Tag Archives: Classic Car Ads

Streamline Madness! A Gallery of Automotive Aerodynamics in Print Ads

November 11, 2020 admin

1932 Rockne

Instead of fumbling with task of explaining the concept of aerodynamics myself, I will simply lift some copy from the Porsche 924 ad seen below. Per Porsche:

Air resists the movement of a vehicle passing through it. Resistance increases with the square of the vehicle’s speed: twice the speed produces 4 times the resistance. The engine power required to overcome this drag increases with the cube of the vehicle’s speed: twice the speed requires 8 times higher power. Thus, even a small reduction in drag can result in a large increase in fuel economy. Dr. Ferdinand Porsche was among the first to reduce drag through body design. The Porsche 924 benefits from 70 years of Porsche aerodynamic development. It’s drag coefficient is a low .36. And it requires only 15 hp to cruise at 55 mph.

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Two observations about the Porsche text. First, it’s clear Porsche copywriters don’t like commas. Second, this blurb ignores the 1921 Rumpler Tropfenwagen—a vehicle largely understood to be the first intentionally aerodynamic car. And, it boasted a better coefficient of drag than the 924. You can read all about the Tropfenwagen here.

The 1921 Rumpler Tropfenwagen is generally understood to be the first intentionally aerodynamic automobile.

Looking back, it’s clear that long before carmakers were making effective use of aerodynamic design, they were laying claim to having harnessed the virtues of low-drag silhouettes. For your consideration, we have amassed a gallery of classic ads, each of which touts the benefits of streamlining and aero design in some fashion. Check them out, and let us know which is your favorite. For the record, the Tatra ad—which is an ad, not a brochure—is absolutely my favorite.

More classic ads

1930 Tatra

1930 Tatra Ad

The Cars of Metropolis

1932 Rockne

1932 Rockne Ad

Market Crash Madness! A Gallery of Depression-Era Car Ads

1934 Chrysler Airflow

1934 Chrysler Airflow Ad

Amazingly Innovative Cars . . . And Why They Failed

1934 Kestrel

1934 Kestrel Ad

Eclectic Collectibles: 2018 Mecum Chicago Auction Gallery

1934 Hupmobile

1934 Hupmobile Ad

Photo Feature: 1933 Hupmobile K-321 Convertible Coupe

1935 LaSalle

1935 LaSalle Ad

Designer Madness! Fashion in Classic Car Ads

1949 Nash

1949 Nash Ad

Plaster Master: Salvaging a Nash Styling Model

1952 Willys

1952 Willys Ad

Photo Feature: 1941 Willys 441 Station Wagon

1956 Plymouth

1956 Plymouth Ad

Photo Feature: 1960 Plymouth Fury Hardtop Coupe

1968 Chevrolet

1968 Chevrolet Camaro and Corvette Ad

1976 Plymouth

1976 Plymouth Arrow Ad

Forgotten Functionality: Recalling the 1994 Eagle Summit Wagon, Mitsubishi Expo, and Plymouth Colt Vista

1978 Toyota

1978 Toyota Celica Ad

Aichi Madness! 10 Classic Toyota Ads

1980 Porsche

1980 Porsche 924 Ad

Review Flashback! 1973 Porsche 911

1981 Buick

1981 Buick Regal Ad

Cheap Wheels: 1979 Buick LeSabre Palm Beach

1981 Buick

1981 Buick Regal Ad

Dynaflow Madness! A Gallery Of Classic Buick Ads

1983 Pontiac

1983 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Ad

5 Most-Powerful American Cars of 1980

1983 Mercury

1983 Mercury Cougar Ad

What Was the Mercury Cougar Bostonian Edition?

1984 Audi

1984 Audi 5000 Ad

Gallery: Cool Cars at Fun Places

1985 Ford

1985 Ford Thunderbird Ad

Review Flashback! 1984 Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe

1986 Ford

1986 Ford Aerostar Ad

Click below for enlarged images

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Automotive Aerodynamics Gallery

Written by: Tom Appel on November 11, 2020.

Indulgence Madness! A Gallery of Eighties Personal Luxury Car Ads

August 25, 2020 admin

1988 Volvo 780 Bertone

Let’s get one thing straight right away: The Chevrolet Monte Carlo WAS a personal-luxury car. I have received at least a dozen emails and instant messages on this issue, mostly from car guys who insist that a personal-luxury car must come from a luxury brand. Not the case. For anyone who would like to spend time learning about the origins of the term, Wikipedia has a nice entry on the topic.

More debatable than the Monte Carlo are the Avanti and Plymouth seen below. Personal-luxury cars? You tell us.

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Once you’ve checked out the collection we have for you here, click on any of the links below to check out even more cool classic auto print ads.

More classic car ads

1980 Mercury Cougar

1980 Mercury Cougar Ad

Four-Door Madness! A Gallery of 1988 Sedan Ads

1980 Plymouth Sapporo

1980 Plymouth Sapporo Ad

Compact Madness! A Gallery of Small-Truck Ads

1980 Dodge Mirada

1980 Dodge Mirada Ad

Drop-Top Madness! 20 Classic Convertible Ads

1981 Chevrolet Monte Carlo

1981 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Ad

Headlamp Hat Dance: 6 Years of the Chevrolet Monte Carlo

1981 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme

1981 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Ad

What Was the Mercury Cougar Bostonian Edition?

1982 Dodge 400

1982 Dodge 400 Ad (Canada)

Rear-View Madness! Classic Ads Featuring the Backs of Cars

1983 Mercury Cougar/Budget Rent A Car

1983 Budget Ad featuring Mercury Cougar

Velour Madness! An Ad Gallery Featuring Classic Auto Interiors

1985 Cadillac Eldorado

1985 Cadillac Eldorado Ad

Model-Year Madness! 10 Classic Ads From 1960

1987 Chrysler LeBaron

1987 Chrysler LeBaron Ad

Model-Year Madness! 10 Classic Ads From 1965

1988 BMW 635CSi

1988 BMW 635CSi Ad

5 Coolest Concept Cars of the 60s

1988 Oldsmobile Toronado Trofeo

1988 Oldsmobile Toronado Trofeo Ad

5 Forgotten Convertibles

1988 Volvo 780 Bertone

1988 Volvo 780 Bertone Ad

Classic Car Ad: 1975 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme

1989 Avanti

1989 Avanti Ad

Action Madness! A Gallery of Classic Ads Featuring Cars in Motion

1989 Buick Riviera

1989 Buick Riviera Ad

The X-Pile: Mystery Scenes from the Service Station

1989 Lincoln Mark VII

1989 Lincoln Mark VII Ad

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Check out the Consumer Guide Car Stuff Podcast

Personal Luxury Car Ads Gallery

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: 1980 Mercury Cougar Ad

: 1980 Plymouth Sapporo Ad

: 1980 Dodge Mirada Ad

: 1981 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Ad

: 1981 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Ad

: 1982 Dodge 400 Ad

: 1983 Budget Ad

: 1985 Cadillac Eldorado Ad

: 1987 Chrysler LeBaron Ad

: 1988 BMW 635CSi Ad

: 1988 Oldsmobile Toronado Trofeo Ad

: 1988 Volvo 780 Bertone Ad

: 1989 Avanti Ad

: 1989 Buick Riviera Ad

: 1989 Lincoln Mark VII Ad

Personal Luxury Car Ads

Written by: Tom Appel on August 25, 2020.

Compact Madness! A Gallery of Small-Truck Ads

July 21, 2020 admin

1980 Chevrolet LUV

There was whimsy in those little trucks. Back, say, 30-40 years, small pickups were not only cost-effective light-duty commercial vehicles, they were also compelling commuter alternatives to traditional coupes and sedans.

With prices that started as much as 20 percent lower than that of a compact car, small pickups became popular with frugal shoppers looking for something both fun and easy on the wallet. As for the whimsy, many of these small pickups were ready to tackle a deeply-rutted road, were decorated with fun graphics, and were pretty easy on the gas.

Sadly, today’s “small” trucks are no longer that small. In fact, they are now generally referred to as midsize, though they are not much smaller than large pickups were just a decade ago. To demonstrate this point, consider the 1972 Chevrolet LUV (Light Utility Vehicle), which was built for Chevy by Japanese automaker Isuzu. The LUV measured 173 inches front to rear, was about 63 inches wide, and tipped the scales at about 2500 pounds. A well-equipped Chevrolet Colorado, in contrast, stretches up to 225 inches stem to stern, is more than 75 inches wide, and weighs as much as 4700 pounds.

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More important, perhaps, is the Colorado’s price. One estimate puts the average transaction price of the Colorado at more than $40,000–about $4000 more than the average price of a new vehicle. There’s nothing whimsical about that sort of financial commitment.

Collected here are a dozen magazine ads from the days when buying a small truck was an easier—and perhaps slightly more frivolous—thing to do.

If you remember any of these vintage rides, please tell us about it. The place to leave comments is down below.

More classic car ads