MUMBAI: BBC Magazines' Top Gear and Top of the Pops are two of the publisher's success stories as part of a strong performance across its portfolio, according to the latest ABC circulation figures released in the UK.

Total circulation for BBC Magazines is up 5.9 per cent year on year. Top Gear broke through the 200,000 circulation barrier for the first time, at 200,286, an increase of 5.4 per cent year on year. Top of the Pops magazine shows the biggest growth in the teen market, with 124,852, an increase of 18.9 per cent. Preschool titles are up 8.3 per cent at 605,290, with In the Night Garden reaching over 100,000 copies. The magazine had launched in September 2007.

BBC History also shows growth at 58,395, up 8.6 per cent, its highest ever ABC. Radio Times though is slightly down at 2.6 per cent. As far as the BBC Food titles are concerned, Olive is up 25 per cent at 90,236 and Good Food is at 365,978 up 4.4 per cent. 

BBC Magazines MD Peter Phippen says, "I am delighted with yet another great set of results for BBC Magazines. I believe this shows that when you offer consumers informative, quality titles with clearly defined propositions, demand for magazines in this multi-media age is stronger than ever."

Top Gear magazine associate publisher Simon Carrington says, "Top Gear magazine has delivered its highest ever ABC cracking the 200k copies mark – an exceptional total representing the magazine's tenth consecutive period of growth.

"Top Gear's latest ABC of 200,286 has been achieved by a series of great covers, a successful marketing programme and a huge public demand for the brand. This result means that we now outsell our nearest motoring rival What Car? by 92,474 copies.

"Subscription sales, a great benchmark for success, have also performed fantastically for Top Gear. The magazine now has over 50,000 loyal UK readers subscribing on a monthly basis. It's also great to see a good performance from the general motoring market which continues to show stability, proving that there remains a strong consumer appetite for motoring titles."