Andy
Historian and auto enthusiast, posting images of car and van brochures from my personal collection.
- Despite the plethora of French light commercials to choose from, British Leyland was keen to highlight the advantages of the 1275cc Morris Marina van and pick-up to customers in France, traditionally one of the company's strongest export markets. #weirdcarbs
- Later, France also got this unusual high-roof version of the Morris Marina van, probably a local conversion as this very capacious style was never offered in the UK market.
- Car marketing has often piggybacked on images of the glamour of air travel, and in 1997 Ford's German branch went further with its Lufthansa special edition of the then-new Ka, with extras including leather 'business-class' seats featuring the airline logo. #weirdcarbs
- The cover of the Ford Ka Lufthansa brochure featured a child dressed up in a pilot's uniform with the message 'Growing up is boring', underling the positive reception given to Ford's new baby car, one of its most distinctive models in years.
- Japan's take on GM's 'world car' was the Isuzu Gemini, which was unusual for majoring on the coupé bodystyle alongside the four-door saloon. Many exports were rebranded by GM, but this international brochure in English shows the Isuzu-badged version for 1982. #weirdcarbs
- Isuzu was relatively unusual at the rime for offering the Gemini with its own 1817cc diesel engine, shown here. This unit was also exported to North America and offered as an option on the US Chevrolet Chevette and the Canadian Pontiac Acadian.
- One of the Gemini's main export markets was the USA, where it was drafted in to replace the Opel Kadett, which was sold through Buick dealers. It was originally (confusingly) called the Opel Isuzu, later changed to Buick/Opel. In the 1980s Isuzu then offered it as the I-Mark.
- When Fiat added a new 3-door model to its 127 range in 1972 the word hatchback seemingly hadn't entered common use. This leaflet from Fiat UK described the new car as 'ingenious'. It was not alone in its class as that year its deadly rival, the 3-door Renault 5, had also gone on sale. #weirdcarbs
- The 127 had been launched in 1971 simply as a 2-door saloon - the original body, with no external hinges, is shown in this Dutch brochure. There was clearly some demand for this style, which continued to be offered even after the car, a huge seller across Europe, was facelifted in 1977.
- The 127 series 1 was a very pretty car with its wedge-shaped window line and stepped clamshell bonnet. To capitalise on its chic city car appeal a better-equipped Special trim level was soon added, distinguished externally by a unique grille using the new style of Fiat logo.
- The words van and wagon were combined in the name of the Volkswagen Vanagon, the North American version of the T3. This 1985 US brochure covers the base and GL models plus the Camper ('The house that drives like a car'). By this date it used the new 1.9-litre 'Water Boxer' power unit. #weirdcarbs
- Later models saw the Vanagon's engine enlarged to 2.1 litres and new rectangular headlamps, as well as the option of a 4X4 Syncro version, seen in this 1987 brochure.
- Towards the end of the life of Škoda's rear-engined models, the range-topping 1.3-litre saloon and Rapid coupé were offered in three different 1289cc versions, the 130, 135 and 136, shown in this 1988 German brochure. The cars also got a new instrument panel. #weirdcarbs
- The smaller-engined Škoda 105 and 120 continued to be offered, with these cheaper models retaining the original dashboard styles dating back to their late '70s launch. At this stage Škoda was at the dawn of a new era, with the new front-wheel-drive Favorit just arriving.
- While the rear-engined Škodas were desperately dated, they still tempted bargain-seeking customers in western Europe. To keep the marque's profile up, the factory was keen to promote the cars' rallying successes.
- It wasn't just Dacia which kept the Renault 12 body in production far beyond its intended years. In Turkey the 12 was built by local producer Oyak-Renault until 2000, with a lightly modernised body and 1.4 engine. Tough and dependable, it was known as the Renault 12 Toros. #weirdcarbs
- Also built in Turkey was the estate car version, the Renault 12 SW Toros. The cars were patriotically named after the Toros (or Taurus) mountain chain in Anatolia, and were good sellers to the end.
- The 12 Toros sold in Turkey alongside more modern Renault designs. The 11 was made in 5-door form there, seen in range-topping 1721cc Flash S trim in this 1994 brochure. Turkish production of the 11 ended a year later, but the 9 saloon remained available until 2000.
- An interesting illustration of how the English language has evolved since the 1950s is provided by this Hillman Minx brochure. The Gay Look term described the two-tone colour palette available on late-model Mark VIIIs in around 1956. The Minx was for years a staple of the Rootes range. #weirdcarbs
- Hillman Minxes provided solid family motoring, coming in a variety of bodystyles, including a glamorous convertible plus the Californian hardtop as well as the more everyday saloon and estate. This final flowering of the old-style model would soon give way to Hillman's more modern 'Audax' Minx.
- Bertone's second attempt to build and sell a Daihatsu-bodied 4X4 was the Freeclimber 2, shown in this 1992 Italian brochure. It used the 100bhp petrol engine from the BMW 316i and had a four-headlamp nose among changes to distinguish itself from the Japanese original. #weirdcarbs
- As with the first Freeclimber (based on Daihatsu's larger Rocky), the new model was described as a fusion of Bertone style and BMW power, playing down its Japanese roots. It helped that Japanese cars were historically little-known in Italy due to very strict import quotas.
- Daihatsu sold its own Japanese-built version of the model in most European countries as the Feroza (though it is shown in this UK brochure under the local Sportrak name), with a different 1.6 engine. The model's main competitor at the time was the similarly-sized Suzuki Vitara.
- The second-generation (E20) Toyota Corolla had looks that evolved from its predecessor, but a longer wheelbase and curvier body reflected the then-fashionable 'coke bottle' style. This international brochure features a nose facelift introduced in 1972. #carbluesky
- Most Japanese models ranges of the era included a coupé bodystyle, particularly popular in the home market. This export brochure notes that 1200 73hp, 1200SL 83 hp and 1400 93hp coupés were available (all SAE figures), but this varied according to country.
- Another successful Corolla variant was the estate car, shown in its more common 3-door form (a 5-door was also offered in some markets). The rear vent placement created the illusion of the rear body curving downwards.
