Now here’s a wild idea: an automobile ad that barely shows the car. Because it’s invisible. Check out the 1961 Chevrolet Magic Ride campaign.
The special effects certainly won’t impress anyone today, the acting is goofy, and frankly, the soundtrack is a little disturbing. But in 1961, Chevrolet’s Magic Ride commercial was a Clio Award winner. As the USA’s best-selling car and GM’s biggest brand by far, the Chevrolet division had money to burn on advertising in the sixties, as we’ve noted before (see the over-the-top Castle Rock production here). In the Magic Ride three-minute featurette, the ’61 Impala is showcased—so to speak. Actually, the car is invisible until nearly the end.
In fact, there was plenty to see and talk about with the ’61 Impala. Buyers could choose from 25 different powertrain combinations and five engines, from the trusty stovebolt six to the 348 CID V8 with 350 hp—and at midseason, the hairy 409 V8 was introduced. The exterior sheet metal was brand new, with a fresh two-door hardtop body style that, due to its generous glass area, later became known as the “bubble top” (Chevy called it a Sport Coupe). However, the car shown here—in the final seconds—is a pilllarless four-door Impala Sport Sedan. Video follows.
Appears psychedelic drug use was more widespread in 1961 than we were aware of.
Filmed in France! Other than the Buick, we see nothing but Citroens, Peugeots and Panhards. Curiously, it wasn’t the Chevy that had the magic ride, it was the Citroen DS19 that had the smoothest ride in the world.
At the time this was filmed the US Big 3 were obsessed with making their cars lower, so it’s odd that the couple appears to be riding at or above the level of the Buick that’s in the opening shot, and later on the highway.
Still, you can’t help but admire the special effects that were achieved without a greenscreen or CGI.