Hey Charger!

Chrysler launched its new Australian-designed muscle car in 1971 with the celebrated ‘Hey Charger’ advertising campaign, based more on the car’s supposed sex appeal than any mechanical advantage.

The initial TV ad went something like this - “mid-30s guy being flashed the V-sign by the teenage crumpet on the footpath… ‘Hey Charger!’… the delighted smile as the inherent sex appeal of the car comes home to him, him flashing back the V-sign as the car goes away to the slogan: “The Unbelievable Can Happen To You”.

Other ads featured girls in hot pants and a guy in a hot rod flashing the V-sign, another showed Graeme Blundell being mobbed by girls. This was a cross-reference to Blundell’s role as a superstud in the Alvin Purple movies in which he drives a purple Charger complete with double bed in the back compartment.  

While Charger ownership in real life probably wasn't quite the aphrodisiac the ad campaign portrayed it as, Chrysler's Hey Charger ads certainly sold a lot of cars. While the initial production line prediction for the Charger was 20 a day, they went as high as 80 on occasions to meet the initial demand. 

Chrysler also promoted the new car with a short-lived racing campaign fronted by Leo Geoghegan. These cars were quick and spectacular to watch but their best Bathurst result was in 1972 when Doug Chivas manhandled one into third place, behind a Torana and a Falcon. This is where they finished in the sales race as well.

Mid way through 1972 was where the rot set in. Chrysler Australia got a new managing director, who was more into golf than motorsport. The company promptly withdrew from the sport (and instead sponsored a big gold tournament); with the high-performance E49 Bathurst special dropped from the range, Chargers from 1973 on were decidedly less sexy than the earlier models.