I’m not eager to belabor this level, however Ford promoting from the mid-Seventies was fairly closely laden with baloney. And by baloney, I imply fraud-level lies. Try this advert for the 1975 Mustang II. At the least the Mustang appeared type of sporty.
1975 Granada: Forgotten Automotive Advertisements
Daring Comparisons
By now, you’re conscious that for the 1976 mannequin yr, Ford advertising varieties started evaluating the compact Granada with Mercedes-Benz merchandise. However again in 1975, when the mannequin debuted, Ford of us in contrast the very uninteresting, predictable, and in each manner mediocre Granada with the perfect Cadillac out there on the time, and, what would develop into one of many most-important Volkswagens of all time.
Cadillac Seville and Volkswagen Rabbit
Sure, have a look at the advert: The Cadillac Seville, and the Volkswagen Rabbit.
And whereas, to Ford’s level (we guess), the Granada was about the identical measurement because the Cadillac, and about the identical worth because the VW. However the comparability falls aside hilariously after that.
Downsized Ford
Ford did design the Granada to emulate the look of the maker’s bigger automobiles, and to a fantastic extent the styling labored. Shoppers accepted the downsized automobile as a legit Ford product, though the Granada was significantly smaller than the maker’s LTD massive automobile, and the midsize Torino which it successfully changed within the lineup. (The Torino did stay on till the tip of 1976, for Ford’s advertising vitality was firmly dedicated to launching the Granada.)
Granada Gross sales
Right here’s the deal, the Granada offered rather well. The boxy, chrome-laden Granada discovered greater than 400,000 patrons in 1975, this regardless of bringing no developments or new expertise to the market. Appears there are (had been?) automobile buyers who positioned gradual, unchallenging, change above all else when in search of new wheels.
That is what makes the comparability to the Rabbit so absurd. Whereas the image of the VW is supposed to make the automobile appear small and primary, the Rabbit was as a substitute a groundbreaking product for Volkswagen.
Fashionable Volkswagen
Whereas the Granada was principally the identical front-engine, rear-drive, pushrod-powered automobile that Ford offered at each worth degree, the Rabbit was very a lot all new.
Inside Quantity
Launched within the U.S. for 1975, the Rabbit boasted lightweight unibody development, front-wheel drive, trendy overhead-cam engines, and stunning inside area. Certainly, whereas the cumbersome Granada clocked in at as much as 3400 kilos, stretched 198 inches, and offered an estimated 95 cubic toes of inside quantity, the trim little VW was simply 155 inches lengthy, weighed just below 2000 kilos, but offered homeowners with almost as a lot cabin area because the Ford (90 cubic toes).
Granada versus Rabbit
Additionally, the Granada’s lineup of unhappy, under-powered engines offered little in the best way of efficiency. The bottom 200-inch six coughed up a scant 70 horsepower, whereas the out there 302-inch V8 was good for simply 129. Relying on the testing group, the 302-powered Granada lumbered to 60 mph from a cease in a sedate 12-13 seconds.
In the meantime, the Rabbit, powered by a 70-horsepower free-revving 1.5-liter overhead cam 4, was able to 0-60-mile occasions of 10-11 seconds. As for gas financial system…nicely, Highway & Monitor noticed 12.5 mpg of their testing of a 1975 302 Granada. In the meantime, Automotive and Driver bettered 20 mpg of their testing of the brand new VW.
Granada versus Seville
The advert’s comparability of the Granada to the Seville is, on its face, much less absurd, but it surely’s nonetheless fairly doubtful. Sure, the Seville is dear, but it surely additionally boasted some official technological options that had been unavailable on the Ford.
The Cadillac got here commonplace with an electronically fuel-injected V8 good for 180 horsepower. Regardless of weighing roughly half a ton greater than the Granada, the Cadillac was no less than a second faster within the 0-60 dash, it additionally returned significantly higher gas financial system.
However, extra importantly, the Seville boasted a complicated unbiased coil-spring rear suspension. The high-end chassis contributed to the Caddy’s famously clean trip and almost sporty dealing with. That Granada, nevertheless, made use of a dated leaf-spring rear-suspension setup, severely limiting the automobile’s dynamic potential.
Sure, tens of millions of American’s purchased Granadas, and little question the automobiles served these customers moderately nicely. However the Granada was un-special in a spectacular manner, and was merely not in the identical league because the Rabbit technologically, nor the Seville by way of energy or refinement. Wanting again at this advert, we’re nonetheless slightly delay by all of the, nicely…baloney. Click on right here for extra classic-car promoting.
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1975 Granada Photos
Click on under for enlarged photos
