Top Gear Thursday: British ‘Mad Men’ Season Premiere Included Original 1960s Car Ads

Still from 1960s Volkswagen TV ad

When the fifth season of Mad Men premiered in Britain this week, the show aired with original ads from the 1960s, the time period in which the show is set. Top Gear.com was impressed by what it called “two classic examples of car advertising.”

The first was for the Citroen DS and highlighted the car’s directional headlights, which, “even now is only an option from the best manufacturers,” wrote Top Gear, remarking, “In 1968 they must have seemed like space lasers.”

The second ad is for VW, “ruthlessly and hilariously dedicated to proving how expensive American cars were”:

• Last week we reported on the world record that was set for most cars doing simultaneous donuts – that was 75 twirling, smoking, autos burning lots of rubber in Sonoma County, California. One of our readers who was there posted a comment here, saying that he had much better video of the event – because he himself shot and edited it. A big thanks to Joe Tardiff for alerting us – and for making the video in the first place. Not only are there shots from every angle and perspective, including some with a driver’s eye view, but it’s skillfully edited – and it’s got really dramatic music. Watch and enjoy:

• Did you know that there’s a Top Gear Philippines magazine? This week it came out with its first-ever Geek Issue. Don’t believe us? Here’s the cover:

• Most people want their cars to be seen (or driven) and not heard. Not Yorkshire composer Mark Marrington, who has composed a piece of music entirely from car noises. He describes “Cars” as “dance music with a vehicular twist.” Take a listen:

Catchy, isn’t it?

• Speaking of music…As anyone who’s ever listened to a car radio knows, there are certain songs seem to have been written to be played in a car, as you’re whizzing down the highway. In fact, we’re convinced that one of the reasons the car was invented was to pave the way for the writing of certain songs and entire genres of music. Top Gear is compiling a list of best driving songs to put onto a CD – and they want your suggestions, which you can offer up on their Top Gear CD Facebook page. But, by all means, leave them here as well – we’d love to hear what they are.

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What are your favorite driving songs?

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