You often hear that things aren’t like the good old days. Normally it’s people complaining about something political, or that they don’t like the latest smart phone. But occasionally, we bloody well agree with them. Our internet sleuthing has recently uncovered what can only be described as the best 4×4 ads of all time. Forget late model 4x4s carving up tracks and male models towing jet skis, these are bona-fide hilarious, even if they weren’t supposed to be. From winching up dam walls to towing incredible loads, these are 5 of our favourite classic 4×4 videos.
Defender 90 Climbs a Dam
Complete with classical music and a nod of approval from the queen this crack-up is 60 seconds of Land Rovers doing incredible things that’d get you thrown in jail these days. Don’t mind the driving up creeks, it’s the shotgun style grappling hook that had us in stitches. There’s no doubt some careful editing here, but what do you reckon about the dam scene?
Rallying an ’84 HiLux
Ever seen an ’84 HiLux air-borne for a mad dash to brew up a tea? Watch this classic Toyota ad and you’ll see all that and more. With what we can only describe as entertaining driving this ad would have people clutching their pearls in outrage as Barry shows Scotty just how capable his new ‘Yota really is. We’d be lying if we said it didn’t have us a little nostalgic for some classic tin in our shed.
Moving Mountains with a full size pick-up
Ford and Chevy are no strangers to trading blows. They’ve been doing it for over 100 years at this point, each brand thinking their product is superior to the others. It looks like Ford fired the first shot here showing their new (in 1987) F250 not only lugging a Chevy CK up a mountain on its back, but doing it with two more in tow behind. This one is a two-for-one though with Chevy returning fire stepping things up to a point you’ll have to see to believe.
The most advanced 4×4 of its time
In the world of 4×4’s there’s plenty of rigs we’d feel confident in saying were the most advanced of their times. True game changers like the first fun 4x4s like the Ford Broncos. The first early Jeeps making 4x4s a mass market offering; or even the early NAPCO clersonversion kits giving us the very first 4×4 Utes. One rig we’ve never thought of as ahead of its time was the G60 Patrol. Boasting features such as “Smooth cruising at legal speeds” and “145 thundering horsepower” it might not be enough to convince us; but it’s an entertaining watch nonetheless
Bugger!
We don’t even need to tell you what ad you’re about to watch. The tittle is engrained in every Aussie’s memory it’s so bloody good! This classic from the late 90’s was so clever it’s only just started fading in recent years. Showing off how powerful the new HiLux was, the Bugger commercial saw the trusty red Toyota knock over Kays of fencing, throw stumps through the air like they were nothing, and rip the front axle out of a tractor like it was held in with hopes and dreams. No list of hilarious 4×4 ads would be complete without this pearler.
