Renowned Car Journalist Jacques Duval Passes Away at 89

Renowned car journalist and founder of the famous Guide de l’auto, Jacques Duval, passed away at the age of 89. His family announced his passing on Thursday, stating that he died after a long illness.

Jacques Duval was a dedicated advocate of the French language, both on radio and television. He began his media career at the age of 16, working as an announcer and host on various radio stations and later at Télé-Métropole. He was the creator of the concept of ‘Cimetière du disque,’ which was later adopted by Claude Rajotte at Musique Plus.

Duval also had a successful career as a race car driver, winning the Quebec championship five times between 1964 and 1971. In 1971, he became the first Canadian to win an international victory by triumphing at the 24 Heures de Daytona.

In addition to his racing career, Duval proposed and hosted a weekly automobile series on Radio-Canada, titled ‘Prenez le volant,’ which aired for eight seasons from 1966 to 1974.

In 1967, he founded and published Le Guide de l’auto, which became the best-selling annual book in Quebec and a must-have for car enthusiasts in the region. Duval worked as an auto columnist for La Presse for fifteen years and was the editor of Le Guide de l’auto for 37 years, until 2004. He later returned as a collaborator between 2013 and 2015. His straightforward and honest opinions made him both feared and respected by automotive manufacturers.

Jacques Duval was also inducted into the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame and received the Prix Georges-Emile Lapalme from the Quebec government in 2011 for his remarkable work and exceptional contribution to the cultural development of Quebec society. He published his autobiography, ‘De Gilbert Bécaud à Enzo Ferrari,’ in 2006.

Jacques Duval is survived by his partner Suzanne Charest, his children Brigitte, Pierre, and François, as well as his five grandchildren.