Chrysler crossed the line in this memorable magazine ad.
Credit to Chrysler for arrogance. If an automaker is going to compare its car advertising with other vehicles, it might as well aim for the stars. And, in the ad for this new LeBaron GTS, Chrysler hit it big.
1986Chrysler LeBaron GTS
New for 1985, the LeBaron GTS was born in modest numbers, sharing its basic architecture with Chrysler Corporation’s famous Dodge Aries and Plymouth Reliant “K-Cars”. At this point, almost everything in Chrysler’s stable car was derived from a K-Car, something that had both a good and a bad side.
Confusingly, Chrysler sold a LeBaron that wasn’t a GTS, which was nothing more than a Dodge Aries with leather trim, lots of faux wood cabin trim and wire-wrapped wheels.
However, the GTS is something more. The GTS boasts an elegant design, specially tuned suspension and a comfortable hatchback body—and European style—. Available with a 146hp turbocharged 2.2-liter engine and a five-speed manual transmission, the GTS is capable of handling well.
But the European looks and powerful engine can only take you so far, and sadly, the GTS’ K-Car ancestry has limited the car’s ultimate appeal. While the GTS is said to look European and handle fine, it doesn’t match European luxury sedans in terms of performance or refinement.
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However, like the proud mother of a diminutive divers underperforming, Chrysler has come out on top in its print ads—and in TV commercials—and in comparison. Compare the GTS directly with the compact Mercedes-Benz 190E and the midsize BMW 528e. Both were highly rated at the time.
The print ad includes a graph showing the GTS’s outstanding performance in acceleration, braking and handling. I won’t go into how it’s done, but the evaluation process that yields the aforementioned numbers can be — and is likely to be — designed to present the Chrysler in the best light possible.
That said, reviews of the contemporary GTS in review books are generally kind to the car, noting that it is a much better vehicle than the K-Car derivatives it has. relate to. However, the same reviews also noted the following:
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In addition, the GTS is equipped with rear drum brakes, unforgivable for a car compared to excellent European sports sedans. In addition, the GTS’s semi-beamed rear axle seems cheap and rudimentary compared to the complicated multi-link arrangement of the Mercedes 190E.
The only category where the GTS clearly outperforms the competition is price. A well-equipped 1986 GTS is listed for around $13,000, significantly less than the BMW 528e (about $27,000) and 190E (about $31,000). While the comparison made in the ad is clearly absurd, it at least drew attention to the GTS itself. Shoppers at the time wouldn’t associate any Chrysler products with high-end European cars, so that ad at least raised shoppers’ awareness of the intended mission. of the GTS—albeit a bit absurd.
Note that Dodge sold a very similar vehicle called the Lancer. The GTS and Lancer were available from 1985 to 1989. All told, about 188,000 LeBaron GTS units found buyers, a few of whom actually bought their Chrysler with a Mercedes or BMW.
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Chrysler LeBaron GTS Showroom 1986
(Click below to enlarge the image)
