In 2002, Mitsubishi made history by releasing the first all-wheel drive series production car built in Australia, the Magna AWD. Soon after, it also changed history with the same car’s advertising campaign.
To assert its difference and all-road ability compared to the VY Holden Commodore and BA II Ford Falcon of the time, Mitsubishi decided to shoot straight from the hip with one of the commercials for this new AWD model.
With a far lower degree of political correctness at the time, the commercial showed the latest Magna racing down a dirt road against a Commodore and Falcon.
Upon reaching a 90-degree bend at the end of the straight, the two rear-wheel drive rivals are seen floundering as they spin out of control, while the Magna emerges from their dust with all four wheels still pointing it the right way.
Unsurprisingly, the Australian advertising standards board were not impressed. Soon after, they banned ‘hooning in car commercials’, with this ruling still in place and causing controversy for other car makers’ ads to this day.
Not all Magna AWD promos were quite so gung-ho in sticking it to Mitsubishi’s Aussie rivals, however.
Another promo for the car featured Australia’s first-ever Winter Olympics gold medallist, speed skater Steven Bradbury, which made reference to his underdog Salt Lake City win in 2002.
Bradbury proclaims in the tagline that the Magna’s all-wheel drive system “means you always keep your feet – and trust me, I know how important that is”.
