AS car lovers, what are our unconscious motivations and fantasies?
In his wonderful 1987 book Driving Passion: The Psychology of the Car, the late Peter Marsh tells us "the car is not only a status symbol but often functions as a surrogate womb or as a means of self-expression, escape, romance and thrill and provides mobility and freedom, including sexual opportunities". I think Ford ripped me off in most of these departments when they sold me the BA ute.
We can see that carmakers believe all this from the TV commercials they put in front of us. The One Club is like the Academy Awards of advertising. In 2013, the New York club teamed up with the North American International Auto Show to name the Top 10 car ads in the past 25 years. A panel from around the world saw Honda UK take the two top spots on the podium with VW US coming in third.
Australia's advertisers used to make great car commercials. In 1971 Fred Schepsi directed a young Graeme Blundell and others in some of the most successful spots of all time. Based on the US Chrysler Dart and Barracuda, the Valiant Charger started at $2795 with the blow-any-Porsche-off really hot version selling for $4850.