The land yachts of the 1950s – on paper

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When you look at motoring brochures of the 1950s and the early 1960s, the sizes of the cars drawn (few pictures were used) simply have to catch the eye. It’s remarkable how much bigger vehicles were made to look like in the Golden Age of the Automobile. Yes – especially the American cars of this era remain known for size, power and their emphasis on ride comfort at the expense of handling and featured very generous exterior proportions designed for the open road rather than the traffic jam.

But it’s not only the Americans who knew how to accentuate dimensions in their colourfully printed leaflets and booklets. How about the one above for the Ford Anglia? We came across it last week and could hardly believe the artist’s exaggeration. We trust you know the car yourself and have ever come across one in person. Perhaps you even own one or have driven or sat in one as a passenger. In that case you’ll be able to tell the perspective in this drawing - taken from a British brochure – is way over the top. These tiny little people inside make it look like a Studebaker Hawk!

(Words editor, picture from Ford brochure)

      

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