Tuesday 2nd April 2013

Renault 5 GT Turbo: PH Ad Break

Pictures of cats: a modern phenomenon? Not if this Renault ad is anything to go by...

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The rise and rise of the ‘cats doing funny things’ photo craze that’s been spurred by Facebook, Twitter, and countless other social media sites feels like a very modern phenomenon. Memes featuring cats in baths, cats in boxes and even cats poking out of the ceiling feel as though they’ve appeared from nowhere as a source of amusement for countless thousands of us, staving off those inescapable moments of internet boredom.   

Red on-screen graphics shouted 'sporty'

Which is why we were somewhat surprised to find that a cat photo appearing in Renault’s advert for the 5 GT Turbo, around 20 years ahead of its time. Go on, have a watch. You might think we’ve gone barmy at first, but trust us, it’s there – just be patient.

See what we mean? So unexpected was it, in fact, that it generated a genuine fit of giggling here in the office (much to the consternation of those around us). And it’s not as if the ad was a duffer otherwise. Just feast your eyes on those cracking simulated LCD graphics at the bottom of the screen. The message was clear: technology, and lots of it, was behind the power of the new hot 5. And the backdrop of the drag strip, combined with pacey shots of gearchanges, left one in no doubt that it was quick. It was, too, and pretty good fun to drive to boot; its reputation in some quarters as a bit of a chav wagon, ably abetted by its appearance in the Ali G movie, is somewhat undeserved, and thankfully fading these days, as it masked a genuinely exciting little car.

0-35-ish in 4.66 seconds. Heard it here first.

None of that really matters, though, because a picture of some cats and a snippet of hold music sold this ad – and the little 5 – to us the instant we saw it. If it was still the 80s, it’d be all you could do to hold us back from skipping on down to the Renault dealer right away.

 

 

 

[HereBeMonsters]

As I can't hear the sound here at work, I assume it's a complete non-sequitor?

Also - 0-60 in 7.5 seconds. I think my Mother's Picasso can do that now...

[DaveL485]

They weren't all as excruciatingly bad as that one.

Oh...wait...yes they were....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kj00WdsbPs

[smellypoo]

DaveL485 said:

They weren't all as excruciatingly bad as that one.

Oh...wait...yes they were....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kj00WdsbPs

Glorious!

[DaveL485]

smellypoo said:

DaveL485 said:

They weren't all as excruciatingly bad as that one.

Oh...wait...yes they were....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kj00WdsbPs

Glorious!

Gets worse

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofmzhMrhaNE

and WORSE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pk_KwS3Rgrg

[Scrof]

DaveL485 said:

They weren't all as excruciatingly bad as that one.

Oh...wait...yes they were....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kj00WdsbPs

On the contrary. I think that's bloomin' marvellous! Especially the electric guitar remix of 'Johnny & Mary'! Hadn't seen it before, so cheers for sharing!

[s m]

Scrof said:

DaveL485 said:

They weren't all as excruciatingly bad as that one.

Oh...wait...yes they were....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kj00WdsbPs

On the contrary. I think that's bloomin' marvellous! Especially the electric guitar remix of 'Johnny & Mary'! Hadn't seen it before, so cheers for sharing!

Better than most of the modern ones

[Oddball RS]

I love the sped up image of it leaping away from the line, look at it again, its quicker than this years Williams.............

[Loplop]

DaveL485 said:

smellypoo said:

DaveL485 said:

They weren't all as excruciatingly bad as that one.

Oh...wait...yes they were....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kj00WdsbPs

Glorious!

Gets worse

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofmzhMrhaNE

and WORSE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pk_KwS3Rgrg

Anyone else reckon the 21 in standard trim is a bloody handsome car?

[Terminator X]

As a young man I had a poster of a GT Turbo on my wall always wanted one. Considered one for my first car albeit settled on a Mk1 GTi in the end. Turns out it was just as well as I heard shortly after that the GT Turbo I looked at was a combination of 2 different cars what put me off initially and thankfully was that it was also stolen / recovered and had to have a new speedo fitted on zero miles

TX.

[DaveL485]

Loplop said:

Anyone else reckon the 21 in standard trim is a bloody handsome car?

Yes thats why i've had one (or more) since 1997

(Don't get me started, we'll be here all day )

You wouldn't believe how few there are left now

[KMB]

The cats are a genuinely hilarious addition to the advert... brilliant!

[Si_man306]

Brilliant! Even the car in the add looks past it and knackered.

One car I have always aspired to own. More than white fluffy cats anyway.

/geek mode. Is that the voice of Gryf Rhys Jones? (Of smith and jones?)

[Bitzer]

Brings back some memories.

I had a pearlescent white R5GTT back in 1993 - F963 RLA. It had a decent turn off speed when it wasn't a the garage

I sold it a year later. According to CarCheck, it's still alive.

[Alfa159Ti]

In the eighties and nineties cars actually looked distinctive.

Yet now everything seems to be coalescing into a boring generic blob in the name of wind tunnel slipperiness and pedestrian safety.

Always admired these little things. They were one of the most sought after of performance chariots back in my Max Power days as a Yoof.

[phast]

st a brick i'm getting old!

[STiG911]

Loplop said:

Anyone else reckon the 21 in standard trim is a bloody handsome car?

Hell Yes

I'm going to claim a reaaaaaaally tentative credit for this, as I posted on this subject off the back of another thread...
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[Speed_Demon]

Haven't you posted this before PH?

Either way, I love it.

[JamStar]

My friend's Dad had a grey one of these. I remember the day he bought brand new. I thought it was amazing with it's red decals up the side.

I'd still fancy a shot now. Thumbs up.

[The Nur]

Si_man306 said:

/geek mode. Is that the voice of Gryf Rhys Jones? (Of smith and jones?)

I think so!

[Alucidnation]

The Nur said:

Si_man306 said:

/geek mode. Is that the voice of Gryf Rhys Jones? (Of smith and jones?)

I think so!

Yes it is.