Hard to imaging an advertising campaign more important than one supporting the launch of an all-new product. And, this ad for the 1973 Century seems like it would have been a big deal. The question is, why does it appear like the copywriters just phoned this one in? A little backstory…
1973 Buick Century: Favorite Car Ads
History
With Americans still reeling from a brutal bout of inflation, as well as rising gas prices, Buick, like most American car brands, was looking for a way to realign its lineup in keeping with a nation looking for some fiscal relief.
Buick Apollo
Buick added two vehicles to its lineup for 1973, the compact Apollo, and the midsize Century. While the Apollo was nothing more than a retrimmed Chevrolet Nova, the Century was a bigger deal, as it replaced the Skylark in the brand’s lineup. What is so interesting—and in keeping with the times—is how this early ad for the Century leaned entirely on price. Here’s an interesting thing about that advertised price: It was for a rather well-dressed version of the Century–not a low-ball stripper.
Buick Century
The new Buick midsize car—offered in coupe, sedan, and wagon body styles—really started at just $3057. But, the car, as seen here, included a vinyl top, bucket seats, whitewall tires, deluxe wheel covers, an outside rear-view mirror, body moldings, bumper strips, bumper guards, and dealer prep. I guess it’s cool that all that stuff could had for about $600. Not to be whiny, but Buick shoppers of the day likely added an automatic transmission, air conditioning, and an AM/FM radio. Power windows and door locks might also have been part of the deal. All told, most Century coupes, as seen here, probably listed for close to $5000. But that’s not the problem with this ad.
In making the value case for the Century, the writers of this add listed a number of features designed to reassure would-be buyers that this new “affordable” model was as much a Buick as the luxurious full-size Electra. Except—what the heck are these things?
Dubious Features
To quote the ad, We’ve taken some big Buick features and put them in a new smaller size. Some examples:
- AccuDrive: Buick-built for stable handling even on bumpy roads.
Okay, that sort of sounds like something. Kinda.
- Dual-rate body mounts. To isolate car from road vibration. For smooth, quiet ride.
Ah, the duality of a body mount. Spicy.
- Solenoid-Actuated Throttle Stop. For quick, sure engine shut-off.
Sexy.
- Time-Modulated Choke. For quick starts in cold weather.
The chicks will dig this.
- Air Injection Reactor. For emissions control and smooth, smooth idling.
Not just smooth…
- Front Disc Brakes. For confident straight-line stops.
By 1973, cars should have had front-disc brakes.
- Computer-Selected Chassis Springs. For superb ride and handling, based on the weight of the car you order.
I kind of doubt this. If there were more than two spring rates, I’d be surprised.
- Padded instrument panel, padded head restraints, padded sun visors.
I don’t know what a padded sun visor gets you.
- Inner fenders for added protection.
Not sure what an “inner fender” is, but if it’s just a wheel-well liner, this is kind of lame.
What’s odd is, Buick’s were already known for quietness, a feature which seems worthy of being called out. The Standard 350-cubic-inch V8 is nice, and was Buick engineered. Also, the Century featured a coil-spring rear suspension, this while almost every Chrysler-corporation model was still fitted with antiquated leaf-springs. These were the features to call out.
All told, Buick cranked out more than 100,000 Centurys in 1973, not bad for the car’s first model year. Meanwhile, the aforementioned Apollo found just 35,000 buyers. Clearly, Buick buyers weren’t interested in a Chevy Nova with a Buick grille.
Why this ad is so dull we may never know. But the car looks pretty good, even from the unconventional rear view rarely seen in ads. The Century name wouldn’t be retired from the Buick until after the 2005 model year, when it was replaced by the like-size LaCrosse.
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1973 Buick Century Pictures
(Click below for enlarged images)
Looked bigger, less sporty, than the Skylark.