Keith Adams
Don’t let it be said that national stereotyping is a predominantly British pass time. This European effort (shown in Germany as well as, possibly, Austria and Switzerland) advertising the BL range in 1979 (why it’s still under the ‘Leyland’ banner is anyone’s guess) is a charming sideways swipe at the individuals that make up this fine island state of ours. In other words… it’s a light-hearting fun-poking exercise aimed in our direction.
The cars served up in this advert are the usual cross-section of what was BL’s sprawling and mis-matched range – spanning the Mini and the Jaguar XJ, and rather a lot between. However, look closely at the end of the advert, and you’ll see that part of the company’s line-up is the Innocenti Mini. In that respect, mainland Europe had one over on us – and you can imagine many an embattled English BL dealer would have given their eye-teeth for the opportunity to sell the pert little hatch.
Enjoy the advert.
Is the Editor of the Parkers website and price guide, formerly editor of Classic Car Weekly, and launch editor/creator of Modern Classics magazine. Has contributed to various motoring titles including Octane, Practical Classics, Evo, Honest John, CAR magazine, Autocar, Pistonheads, Diesel Car, Practical Performance Car, Performance French Car, Car Mechanics, Jaguar World Monthly, MG Enthusiast, Modern MINI, Practical Classics, Fifth Gear Website, Radio 4, and the the Motoring Independent...
Likes 'conditionally challenged' motors and taking them on unfeasible adventures all across Europe.
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Anybody know if the voice over is by Richard Gibson? (Herr Flick in Allo Allo). Super ad, though I wouldn’t want to be sitting on the back of that Range Rover!
Funny, cos it’s almost true!
BRILLIANT!
This wonderful ad was shown on German television, so it is surely the work of BL Germany. There are also brochures with the same theme. In fact it is the only BL or Austin/Rover advert I can remember ever seeing on TV.
Great, very funny! 🙂
They missed out how British managers pocketed bonuses instead of investing in new products and British workers prefered standing on picket lines instead of assembly lines. These chracter traits where also evident in British cars of the time!
1 minutes and 8 seconds of bliss… brilliant advert!
allo allo indeed! listen carefully, i say this only once, very nice advert, shame there are no “britisch autoos” left to make adverts for…
there must be examples of our European cousins’ ability to laugh at themselves? There was a French car advertised in the 20s or 30s (in France) with a delightful watercolour demonstrating how the owner and his wife/au pair/mistress might make use of all the space
Fabulous, shame they dont make adverts about car like that anymore, they are very samey these days.Not individual like B.L.they really did have a lot of talent….
The voiceover was by Andrew Sachs (Manuel)
Have another listen 🙂
I’d like to see the state of the Range Rover after that jump….
If the ad was for the European market, why was the voiceover in English?
Possibly the same reason why MG China enlisted the services of Benedict Cumberpatch…
I can remember another advert from 1976 where someone puts on a terrible French accent to say his Allegro is the best car he’s ever owned and a retired colonel tries to buy a Rover 3500.
A rather good advert. Certainly a lot more clever than that for the GS!!
I know I’m viewing in hindsight, as opposed to from a 1979 perspective, but the cars don’t look to be without appeal. Even the Allegro, in high spec form, looks quite attractive.
The jaguar in the Jaguar is the star.
Love it,
The Herr Flick narrative, Croft and Lloyd would be proud.
And how the SNP must love the mini reference.
Hooray for the good old, bad old days.
Thanks for a great ad,
Post Brexit the Germans would love this………..hmmm.
Go on MG have a go, get a sense of humour….. please do for gods sake, your current ads are awful.
Hilarious, though it’s the sort of advert that would never be made now, as from a marketing point of view the target audience for an Allegro is slightly different than for Range Rover or Jaguar 🙂
It’s also interesting what’s NOT included, the Marina, Maxi, Princess, the TR7 and any MGs.