RE: The British Leyland range: PH Ad Break
Friday 28th August 2015
Today car adverts are about subliminal messages, implying how superior the products are through moody lighting, slick editing or perhaps a lease deal. Very seldom are truly brazen adverts declaring brilliance seen, largely because we're more cynical about those sort of claims today. But nostalgia is always good fun, so let's have a look.
The British Leyland range: PH Ad Break
"British Leyland peddling their lies and rotting cars in a TV advert" says the video poster...
The video description says this is from 1975 but a few commenters suggest it may be later in the 70s due to the appearance of a Rover 3500 and Jaguar XJ-S. Whatever, it's a gloriously old-fashioned advert of arrogance from BL that won't fail to raise a smile.
There's a 'Frenchman' - you'll understand why when you hear him - stating how brilliant his Allegro is, the mandatory posh Rover customer and two old dears driving very slowly in a Triumph. So many stereotypes in just 60 seconds! There's even a cheesy musical strapline - 'Great cars and a great deal more' - to boost the kitsch appeal yet further. Anyone else quite fancy an early XJ-S?
Watch the advert here.
Discussion
Possibly '76 or '77 - as the tax disc on the old dears' Triumph reads APR 77...
They certainly don't make adverts like this anymore. That said, I was born around this time so what do I know - it'd all changed to 'Take My Breath Away' by Berlin for the Peugeot 405 as one of the earliest adverts I can remember...
They certainly don't make adverts like this anymore. That said, I was born around this time so what do I know - it'd all changed to 'Take My Breath Away' by Berlin for the Peugeot 405 as one of the earliest adverts I can remember...
Can't watch it - as a kid I was knocked over whilst running across the road outside my house by one...I say knocked over but it was more akin to being fly swatted as there wasn't a dent on the old square steering wheel Allegro, no crumple zones back then unless you count the rusty parts as that! 
Ford and Vauxhall made car's that broke down and rotted in front of your eyes too. The seventies were burdened by ever increasing inflation brought about by decimilisation and the 1973 fuel crisis. The whole of British industry was afflicted by strikes as workers struggled to keep up with inflation that destroyed the pound in your pocket overnight. BL unfortunately didn't rationalise both it's model and engine range until it was too late. The link up with Honda was highly successful so why throw it all away?
Well, on the plus side, it shows BL were ahead of the German competition--sub-brand and platform spin offs abound, and they admit to it. Sort of shows them as an early VAG set up.
On the downside, they were lacking something the VAG products miss... Perceived and/or actual quality (I'm going by folklore and the experiences of my dad here). And yet some of these cars are great in concept and looks. The Dolomite comes across to me as a 3-series before its time, and the SD1 is still a lovely thing.
On the downside, they were lacking something the VAG products miss... Perceived and/or actual quality (I'm going by folklore and the experiences of my dad here). And yet some of these cars are great in concept and looks. The Dolomite comes across to me as a 3-series before its time, and the SD1 is still a lovely thing.
Northernlights said:
Well, on the plus side, it shows BL were ahead of the German competition--sub-brand and platform spin offs abound, and they admit to it. Sort of shows them as an early VAG set up.
On the downside, they were lacking something the VAG products miss... Perceived and/or actual quality (I'm going by folklore and the experiences of my dad here). And yet some of these cars are great in concept and looks. The Dolomite comes across to me as a 3-series before its time, and the SD1 is still a lovely thing.
The German stuff wasnt that much better at the time, the Japanese cars were generally the most reliable at that time but managed to rot more than even the BL stuff.On the downside, they were lacking something the VAG products miss... Perceived and/or actual quality (I'm going by folklore and the experiences of my dad here). And yet some of these cars are great in concept and looks. The Dolomite comes across to me as a 3-series before its time, and the SD1 is still a lovely thing.
J4CKO said:
The German stuff wasnt that much better at the time, the Japanese cars were generally the most reliable at that time but managed to rot more than even the BL stuff.
For all their faults--e.g. weight and size--at least modern cars are generally built to a decent standard, even at a lower price point. I consider myself lucky that I haven't had to grease some nipples or waxoyl a car since I've been driving, too. They are relatively simple to own, even if they can be expensive.smellypoo said:
Possibly '76 or '77 - as the tax disc on the old dears' Triumph reads APR 77...
GranCab said:
"P" regd. cars were Aug '75 to July '76
XJS - LDU881P - not on DVLA lookupMini - LOK596P - not on DVLA lookup
Maxi - MOG93P - first registered 13th May '76
TR7 - LOK569P - first registered 25th May '76
Toledo - MPM234P - first registered 7th May '76
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTCfJKNE2hg
Its 24 mins but it shows if BL workers spent less time watching films like this, they may have had more time buidling the things.
Its 24 mins but it shows if BL workers spent less time watching films like this, they may have had more time buidling the things.
petop said:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTCfJKNE2hg
Its 24 mins but it shows if BL workers spent less time watching films like this, they may have had more time buidling the things.
A few actors I recognise on there.Its 24 mins but it shows if BL workers spent less time watching films like this, they may have had more time buidling the things.
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