Peter Brock and marketing departments
June 28th 2008 11:39
Motor manufacturers have no soul. It should come as no surprise that when a particular model is slow to sell or the market gets tough, they begin releasing “Limited Edition” vehicles. It just makes you think they are special.
These are normally dreamed up by a marketing department under severe pressure. Remember the “Greg Norman Holden Statesman” complete with a set of clubs in the boot. Perhaps you recall the Nissan Pulsar Reebok? All white with a giant set of Reebok stripes down its flanks, no free shoes though!
Some of the arrangements manufacturers have entered into are in fact, marriages made in heaven. Take the name Lotus for instance. The ability of the Lotus engineers to redefine an average vehicle into a proper driver’s car is world renowned.
The Ford Cortina Mark 1Lotus was a giant killer on the racetrack. This once asthmatic sedan had been transformed into a championship winning vehicle. Some decade’s later history repeated itself with the Vauxhall/ Opel Lotus Carlton. The European equivalent of a Holden Commodore went from being a two litre sedan in a twin turbocharged 3.6 litre supercar capable of a top speed of 176mph!
Lotus also had a hand in the birth of one of the ultimate hot hatches. Pictured above is the Sunbeam Talbot Lotus. A three door hatch powered a 2.2 litre four cylinder engine, nearly double the size of the original! Chrysler used them to rally!
For every success story there are cars that the builders would prefer to forget. An Isuzu Bighorn tuned by Lotus anyone? Thought not!
Remember the Brock Commodores? You should they were the ultimate in go-faster road going Commodores in the nineteen eighties. Built under the auspices of the Holden umbrella Peter Brock performed miracles under the HDT banner.
The problem here was that Brock should have stopped at Commodores. He didn’t. Did someone mention “Cynical marketing exercises” Oh that would be the Brock Falcon and the Brock Lada Samara.
Autoloud drove a Brock Falcon at the time of its release and to drive, it was indeed a well sorted package. For a Ford!
As for the Lada, it proved that Peter was less than perfect!
These are normally dreamed up by a marketing department under severe pressure. Remember the “Greg Norman Holden Statesman” complete with a set of clubs in the boot. Perhaps you recall the Nissan Pulsar Reebok? All white with a giant set of Reebok stripes down its flanks, no free shoes though!
Some of the arrangements manufacturers have entered into are in fact, marriages made in heaven. Take the name Lotus for instance. The ability of the Lotus engineers to redefine an average vehicle into a proper driver’s car is world renowned.
The Ford Cortina Mark 1Lotus was a giant killer on the racetrack. This once asthmatic sedan had been transformed into a championship winning vehicle. Some decade’s later history repeated itself with the Vauxhall/ Opel Lotus Carlton. The European equivalent of a Holden Commodore went from being a two litre sedan in a twin turbocharged 3.6 litre supercar capable of a top speed of 176mph!
Lotus also had a hand in the birth of one of the ultimate hot hatches. Pictured above is the Sunbeam Talbot Lotus. A three door hatch powered a 2.2 litre four cylinder engine, nearly double the size of the original! Chrysler used them to rally!
For every success story there are cars that the builders would prefer to forget. An Isuzu Bighorn tuned by Lotus anyone? Thought not!
Remember the Brock Commodores? You should they were the ultimate in go-faster road going Commodores in the nineteen eighties. Built under the auspices of the Holden umbrella Peter Brock performed miracles under the HDT banner.
The problem here was that Brock should have stopped at Commodores. He didn’t. Did someone mention “Cynical marketing exercises” Oh that would be the Brock Falcon and the Brock Lada Samara.
Autoloud drove a Brock Falcon at the time of its release and to drive, it was indeed a well sorted package. For a Ford!
As for the Lada, it proved that Peter was less than perfect!
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