Classified Treasure

While searching through his collection of old German magazines, our great friend Michael Kliebenstein came across this lovely advertisement placed circa 1971 by then sole Lamborghini importer and German race driver Hubert Hahne to promote the new Miura. 

Our German’s a little rusty. Thankfully, Michael has provided the translation:

Flying lessons.

When you drive the new Lamborghini Miura from Düsseldorf to Munich it can happen that you need to fill up again after one hour. However, you will already be in Würzburg by then.

Michael says: ‘I like the advert because Würzburg is about 300km from Düsseldorf.’

Different times indeed! 

Inspired by Michael’s find, we went digging through the bountiful Porter archive for old general and classified advertisement treasures. 

First up is this Dunlop advert that claims, via a bizarrely simplistic graphic, to be ‘The world’s master tyre’ courtesy of underpinning the record-setting 1952 Rover JET 1 turbine car. Driven by Spen King, JET 1 set the speed record for gas turbine cars at 151.965 mph over a flying kilometre along the famous Jabbeke highway in Belgium.

Above: This Koni shock absorber advert claims ‘there’s a touch of tycoonery about the smooth, even ride’, which is probably the greatest-ever line in advertising. Tycoonery, we’re bringing it back.

Above: ‘Make your car fast’ obviously meant something different in the early seventies. On another note, Grand Theft Auto still means exactly that. (Motor Sport June 1970) 

Above: We’re pretty sure we know why only ‘particular people wear pigswhisker sweaters’ – popular enough in 1960 to merit an advert in Autosport magazine.

Above: A 23-year-old Stirling Moss could not have known that smoking was a bad thing. The makers of Craven ‘A’, however, knew they were onto a good thing with ‘speed-merchant’ Moss. (Autosport, September 1952)

Above: Fancy an ex-works Lister-Jaguar with 52 laps of Le Mans history for just £1,450? Of course you do. The reason for selling is rather special too.

Above: Our favourite 7.0-litre V8-engined Jaguar would’ve been a very astute £1,500 purchase back in 1970. (Motor Sport, June 1970)

Above: A Bugatti Type 37 for £190 or nearest offer? Here’s £200. Keep the change. (Autosport, May 1960)

Above: It wouldn’t be the 1970s without a side order of guilt. Buy our Castrol Girling brake fluid or you could be pushing up daisies. Can you say hard sell? 

Above: We’ll end with this charming National advertisement for Super petrol that recalls a bygone era when most children got really excited by new cars. (Autosport, May 1960)

We’ve only begun to scratch the surface; there’s a ton of material to unearth so please let us know if you find these as interesting and entertaining as we do.

By Wayne Batty