Video : Everything we do is driven by you

As much as it’s good to celebrate all that’s good in the world of cars, it’s nice to share some of the cringeworthy moments, too. Back in 1992, Ford dominated the UK sales charts and commanded something like 30 per cent of the market – that, though, was heavily dependent on fleet orders. However, the product range was, frankly, dire, and private buyers were starting to look elsewhere.

The Scorpio, for instance, the company’s oldest car, was still capable, but was fading fast, and being slaughtered critically at the hands of younger executive cars. The 1989 Fiesta and 1990 Escort were even worse, with the latter receiving an emergency facelift just 18 months into its life.

They looked good, didn’t they?

The Probe looked sharp, but maybe not as much so as the Calibra. But the Mondeo, and the brighter future that followed it was almost here (and officially teased, too!)

Still, Ford had cars to flog and, in order to generate some buzz, it came up with this 90-second video showing off its wares to the best of their ability – and all to the thudding back beat of Brian May’s tedious Driven by You. There were glimpses of the motor sport challengers, such as the brilliant Escort RS Cosworth and successful Benetton F1 team, with Michael Schumacher at the wheel, but there was no hope of that rubbing off on the chod available at your local dealer.

You know what the biggest tragedy is? Twenty-five years on, the cars Ford sell today are excellent, and fare so much better against the opposition – and yet it commands half the market share. Probably, the rot started here…

‘Enjoy’ the video.

Keith Adams

10 Comments

  1. Meant to be THE MOST successful car ad of all time in terms of generating footfall and feel good factor they say. The track was taken from May’s hoplessly dirge LP “Back to the Light” – The only saving grace for Driven by You was the late great ex Rainbow & Whitesnake drummer Cozy Powell keeping the tempo.

    He died behind the wheel of his car sadly – a SAAB 9000 T16

  2. The thing about a later version of that advert broadcast in late 1992 was that they inserted teaser images of the Mondeo Mk.1 into it, they never showed the whole car, just little parts of it.

  3. I remember this set of ads well, Ford really needed a boost in publicity at this time.

  4. “You know what the biggest tragedy is? Twenty-five years on, the cars Ford sell today are excellent, and fare so much better against the opposition – and yet it commands half the market share. Probably, the rot started here…”

    Good point. There are far more car manufacturers today producing far more cars. For instance I don’t think Hyundai & KIA were selling cars in the UK in 1992, amongst other things..

  5. Hyundai were selling the pony x2 range in the UK in 1992, my dad had one (J244 DUB where are you now?) I remember these ads too.

  6. I’ve often wondered how successful adverts like this, which advertise the brand, rather than specific models are, actually are?

    I recall Graham Day ditching the general “buy an Austin Rover” type adverts, and certainly you see very few of them around now

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