Thursday, September 23, 2010

Have We Really Come All That Far in 35 Years?


This is a large format brochure for the original VW Polo from 1975 (11 x 17 inches, 8 pages). I spent a few months in Germany during my senior year in high school, on an exchange program. My class went to several cool places, and several great cities, for cultural, educational and social reasons. I, of course, found my way to every car dealer I saw, lol. I loved this tiny little VW, which was also sold as an Audi, the 50 model. 

Notice that the cover shows the base model at the top, with the black rubber trim around the windows, and plain body sides, and the "L" model at the bottom with chrome window reveals and a mid-height chrome/rubber body molding. The German translates to "Small on the Outside, Big on the Inside," not exactly a new PR theme, even 35 years ago. Cars have been advertised that way since the beginning of the industry in the early 1900s, the Rambler making it quite a famous motif in the 1950s and '60s.

Also notice the proportions of this small front-wheel drive car. The wheels are fairly well forward, almost rear-wheel drive in looks. Perhaps that's why I find it so appealing. I don't think VW has improved upon this Giugiaro design since. Georgetto Giugiaro was truly at the height of his game with all of the cars he designed in the 1970s.

Nothing says the 1970s more in this brochure than these exterior and interior color selections. We're so used to having tasteful, nondescript exterior colors these days, and it's extremely rare that an interior is anything other than 3 shades of gray. I would love VW to come out with a 'heritage' color option for their new cars, and use these colors. They've done that with the New Beetle, but the colors they chose were from the fifties and early sixties. I could really get into a VW Golf with a cinnamon and black houndstooth cloth interior. I wouldn't mind seeing more primary colors on cars' exteriors either.

4 comments:

  1. GOOD MORNING
    GOOD AFTERNOON
    AND GOOD NIGHT
    STAYED UP TO WATCH ROSS THEN I'M GOING TO BED. I TOOK AN EARLY EVENING NAP SO I COULD SEE HIM.
    ENJOYED YOUR POST ABOVE.
    SEE YOU TOMORROW.

    GRANNY

    ReplyDelete
  2. thanks for reminding me about Ross tonight. He was hysterical last week. I usually watch Leno, but sometimes I get into watching the Maddow rerun from 11-12, and I forget to put Jay on. I'll switch. I can catch the end of Rachel at 2:30.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Now, this is a cool post. Did you go to Wolfsburg? One day I would love to see that factory and check out the tower in which the house their finished products, cars.

    The very first VW I was in might have been a 1981 VW GTi. My baseball coach, Mr. Servenni owned one with a black paint job and red stripe with beige seats. I forgot if it was leather or cloth or maybe artificial leather. It was also the first car I was in with a manual.

    I don't care what people say, but they're one of the best cars in the world.

    Proud owner for 11 years!~

    ReplyDelete
  4. If my memory serves me correct, Giugiaro penned the first generation Golf also. My first VW was a 1983 Rabbit(Golf)GTI - I bought it at the beginning of the 83 model year. I'd started a new job on the other side of town before the 84's came out and traded the Rabbit in on a 83 Scirocco Wolfsberg LE - the Rabbit didn't have air - and I needed it for the commute. Both were outstanding, fun to drive cars. Miss them still today.
    NOTHING screams 70's more than that avocado green exterior color - lofotengrun ! And it was ONLY paired with the cognac (burnt orange) interior! Now that IS the 70's !

    ReplyDelete