Ok, I'm looking through my new December MotorTrend, and right here on pages 24-26 I see an ad for the new Ford Mustang Mach1. It has a front three-quarter view of a blue Mach1 spanning across two pages. Left page reads "Shaker hood, racing stripes, 305 horses and 'no boundaries'..." Right page: "Mach1. The muscle car lives on."

Now does this sound at all familiar?? Pontiac's advertising of the '98 Trans Am WS6 was about the last decent thing I can remember coming out of that department for GM. Certainly the last shot at F-body advertising. Now Ford's ripping it off. They're really reaching these days. All of their cars are re-runs and now their ads are going that direction too.

 

at least it's the truth.

 

So true

Yeah, Ford is ripping off of Pontiac, buuuut they changed a few things: Pontiac's was "The muscle car lives", this is "The muscle car lives on." See?

 

yea..whats wrong with that..I like it..GM dropped the ball, the Muscle car lives on..sure why not..it is isnt it??

 

Man, if GM deserved to be defended here, I would. I just don't care. Yay ford, at least they don't have their heads buried up their azzes.

 

I think it's creative, if not low of Ford, to take a jab at Firebird, it's maker's and it's fans...., but I would think that if Pontiac wanted to pursue it, they could have a very strong case for copyright/trademark/whatever violation...

 

How about:

"Mustang. We're still there."

Of course, they could also did up some old Impala SS tag lines for the new Marauder. "Lord Vader, your Marauder is ready".

But hey, they abandoned those viable markets and enthusiasts. How can you blame ford for rubbing it in? Besides, what's the worst that could come of it? Maybe GM would step up to the plate again.

 

WHO CARES????!!!!!!!!!!!does pontiac hold the copyright to "muscle car",NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!if you want to talk about ripping things off,how about the name G-T-O,or TRANS AM or how about GRAND PRIX,when's the last time a pontiac won a actual grand prix race,ummmm,how about never.or LEMANS,gee,i remember when a lame pontiac sedan took the podium at LEMANS,oh wait,never happened.SOOOOO WHHHAAATTTTTTTTTT!!!!i hope GM hurries up and makes a new f-body so you people will have new things to whine about.

 

I think I just got dumber reading your post

Pontiac slogan : "The muscle car lives"
Ford slogan: "The muscle car lives on"

Hmmm... ya, you are right, nothing similar there at all...

GTO name a rip off? Perhaps...
Trans Am and Grand Prix, and LeMans? No.

 

If "The Muscle Car Lives" and "The Muscle Car Lives On" don't sound similar to you, or that it's not Ford taking a shot at GM--that's fine. Pontiac paid royalties on every car that used the "Trans Am" name... I really don't know what your point is with all of that ranting anyways. This is a slogan. I could care less who promotes their cars as "muscle cars"; that wasn't the point. It's not like this was the only way to use "muscle car" or announce the return of the Mach1.

But enough of my whining... Advertising being widely assumed as one of the downfalls of the Fbody, I felt it was relevant. I'll let everyone resume Cobra/Ford quality bashing and GTO knit-picking. There's something constructive.

 

Hehe, I love people like this. In case you haven't noticed, we f-body owners are very passionate about our vehicles. So passionate that I doubt any Miata owner could ever understand... j/k. If you don't like to listen to our whining, then why in the world are you reading this board? Oh and to answer your question, WE CARE! Anyways back to the original discussion. I belive that the Mach 1 add was a shot at the f-body , and that is fine. Ford has always tried to take little jabs at GM with their advertising. Remember the newer truck commercials? Let the Ford camp enjoy it now. Anyways, I have a feeling the "when" (and that is the big question) the Camaro returns it will make the Mustang its b!tch again. Cheers

-Mike

 

I also saw that ad today and was pi$$ed off at it.
I hope Pontiac's lawyers take Ford to the mat for that ad.
I am so upset!

 

I think it's funny if it's meant as a jab at GM, I mean it's a low blow, but funny. I'm sure they have no problem giving low blows though. I'd be mad too if my cars had been getting outrun every year by the competition.

 

What kind of car did the black T/A pull up behind and then seemingly "eat it's ways through", before ending up at the line and belching in that Pontiac T/A commercial? Anybody remember?

I'm not going to "defend" Ford over an advertisement, but I will say this... except for we extremists who eat, drink, and breathe car- stuff, NOBODY REMEMBERS those ads. Nor cares FTM. An ad only remains effective during it's airtime or during the moment of influence. If you went to the mall and queried 100 people about - Which car was in the commercial where they say 'The muscle car lives"?', I bet you less than 10% could guess right and those 10 would even be statistically unavoidable.

Let's be honest, the Mach 1 WAS a muscle car 30 years ago, and it is getting a rebirth, so what is wrong with the statement? Is it literarily incorrect or something? If it really was intended to be a dig on the T/A it would be very tasteless IMO. But again, since 5 years have passed and most of the ads are contracted to outside agencies anyhow, I seriously doubt Ford had the specific intent of "slapping" the T/A in this way. Was there ANY suggestions of an F-bod at all in the ad? A picture, image, symbol, ANYTHING?

'Til I see the ad, I'll reserve judgement. Just my .02.

Anybody remember when Clara said, "Where's the Beef?!?!" ?

 

Looked to be a Lambo