My parents had a 1974 Mercury Comet. I learned to drive in that car. Not the best car in the world. It had the 6 cyl. and could barely get out of its own way. It went through 4 exhaust systems in two years and my dad finally got rid of it and got a 1978 Monarch. That was another not so great Malaise Era car. Better power but that was about it.
Better fuel economy than a lot of cars today. Average fuel economy of American cars got better in the 80s with downsizing and engineering improvements and then reversed in the 90s and went backwards. We're just now starting to get back on track with more high-MPG vehicles, but you never see practical, no-nonsense commercials like this. Now it's all "whoosh" sounds, machismo, status, and glamor.
@colibri1 here in Europe, gas is twice as much expensive than in the US, and diesel is very common. A recent diesel car (family or business for the medium class) will do average of 40MPG, and a city gasoline car will do 33MPG tops. This is both in city and open road, not the economy race they did in this video. My little Citroen is in the guiness book, because it did 87Mpg in interstate conditions. In every-day normally drive it does almost 50Mpg,
@Abyss0147 Thanks for the information, but I already knew all that. I was recently in Japan and it's the same there. It was getting that way in the US during the 80s, before Reagan reversed the fuel efficiency targets set in the 70s, which led to the giant monstrosities of the 90s. The best car I ever had was my '86 Toyota Corolla 5-dr hatchback, which got 35 city/45 hwy, higher than it was officially rated. And it wasn't even the most fuel-efficient Toyota at the time.
Did you know that that is not a mercury but in fact it is a Ford....they sold the capri in america was a mercury but the car was build in europe was a Ford. I have a 1974 Ford capri GT
There was no Ford badging when the Capri was imported from Germany (LHD Capris were manufactured in West Germany or Belgium; the US-spec cars had the battering-ram bumpers and 4 sealed beam headlites). L-M dealerships sold the Capri (where it was a captive import sold as a Mercury).
Chrysler did the same with the Mitsubishi Colt when they showed up c. 1971 (also with the Mazda B-series trucks sold as Ford Couriers).
i didn't know that? mrow
playsbass1969 9 months ago
i wonder if my car still does those many mpg anyone got any idea if its still possible? it has a average good condition
lWhatSeriouslyl 9 months ago
bob hope apearred
playsbass1969 11 months ago
From Phoenix to L.A. never exceeding 50? I'd kill myself going that friggin' slow!
braincrisp1 1 year ago
That cat was really cute.
haigd 1 year ago
My parents had a 1974 Mercury Comet. I learned to drive in that car. Not the best car in the world. It had the 6 cyl. and could barely get out of its own way. It went through 4 exhaust systems in two years and my dad finally got rid of it and got a 1978 Monarch. That was another not so great Malaise Era car. Better power but that was about it.
16924fps 1 year ago
What the hell, my comet only got 12mpg!
RealGoneGuy 2 years ago
@RealGoneGuy maybe you just had bad driving habits lol
lucasorcorey 1 year ago
that's nice and all that, but who would drive all the way from Phoenix to LA at a maximum speed of 50?
fjp912 2 years ago
I remember these commercials from when I was a little tot. I liked the little cat's "meow." The big cat's "roar" scared me a little bit.
rcknrol1 2 years ago
I was a teenager when I had mine. 2.8, C4, 3.23:1, Sunroof, A/C. I absolutely loved it. Almost 30 years later I still miss my Capri!
kahunah911 2 years ago
Better fuel economy than a lot of cars today. Average fuel economy of American cars got better in the 80s with downsizing and engineering improvements and then reversed in the 90s and went backwards. We're just now starting to get back on track with more high-MPG vehicles, but you never see practical, no-nonsense commercials like this. Now it's all "whoosh" sounds, machismo, status, and glamor.
colibri1 3 years ago
Ditto. I miss these kinds of commercials that were geared towards everyday blue-collar Americans.
Del655 3 years ago
i told a few american friends that i have a VW golf diesel that'l do 55mpg... they were astonished!
broadspeedbullit 2 years ago
@colibri1 here in Europe, gas is twice as much expensive than in the US, and diesel is very common. A recent diesel car (family or business for the medium class) will do average of 40MPG, and a city gasoline car will do 33MPG tops. This is both in city and open road, not the economy race they did in this video. My little Citroen is in the guiness book, because it did 87Mpg in interstate conditions. In every-day normally drive it does almost 50Mpg,
Just informing XD
Abyss0147 9 months ago
@Abyss0147 Thanks for the information, but I already knew all that. I was recently in Japan and it's the same there. It was getting that way in the US during the 80s, before Reagan reversed the fuel efficiency targets set in the 70s, which led to the giant monstrosities of the 90s. The best car I ever had was my '86 Toyota Corolla 5-dr hatchback, which got 35 city/45 hwy, higher than it was officially rated. And it wasn't even the most fuel-efficient Toyota at the time.
colibri1 8 months ago
0:24-0:26, Bob Hope!
usa02 3 years ago
Did you know that that is not a mercury but in fact it is a Ford....they sold the capri in america was a mercury but the car was build in europe was a Ford. I have a 1974 Ford capri GT
JPacheco91 3 years ago
Here in the States, Mercury always got the Ford of Europe models for some reason.
Del655 3 years ago
My first real car, a yellow 1974 Capri with the 2.8 Liter V6. Outstanding!
cerealspiller 3 years ago
There was no Ford badging when the Capri was imported from Germany (LHD Capris were manufactured in West Germany or Belgium; the US-spec cars had the battering-ram bumpers and 4 sealed beam headlites). L-M dealerships sold the Capri (where it was a captive import sold as a Mercury).
Chrysler did the same with the Mitsubishi Colt when they showed up c. 1971 (also with the Mazda B-series trucks sold as Ford Couriers).
montrosepatriot 3 years ago