You know what America couldn’t get enough of in the late 1970s? Switzerland! Man, we had Swissmania! Perforated cheeses, chocolate shaped like a big extruded series of triangles, watches and wooden ornate avian-themed clocks and clandestine bank accounts and chalets and all that swisshit. We were all Swiss-miscreants! Remember that? No? Because it wasn’t so much a thing? Is that why? Speak up, I can’t hear you over all this internet.
Okay, maybe Swiss-themed pop culture wasn’t a huge thing in the late ’70s, but that didn’t stop Volkswagen from making a Swiss-themed series of ads for the American market in 1979. Maybe “series” is a little generous, because it just seems to be one print ad and one television commercial.
Here’s the print ad:
…and here’s the television spot, which adds in the extra element of a really big dog:
I’ll admit, I’m always a little disappointed when I see a St.Bernard without one of those collars with the little barrel full of booze.
The basic story checks out here: the Volkswagen Rabbit (well, it would have been called the Golf there in Europe, more on that in a moment) was indeed the best-selling car in Switzerland in 1978, and actually was the best seller since 1975, the first full year of Golf sales, displacing the Opel Kadett.
So that part all checks out, if we accept that the Rabbit is just a re-named Golf, which it mostly is, but not exactly. Which is where this ad starts getting a little weird.
You see, the Rabbit shown in that ad there is not what would have been sold in Switzerland, which, again, would have been a Golf, and is in fact a Westmoreland, Pennsylvania-built Rabbit, which is already a little odd, but it gets even weirder.
So, for reference, these are what Westmoreland-built Rabbits looked like in 1979:
That front end, with the rectangular headlights and the large 5 mph self-restoring, energy-absorbing bumpers and those funny little vertical side marker lamps, were unique to Westmoreland-built Rabbits that were sold in North America. These never went to Europe. This is what European Golfs of this era looked like:
There are a few obvious differences, of course: the round headlights are the most obvious one, but there’s also the lack of side marker lamps and the smaller (and, let’s be honest, less capable), Euro-spec bumpers that US enthusiasts seem to love. Oh, and the Euro Golf didn’t have the chrome hubcaps of the US-spec ones, and, I’m told, they had some better interior materials.
But here’s the really weird part: look at the car VW used for these Swiss-themed ads again:
See what’s going on there? It seems to be a Westmoreland-built Rabbit, but for some reason has Euro-spec smaller bumpers? As far as I’ve ever been aware, this particular configuration was never offered for sale, anywhere, in any market. I think the only one might have been made for these ads?
But now I have to ask why. I suppose I understand why they used a US-spec Rabbit as a stand-in for the real Swiss Golf for these ads, because VW would have wanted the car to match what they were selling in the US. But if that’s the case, why change the bumpers to the Euro-spec style?
It makes no sense; VW would have had to deliberately swapped those bumpers out, which would have taken at least some time and resources, so why would they have chosen to do that? What did they stand to gain here? Did they want to make it look sorta European, but still recognizable as the same car that would be in US showrooms?
I’m really baffled. This just doesn’t actually make any sense. I’m open to theories!
Photo: VW
Another hypothesis is that the ad agency wanted to be able to register and drive the USA spec car in Europe, and something about the bumper, or more likely the turn signals, was not legal there. I know Italian(clear), German and French turn signals were all different in the 70s.
These days, and probably in the seventies, Switzerland is worse than Germany. Sure, for cars older than 3? years, there’s mandatory inspections with increasing frequency. But every variant of the car has to be independently tested and approved. So you don’t get much variation beyond trim levels.
Finally, that Golf has a legit Canton of Bern license plate. So they probably took a euro-Golf and gave it a superficial lagomorphosis for the camera. That’s the cheapest way.
The cuckoo clock is a myth propagated by the Third Man. Probably Graham Greene, but feel free to blame Orson Welles.
Finally, while the Swiss enjoy bargains as much as anyone else, they don’t trust super low prices. Rather spend money on quality.
The US-spec front bumper arrived in time for the photo shoot, but they discovered it had a check engine light so they didn’t install it.
They probably kept the Euro bumper because it looks so much better than the US-spec one. This was probably just a visual thing, or an oversight, or the US bumper got damaged in transit?
I’m sure glad our Torch is here to uncover the holes in this campaign.
The campaign stinks of bad cheese.
In the comments, some folks suggested that VWoA shipped a grille and side markers to Switzerland, where they were slapped on a Swiss-spec Golf.
Maybe? But why would Volkswagen’s US ad agency go through all the expense to do a photo shoot in Switzerland at all? Seems very expensive as compared to editing a stock photo of Switzerland into a picture shot in the US. All they needed is a real (or fake) Swiss front license plate.
Photo editing back then was really expensive. Stripping dye transfers together just to change the color of a rock star’s pants cost about $6000 in 1979.
The thing is, the cheapest way to do this is to shoot it in the USA, or maybe Canada, lots of locations that pass for Switzerland.
Yep. The Rockies or even the Cascades. Maybe even the Sierras? I grew up in Northern California (which I spell fully out because I am 68 and don’t feel like shrinking it to “NorCal” is dignified). And no, I’m not really that snobby. It just gets a little gangsta when you do that. And the last thing I am is Gansta!
Anyway, Peace Out.
I grew up in Northern California, and agree that NorCal is an abomination.
Somewhere I saw a map of California designating what locations could pass for what parts of the world for movie locations. I always thought traveling that everywhere looked sort of like California. Except for southern China karst. That looked like a whole different planet. Also Kansas. Kansas has a look I can’t place in California.
This looks like the eastern slope east of Yosemite maybe.
Wait, are those redwoods???
I could maybe stage a Kansas/Nebraska shoot around Fresno, from a high angle to take the mountains out of the background, but otherwise, yeah. I don’t know where you live now, but Mendocino/Ft. Bragg is one of my favorite spots on the planet. I grew up in Davis and it was a great place to grow up, but I don’t want to pay what it would cost to live there now. Tacoma/PNW is prettier, cheaper and cooler. Both summer temperatures and culturally.
You are right Sir! Ft Bragg/Mendocino is one of the prettiest places …at least on the left coast. Highway 128 between 102 and the coast is beautiful. I retired here 3 years ago from the Bay Area. I am just across the road from the Ocean…and just up the hill from Noyo Harbor. Small unhurried town…. We’re on Mendo Time! Lol
128 between 101 and the coast? 128 is fun on a motorcycle starting in Winters. All the storied roads in Southern California and in the Appalachians don’t have anything on that ~145 mile stretch of pavement.
Noyo Harbor is so freaking beautiful, maybe even more so when the weather is gloomy. It’s kind of a toss-up between there and the Mendocino Headlands as to the prettiest. But the Headlands are where I want my ashes scattered when that time comes.
And Fort Bragg’s KOZT is one of the best radio stations in the country! You have it all there. Fortunately, I can stream them. The morning show is so fun. And the rest of the day they have a pretty great mix of music to have playing in the background.
I might move somewhere around there while I’m still alive.
Please excuse my Fat Fingers. I meant Hiway 101…not 102. Thx
“But why would Volkswagen’s US ad agency go through all the expense to do a photo shoot in Switzerland at all?”
Because you can bill VW for trips to the Alps instead of doctoring photos.
I immediately had the same thought about the Westmoreland car with Euro bumpers as soon as I saw the lede photo. Switzerland seems to have been its own weird car market back in those days and I’ve seen a number of Swiss-spec American vehicles online over the years with unique features like amber rear turn signals. So I figured maybe Switzerland did indeed get a weird US/Euro mutt but I find that highly doubtful.
That’s interesting. I bought a used ’88 SAAB 9000 T. I might have pictures of its tail end, but it was the front of those that always captivated me.
As long as we’re complaining…and the subject of lights came up…what’s with turn signals in the rear bumpers on some new cars? Makes them hard to see if your close behind a car with them. Hyundai and the Chevy Bolt come to mind. Jason there’s a topic for you. Misplaced rear turn signals. Keep em higher up and amber colored. Some things don’t need fixing. IMHO
Like this one he did on the Bolt? https://www.theautopian.com/chevy-should-be-embarrassed-that-their-tallight-design-is-so-bad-it-needs-explanatory-stickers/
You’re on it!! Glad we mostly all agree!
I think it’s mainly a Korean thing, Hyundai and Kia do it and the Bolt was designed in Korea, but the 2nd gen with the brake lights in the bumper are just so stupid.
Thre have always turn signals down in bumpers. It was never a problem two decades ago. The problem is the geometry created by the combination of low (traditional) markers and high hoods. If you have a vehicle whose hood doesn’t come up to your chest, the markers aren’t much of a problem.
Right, back when all GM midsize wagons had their tail lights in the bumper in the early ’80s the average vehicle height was much lower.
Take a closer look at the car featured in the ad. It sure looks like they just shipped a US spec grill and marker lights where they were put on a Euro spec Golf. that is why the grill doesn’t fit in the hole properly and is installed at an angle flush at the top and protruding from the fenders on the bottom. Certainly that was the cheapest and quickest way to get a US spec looking vehicle for a shoot in Switzerland.
This makes sense from an effort standpoint. I’m not able to discern the your. Finer points, but on the whole it’s more likely ship some parts, and add the markers and swap the grille and headlamps — which have to be right since they’re going to be called out in the ad copy — and not bother to do the bumper, than it would to ship a whole car and then swap the bumper for no known reason.
If the ad was shot in Switzerland.
I’m sure that VW had some Westmoreland Rabbits shipped to Germany just because that’s the sort of thing that car companies do. For testing, to show to journalists, so management can threaten the workers with it, so the workers could make fun of the Americans, I don’t know it must be some reason.
Anyway, the TUV probably wouldn’t like those turn signal lenses, and the euro signals wouldn’t for an American bumper, handwaving appropriate to someone who knows what they’re talking about goes here, and there you are.
I blame the popularity of Cars And Trucks And Things That Go for Swiss fever – Richard Scarry had moved to Lausanne in the early 70’s, and the book is loaded with residual Swissness up to and including driving in front of a Swissair 747. I’m a little surprised there’s no cuckoo clock car in there.
The clocks are obliquely referenced in the ad copy.
Yeah but Cuckoo clocks are a German thing, not a Swiss thing.
Not to mention that cuckoos are parasitic birds that leave their eggs in other birds’ nests. You know, like building Volkswagens in Pennsylvania.?
No, in Cars And Trucks And Things That Go. Maybe a little owl in a jaunty hat driving a car that looks like a clock.
It’s a little out of the target year range but my parents got no fewer than three fondue sets as wedding gifts in 1972…
Another point is that by 1979-80 the style of Euro bumper here was obsolete in Europe, the latest models had entirely plastic-covered ones that look like early Mk2 ones.
Someone was Euro-spec modding their VW waaayyyy before it was cool!
I think it was more of a sloppy Frankensteining of the two models that was “good enough for Swiss government work.”
Another fun fact, the US didn’t need the sidemarkers — if anything, that was almost always more common in Europe. It’s that the US DOT requires an amber reflector that’s visible from the sides (normally mounted at — or near — the corner). Most modern cars do this with a single assembly that wraps around the corner to solve two goals with one piece.
Once you know this, you’ll start noticing how awkwardly some amber side reflectors are placed on US cars, especially the ones that exist elsewhere in the world. All kinds of weird afterthoughts.
Meanwhile, we can’t even agree on amber blinkers and the use of sidemarkers, both of which are objectively superior to all other blinkers. And you can GTFO with these mirror-mounted sidemarkers, all they do is add cost and don’t even do a great job.
I thought US sidemarker lights had to actually be illuminated in addition to having a reflector, either combined or separately.
Yes, side lighting has been required since 1968 in the US.
Perforated cheeses, chocolate shaped like a big extruded series of triangles, watches and wooden ornate avian-themed clocks and clandestine bank accounts and chalets and all that swisshit
Did you forget odd-tasting cough drops?
Here, let me dig out my alphorn and remind you…
Riiiiiiicolaaaaaaa!
ha
Imported the US one, but the bumpers got damaged in transport?
Yes, it’d be a shame if anything happened to those beautiful, elegant DOT bumpers… 😉
Closing argument from the print ad:
“The Swiss are – well – frugal. And so when they see a car that’s built like a vault, climbs like a goat, is far ahead of its time and still sells for a reasonable price, the Swiss do what sensible people everywhere do. They buy them in droves”
This likely was true at the time foe the VW Golf.
Which makes me wonder what car sold in Switzerland today would best fit that description?
So I asked Copilot Chat…
survey says…
Top 5 candidates:
1. Dacia Spring Electric
2. Renault Zoe
3. Fiat 500e
4. Hyundai i10 or i20
5. Toyota Aygo X
Sadly VW doesn’t even make the top 5
I imagine the photos were taken in Switzerland themselves, probably with the prototype Rabbits hand-built in Wolfsburg. The prototypes were probably built without bumpers, and then whatever was lying around (i.e. a production European bumper) was bolted on for the ad shoot.
I suspect VW was less intentional about this than we’d expect, and some intern was actually told to drive the car from Wolfsburg to the Auto Train and then from Zurich on to the shoot location.
Are we being served reheated breakfast hash here? I’m all for Jason getting whatever respite he requires, we need a fully restored Torch. Sure seems familiar, and I’ve been expecting Citroen content to be taking over.
Careful, these are the sort of things that can lead you down a Rabbit hole.
I’ll see myself out.
Yeah, you’d better hop to it
Can we talk about the tiny front plate?
I miss handsome, practical little cars like this which come in a variety of colors.
I don’t have the answers to the questions, but I did hear that the Swiss version of the Golf had to be Neutral to start it.
Had to be the aesthetics. That pic is very bumper-forward, and the U.S.-spec bumper is ugly as sin.
And just for some Jason-level lighting analysis, note that the blinkers are well inboard on the U.S. version but flush with the end caps on the Euro version. I wonder if there was some regulatory reason, because otherwise why bother to design the two variants?
If I had to guess, either the ends of the US bumper had energy-absorbing structures behind them, or the tests in the US were at the corners and the lights were moved away from the test areas.
Yes there was a specified corner smasher as part of the test and the lighting had to be functional after the test.
Yes there was an era where a “corner smasher” was part of the bumper test and one of the requirements was that the “safety equipment”, ie the turn signal, remain functional. So yeah no surprise that it is inboard on the US version.
“Did they want to make it look sorta European, but still recognizable as the same car that would be in US showrooms?” That sounds likely.
Weirdly, you could order the US bumpers here in Germany. My father did so, when he ordered a GTI for my mother in 1976 or 1977 (with enormous 185/70R13 tires, original were 175/70R13). He thought the original thin bumpers were a joke (which was correct).
My best guess is it is a prototype that was available to use for the ad.
Makes me wonder if this hybrid front end style was floated as a mid-cycle refresh for the European market.
Considering Guigaro’s original design had square headlights, there might be something to this.
Be careful, these are the sorts of questions that get you tied up in a burlap sack and thrown into the Rhine.
They throw you in the Aller in Wolfsburg, the Rhine is far far away
I was assuming that this was a Swiss-led syndicate manipulating Volkswagen. I think this one goes deep.
I guess the front wings, grill and marker lights are easy enough to bolt onto a european market Golf, but I would imagine (if they’re similar to the MGBs I know more about) that the impact absorbing bumper has a unique panel behind it which would need to be welded. I’d guess they thought nobody would notice, and for…46 years nobody did!