American Automobile Adverts from Life Magazine 1970
Although LIFE magazine may have had its heyday in the 40's and 50's, the best issues in my view are from the 60's and 70's. Not only do you get the best counter-culture features, the car ads are enough to make a British boy go weak at the knees.
The 1973 Ford Mustang
The classic, the daddy, the original muscle car.By 1973 Ford had already sold 1.5m cars to a devoted American public. The affordability, practicality and style had them queuing round the block when it was first launched in 1965.
Another key factor in the Mustang's success was how easy it was to customise, creating an almost open source in its approach to motoring nirvana.
What makes the Mustang different is the way it looks, handles and makes you feel.
For eight years now, the Ford Mustang has been the top-selling car in its class.
There are at least three reasons why.
The way it looks.
New for 1973, you also get a rugged color-keyed front bumper and a dramatic grille design. But not all the good looks are on the outside. Inside the... [continues]
Edit this text1970 Audi 100
For an American magazine, Life in the 60's and 70's carried a surprising number of European car manufacturer's adverts.Along with the Japanese, the Germans, French and indeed the Brits were creating cars with more and more advanced technology. At a time when oil prices were spiraling, European cars with their better fuel efficiency, where a real boon and sales soared.
The Audi 100 marketed itself with another advantage, the cunning (relatively) new Rack and Pinion steering, nicely explained in this ad from 1970.
What makes a car's wheels turn when you turn the steering wheel.
This rotates the spiral drive gear.
- Which rotates the sector shaft.
Which moves a lever.
Which,through the tie rods,turns the wheels.
Sounds complicated? Thats precisely our point.
What makes Audi's wheels turn when you turn the steering wheel.
When the steering column is tumed, a pinion (which is ba- sically a gear) is rotated This creates horizontal movement of the rack.
Audi
The revolutionary new car from Germany.
The 1970 Ford Torino
Built between 1968 and 1976, the Torino had an outstanding NASCAR pedigree but never burnt itself into the American psyche in the same way as the Mustang.Even a long running appearance in Starsky and Hutch didn't save it from the oil crisis that started in winter 1973. The massive increases in fuel put paid to these American gas guzzlers and made way for even more Japanese and European cars.
Lovely use of 1970's design in this ad makes up for all of that, though!
Looks are deceiving. This is you Ford Dealer's lowest-priced hardtop. FORD TORINO
Torino takes curves and crosswinds in stride. That broad stance keeps you strictly on the level. Makes handling surer as well,
1970 Audi 100
For an American magazine, Life in the 60's and 70's carried a suprising number of European car manufacturer's adverts.Along with the Japanese, the Germans, French and indeed the Brits and were creating cars with more and more advanced technology. At a time when oil prices were spiralling European cars with their better fuel efficiency where a real boon and sales soared.
The Audi 100 marketed itself with another advantage, the cunning (relatively) new Rack and Pinion steering, nicely explained in this ad from 1970.
Sooner or later, your wife will drive home one ofthe best reasons for owning a Volkswagen.
Women are soft and gentle, but they hit things.If your wife hits -something in a Volks- wagen, it doesn’t hurt you very much. VW ports are easy to replace. And cheap. A fender comes off without dis- mantling half the car. A new one goes an with iust ten bolts. For $24.95* plus labor. And a VW dealer always has the kind of fender you need. Because that's the one kind he has.
Most other VW parts are interchange- able too. Inside and out. Which means your wife isn't limited to lender smashing. She can iab the hood. Groze the door. Or bump off the bumper.
It may make you furious, but it w0n°l make you poor.
So when your wife goes winclow-shop- ping in a Volkswagen, don't worry. You con conveniently replace anything she uses to stop the car.
Even the brakes.