PetrolBlog’s top 10 car adverts

The majority of car advertisements portray a world of perfect motoring. In car advert land, there are no speed cameras, no potholes, no queues, no middle lane hoggers with their fog light permanently on.

You won’t find a white F-reg Ford Orion leaving behind a trail of blue smoke. There is no Vauxhall Agila sticking religiously to a speed of 42mph as it navigates along one of your favourite B-roads. Indeed, all the roads in car ad land are gloriously empty, snaking invitingly onto the horizon, with perfect tarmac and maximum visibility. The people are beautiful and the skies are always blue.

But this world doesn’t exist. The reality is a world of rising costs, persecution of the motorist and a frustrating search for the perfect drive home. This doesn’t stop us enjoying the car ads. During the first break in Fifth Gear, you’re tempted by the glorious Renaultsport Megane, but by the second ad break, your attention has turned to the new Jaguar XF. You can’t help it, you’re a car enthusiast.

So, let’s pay homage to the top 10 best car adverts of all time. Not judged on the art direction or the composition. Purely because we like them.

10. Volkswagen Golf GTI – Singing in the rain

Okay, so this one is based on the art direction, but it is an absolute classic.

9. Audi A4  – Not my style mate

How times have changed. Perfectly pitched in the mid 90s, this could easily be a car advert for BMW in 2010. Tell Charles I’m on my way…

8. Volkswagen Golf GTI – Squeaky

If only everything in life was as reliable as a Golf. Brilliantly pitched and if nothing else, a chance to see a brand new MK2 Golf GTi on the road again.

7. Volkswagen Golf GTI – Divorce

I think this was the first car adverts I remember seeing, perfectly summing up the 80s mood. Check out the Audi 100 Avant in the background. And own up, who else has tapped their steering wheel a la Paula Hamilton at least once!

6. Honda Accord – Cog

Whether it is a link back to our childhood playing a game of Mousetrap or because it is a brilliantly executed ad, Honda’s first of two ads in the top 10 is a modern classic.

5. Nissan Almera – Sweeney

100% British, this ad couldn’t work anywhere else in the world. Brilliant ad and an amazingly underrated hot hatch.

4. Volkswagen Polo – Singing dog

What’s funnier?  The actual advert or the fact that there were 734 complaints about the ad in the UK?

3. Shell – Ferrari fuel for the road

An epic. Sit back and enjoy. Be sure to turn the sound up to the max.

2. Ford Puma – Steve McQueen

Why is this number two? Well, it is based on the best car movie of all time. It features the greatest petrolhead of all time. And the Puma is a great little car. It took me three years to go out and buy one, but seeing it again makes me want another. In silver, with propellor alloys…

1. Honda – The Impossible Dream

If this ad doesn’t stir your soul and make you want to dart outside and go for a drive, you’re reading the wrong blog. An epic.

Look out for PetrolBlog’s top 10 WORST car ads of all time. Coming soon…