Car and Driver has been conducting events for automakers for a few years. At these events, a few hundred people drive the client’s car and those of its competitors, then declare the client’s car the winner and praise it lavishly. Now Automotive News reports in this week’s issue that both Car and Driver and sister publication Road & Track will create video versions of their reviews–for manufacturers willing to pay a fee.

The magazines continue to claim a strict separation between editorial and advertising, and that they’d never say anything that wasn’t true. The actual words of the publisher: “If the editorial staff has said that the vehicle is overweight, we’ll never say it’s light. We’ll focus on other aspects of the vehicle on behalf of the consumer.” In other words, just give the client a good edit, and talk only about the strengths of the client’s car.

But with more and more riding on a positive review, how much pressure will reviewers feel to write positive reviews? I’m glad I’m not in their shoes.