Leon Mandel, 73; AutoWeek Magazine Editor, Publisher

Leon Mandel, 73, publisher emeritus of AutoWeek magazine, died Tuesday at his home in Grosse Point, Mich., after a long battle with leukemia.

Mandel joined Crain Communications in 1983 as editor of AutoWeek and became publisher in 1988, a position he held until November, when he was named publisher emeritus. Before joining Crain, Mandel had held editorial positions at Car and Driver and Motor Trend magazines.

He also wrote six books, including “American Cars” and “Fast Lane Summer,” written with race car driver Danny Sullivan, as well as a biography of the late car collector William F. Harrah.

Born in Chicago, Mandel grew up there and in New York City.

He attended Cornell University before moving to San Francisco, where he worked as a car salesman before beginning his journalism career at a small weekly newspaper.