PetrolBlogPetrolBlogPetrolBlogPetrolBlog
  • Home
  • 70s cars
  • 80s cars
  • 90s cars
  • 00s cars
  • Manufacturers
    • CITROËN
    • PEUGEOT
    • RENAULT
    • Alfa Romeo
    • Audi
    • Dacia
    • Daihatsu
    • Fiat
    • Ford
    • Honda
    • Hyundai
    • Lancia
    • Matra
    • Mazda
    • Mercedes-Benz
    • Mitsubishi
    • Nissan
    • Opel
    • Proton
    • Saab
    • Seat
    • Skoda
    • Suzuki
    • Talbot
    • Toyota
    • Vauxhall
    • Volkswagen
    • Volvo
  • Features
    • 10 of the best
    • CarTunes
    • General Bunk
    • It’s time to appreciate
    • Major Waffle
    • New cars
    • Regrets
    • Reviews
    • Save Our Scrap
    • Shatchbacks
    • Shednesday
    • The Barn
    • Whatever happened to?
  • Garage
  • Shop
0

PetrolBlog’s top 10 car adverts

Published by Gavin Big-Surname at 4th March 2010
MK2-Golf-GTI

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…

Share
0


Related Waffle


Baby Poo Yellow Honda HR-V

10 of the best: a celebration of Baby Poo Yellow

Aug 24, 2020
Citroen AX Ten PetrolBlog is 10

Ten years on: PetrolBlog is still running

Feb 18, 2020
10 of the best: blue-collar shooting brakes

10 of the best: blue-collar shooting brakes

Oct 19, 2016
Citroens for sale at Retromobile 2016

10 Citroëns to fall in love with at the Rétromobile sale

Jan 26, 2016

2 Comments

  1. James Batchelor says:
    15th September 2010 at 11:15 am

    Good choices but I wish I had remembered The Sweeney spoof ad!
    ‘Worst car ads coming soon?’ Not if I get there first 🙂

    Reply
    • MajorGav says:
      15th September 2010 at 12:57 pm

      We’ll have to compare notes on the worst ads then… 😉

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest PetrolBlog Videos:

https://youtu.be/fXRLAHLNX7M
https://youtu.be/0vnsNaXh7KM

PetrolBlog in print!

Classic.Retro.Modern

Support PetrolBlog – Buy Stickers

  • GOAT My car is the G.O.A.T window sticker £3.00
  • My car is the goat bumper sticker My car is the G.O.A.T bumper sticker £3.00
  • Tollfoolery sticker Tollfoolery car bumper sticker £3.50
  • Waffle & Bunk laptop sticker Waffle & Bunk laptop sticker £3.00 £2.50
  • French Tat window sticker #FrenchTat window sticker £4.00
  • French Tat bumper sticker #FrenchTat bumper sticker £3.50
  • Too good to scrap bumper sticker TOO GOOD TO SCRAP bumper sticker/plaster £3.00
  • PetrolBlog sticker PetrolBlog car sticker £4.00
  • Too Good to Scrap TOO GOOD TO SCRAP window sticker £3.00
  • PETROLBLOG laptop sticker PetrolBlog laptop sticker £3.00 £2.50

What you’re saying

  • 1st August 2022

    Gavin Southwest commented on Buy this Renault Clio Baccara and be like PetrolBlog

  • 26th July 2022

    Volker commented on AMC Eagle: the original crossover?

  • 25th July 2022

    Alun Morris commented on The Autobianchi Bianchina Panoramica was a shooting brake for ladies

  • 22nd June 2022

    David Cooper commented on Whatever happened to the Talbot Matra Rancho?

  • 8th June 2022

    Astra commented on Has Top Gear wrecked a Matra Bagheera?

Fresh waffle

  • Citroen 2CV resting on the back of a truck1
    PetrolBlog: the chump is coming back
    13th May 2022
  • 2022 Dacia Jogger in Terracotta1
    The Dacia Jogger is a practical remix of the Matra Rancho
    14th December 2021
  • Toyota Land Cruiser No Time To Die2
    No Time To Die in a Toyota Land Cruiser
    13th December 2021
  • Fahnome Knight Rider build your own KITT0
    Sponsored: K.I.T.T. from Knight Rider is now available as a kit
    17th November 2021
  • Hyundai Heritage Series Grandeur rear light7
    The Hyundai Heritage Series Grandeur is the future we want
    12th November 2021
  • Club PetrolBlog most beautiful1
    Club PetrolBlog members at their most beautiful
    20th August 2021
  • Renault Avantime in Geneva0
    You won’t believe these facts about French cars
    19th August 2021
  • 2008 Citroen C51
    Berlin or bust: the Unmistakeably German ad campaign
    12th August 2021
  • Bridgestone Potenza Sport tyres1
    PetrolBlog looks at Bridgestone Potenza Sport tyres
    11th August 2021
  • Toyota Camry V6 and Porsche 9243
    An unexceptional day out in the Toyota Camry V6
    2nd August 2021

Newsletters

PetrolBlog
ABOUT | ADVERTISING / SPONSORSHIP | PRIVACY POLICY | TERMS & CONDITIONS | CONTACT US

The world’s least influential car blog since 2010.

Copyright © PetrolBlog.

0
We use cookies to offer you a better browsing experience and analyse site traffic. We also share information about how you browse our site with our advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you have provided to them or that they have collected for your use of their services.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT