Meet the best-selling passenger car in the USA for 1972, the Chevrolet Impala, on a tour of the Great Smoky Mountains.
In 1972, as it was all through the 1970s, Chevrolet’s top seller in full-size sedans was not the top-of-the-line Caprice but the mid-range Impala. There was a significant difference in price—$3,771 for an Impala four-door hardtop versus $4.076 for the Caprice—and buyers were choosing price over features. They were very similar cars in most ways, each based on the same roomy General Motors B-body architecture, The difference was mainly in the trimmings, and either Chevy offered an option list the size of a small city’s telephone book.
Chevrolet’s marketing efforts in the ’60s were pretty wild with crazy visual effects, but in the ’70s the division returned to the “See the USA” theme that was so effective in the ’50s. But instead of Dinah Shore belting out “See the USA in your Chevrolet”‘ on a soundstage, now the campaigns featured typical Americans on family vacations in scenic destinations. For example, this spot features Dad, Mom, and their three kids on a tour of the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina. We’re not sure if family auto vacations are as popular as they once were, but it’s a great angle for carmakers to showcase their products. Video below.
My family had a ’72 Impala. Biggest piece of junk we had up to that point, & the first sign that GM was going downhill fast. Car went through 2 transmissions & needed constant work done on it.
Because you can’t put your family in a Ford or Plymouth or whatever and drive through the Smoky Mountains. Just can’t be done. Advertising cracks me up. People really fall for stuff like this?
With all that stuff I think they needed a Chevy Beauville van!