Depending on who you ask, the cash-for-clunkers program was a huge success or a huge failure, given that the demand was so enormous that it ran out of vouchers almost immediately. It’s almost as if fuel efficiency is finally starting to matter to the U.S. consumer after a decade or so of SUV-worship. However, this vintage ad for Volkswagen bus reveals that this is not the first time that U.S. car buyers have been concerned about efficiency:
Text:
The special paint job is to make it perfectly clear that our Station Wagon is only 9 inches longer than our Sedan.
Yet it carries almost 1 ton of anything you like. (Almost twice as much as you can get into wagons that are 4 feet longer.)
Or eight solid citizens, with luggage.
Or countless kids, with kid stuff.
The things you never think about are worth thinking about, too.
You never worry about freezing or boiling, the rear engine is air-cooled.
You can expect about 24 miles per gallon and about 30,000 miles on your tires.
And you can forget about going out of style next year, next year’s model will look the same.
The most expensive VW Station Wagon costs $2,655. It comes in red and white or gray and white or green and white.
And you won’t ever have to go around painting sedans on it to show how small it is.
Just Park.
Via Copyranter.
See also this ad for Volvo from 1974.
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Lisa Wade is a professor of sociology at Occidental College. You can follow her on Twitter and Facebook.
Comments 12
Tintin LaChance — August 31, 2009
Could you please put a transcription of the text? It is somewhat difficult to read due to size, and you haven't linked to a larger version of the image.
Chollie — August 31, 2009
Too bad the mileage didn't increase by the same factor of ten that the price did.
Zanti — August 31, 2009
24 mpg! (better than a lot of vehicles get now) Also, 1970s oil crisis!
Clayton — August 31, 2009
When I see vintage ads they all seem to be in the rationally appealing category. Now they are all emotionally stimulating. I wish I was born in a different age!! I want an ad that doesn't insult me... I like this!
Jay Livingston — September 1, 2009
Credit where it's due. The VW campaign by Doyle Dane Bernbach was the brainchild of Julian Koenig (there was a segment on This American Life about him a few weeks ago, and he was referred to by name on Mad Men last season). DDB had lots of copy writers, but this line -- "And you can forget about going out of style next year, next year’s model will look the same." -- sounds like Koenig himself.
chuk — September 1, 2009
"And you can forget about going out of style next year, next year’s model will look the same."
This is brilliant. Whatever happened to that kind of incentive? :(
opminded — September 1, 2009
Government programs that give out other people's money tend to be quite successful.
buybigtires — September 2, 2009
Look how far the tires have come. Now, 65,000 miles is considered on the low end for a set. 30,000 miles was considered great back then.
V for Vegan: easyVegan.info » Blog Archive » The easyVegan Weekend Activist, No. 19 — September 5, 2009
[...] Sociological Images: Vintage Ad For VW Bus Brags About Fuel Efficiency [...]
Tommy McDonnell — September 11, 2009
We are still driving a 1961 Westphalia. Referred to as a 14 foot gas pusher. It is our recreational vehicle and it does get 21 to 24 mpg, depending on which way the wind is blowing. You can follow us on our 4000 mile adventure at http://www.vwadventures.com and experience a little bit of VW Camper life.
Environmental Sociology and Sociological Images | John Girdwood — January 9, 2015
[…] VINTAGE AD FOR VW BUS BRAGS ABOUT FUEL EFFICIENCY […]