Thirty years ago, torn from the pages of the four-wheel-drive press

These were black days for
magazine layout and design.

Thirty years ago, New Zealand had no established 4WD press of its own, so we mainly read the Australian mags, like 4x4 Australia, a 1985 copy of which happens to be in 4wdNewz's collection. Reading the advertising from back then was as interesting as the articles.

 

Tests in the issue included the Subaru Leone, somehow out of place in a magazine full of photos of tough trucks, and the Holden Rodeo with the subhead, "1985 seems to be the year the General means business off-road." 

Yes, well …

Click on the photos to make them larger.

Right: Back then, Top Gear was a "huge"  tray bar for utes, not a car magazine.

Below, from left:

1. Genie headers figured large. Wow, four on the floor manual shift, too.  2. Check the prices (in Australian dollars, but still …) in the Tyremaster ad. Clearly, we were still in the age of the 15-incher. 3. Yokohama tackles the outback.

Bottom, from left:

1. Land Rover chooses the most favourable media comments for its 110 advertisement. 2. The idea behind the Lada was good, too bad about build quality and reliability. 3. TJM sees red with this vehicle quintet promoting its brightly finished products.