund through their Apple account on their devices. All refunds will be processed until early February, so it is wise to be patient about it.

The social media channels of the DriveTribe community will be taken over by Richard Hammond and his team. Jeremy and James are promised to make occasional appearances on the channel, which will focus on his new workshop, Smallest Cog.

Back in 2016, when DriveTribe was launched, the platform was founded by entrepreneur Ernesto Schmitt, along with the former Top Gear trio. Back in 2018, the platform had reportedly lost a significant amount of money, as British media noted at the time.

When it was founded, reports claimed that the company behind DriveTribe raised almost $12 million in Series A funding. The amount came on top of the unspecified sum raised in the "pre-Seed," but it never got around to making a profit.

Hammond stated that he and the team are "really disappointed that the DriveTribe website business has to come to an end," but is delighted that he will get to continue the relationship with his brilliant community.

James May was equally sad about the news, and noted that it is "a crying shame that we have to let this go," and completed his statement with an explanation that "ultimately, this is a business." You can read their full statements in the press release section.

Jeremy Clarkson stated that they are "all really disappointed that challenges in the industry – not in the least helped by the ongoing pandemic – have simply made it impossible to continue with the business in its current form."

Clarkson remains optimistic, as he stated that he is "very much looking forward to seeing what mischief Hammond and his team get up to as they take the channels forward."

It is never good news to hear that a magazine or a website has closed down, as this involves people losing their jobs, and the content they made will no longer be available.

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Editor's note: For illustration purposes, the photo gallery features images of Jeremy Clarkson, James May, and Richard Hammond in various situations.

 Download: DriveTribe community announcement (PDF)

press release
About the author: Sebastian Toma
Sebastian Toma profile photo

Sebastian's love for cars began at a young age. Little did he know that a career would emerge from this passion (and that it would not, sadly, involve being a professional racecar driver). In over fourteen years, he got behind the wheel of several hundred vehicles and in the offices of the most important car publications in his homeland.
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