Video: See the USA in your 1972 Chevelle

Posted on by

Let’s meet a typical American family on vacation with their 1972 Chevelle Malibu.

 

For 1972, Chevrolet dusted off its tried and true “See the USA” theme and applied it to a whole new generation of cars and buyers. The vacation has always been an effective angle for selling cars, and in the early ’70s the Chevy lineup had a car for families of any size: Vega, Nova, Chevelle, Camaro, Monte Carlo, Impala. This spot features a family vacation with the Chevelle, the division’s popular entry in the competitive intermediate class.

With more than 211,000 sold, the Malibu Sport Coupe was the most popular model in the Chevelle line for ’72. The price, no doubt, was one secret to the Malibu’s success: $2,923 for a V8, nearly $1,000 less than a comparable Impala full-sized coupe. Buyers could select from an almost endless variety of interior and exterior combinations, and there were four available engines and four transmissions, too. There was a little something for everyone as Chevrolet continued its mission to be all things to all people. Video below.

 

2 thoughts on “Video: See the USA in your 1972 Chevelle”

  1. Poor GM, having to sell what was basically the same version of the Chevelle introduced for the 1968 model year, against all-new Ford intermediates. For the first time since the Chevelle was introduced for 1964, the Torino outsold it.

    The plan was to introduce all-new intermediates for the 1972 model year, one year after the all-new full-size cars rolled out. Unfortunately, the launch was delayed by a year due to a UAW strike in late 1970.

  2. Looks like a tight squeeze in what was by no means a small car. If I were Harry I’d have put my foot down with Bud and insisted on four doors and the accompanying 4″ longer wheelbase. And if I were Bud I wouldn’t have complained too loudly knowing the family vacation would be a road trip to the Florida Keys (from the northeast megalopolis or upper midwest?) and that extra four inches was all rear-seat legroom.

    Either way, there’d be no intra-family friction about or for the teenage son steering them into a ’72 Chevelle which was an entirely proven pre-malaise package that might well have been the best car the dad ever owned.

Comments are closed.