Wheeling and Dealing: L.A. Car Spots Through The Decades

This Lincoln ad, which ran in our April 1964 issue, mixes transportation with culture, as a Onassis-esque woman steps out of her Continental to consider a street artist’s work.

Porsche admits ‘we’re slow’ in the April 1964 issue.

Cadillac’s ad is truly blue, but the fresh from-the-Alps models don’t look glum as they hold skis and gaze at the 1969 Fleetwood Eldorado.

Why wait? Jaguar’s 1969 XKE ad lists a MSRP of $5,534. For those who did, this year’s Jaguar XF’s starting price is eight times that.

Lincoln’s 1969 ad is all about the scenery, as a family of five and a collie pose next to a Continental parked in front of a perfectly manicured estate.

“The Jaguar mystique lengthens”? This racy 1975 announces an extension of the XJ12’s frame.

The big cat in this jungle is the Jaguar XJ series, pictured here in ad from our February 1975 issue.

According to Ford the “most colorful luxury car” of 1975 lacks any color at all. The white-on-white Mark IV lives up to its name, but there is a touch of red in the interior.

In 1975, T.J. Delmore advertised the best deals on Cadillacs in Beverly Hills, the city’s high-income ‘hood.

Come on, it’s an Aston Martin. If you were anything like James Bond in 1978, you probably would have girls posing seductively on your hood, too.

A problem solver for L.A. residents navigating the city’s winding and sometimes steep roads, Subaru marketed the “Hill-Holder,” a new clutch feature, in 1981.

Beverly Hills and Westwood had electric car dealers advertising cars that could go 100 miles before recharging back in 1981.

You don’t see many Lafer ads today because the classic model was only produced through 1990. In 1981, the Brazilian manufacturer had a dealership in Hollywood.

This may be the epitome of ‘80s advertising: Trim models in neon and metallic spandex, legwarmers, and headbands stretch behind the Dodge Shadow.

Today Volvos may be synonymous with concerned dads and safety features, but the Volvos of the ‘80s were advertised as the luxury car you park next to the ‘50s T-Bird, MG and Corvette.

Showing a sense of humor, the makers of the Aurora liken themselves to a bully’s least favorite A-student.

A Mercedes is all you need, according to Mercedes. But a sunset and the open road couldn’t hurt either.

In 1996, sarcasm was the word. Lexus quipped about the weather and assured viewers of their ES300 ad that the model had L.A. drivers covered, rain, sleet or snow.

The Supra Turbo is just a blur in this April 1996 ad, but Toyota explains that’s because looking at this speedy ride in a magazine doesn’t do it justice.