Rear-View Madness! Classic Ads Featuring the Backs of Cars

What would be the the automotive equivalent of a leg man? I’m guessing it’s a wheel-and-tire guy. But whether or not your type is brunettes or redheads, you have to admit it’s always fun to admire the things we love from a new perspective.

For the most part, I’m not sure car marketing types would agree with me on this point. Of all the ads I perused looking for the best rear-end shots, roughly one in 20 actually featured the backside of the vehicle.

There are probably plenty of reasons for this. Back when cars were substantially changed on an annual basis, there wasn’t enough time to devote to showcasing a car from any perspective but the traditional front-three-quarter angle–as the car was likely to be updated again in just a few months. Of course, the tail-fin era sort of put the emphasis back on the hind quarters.

Today we invite you to reconsider some of your favorite rides while paying attention to the back ends. If you’ve got a favorite automotive rear view, tell us about it. The place to leave comments is down below.

More classic car ads

1948 Chevrolet

Market Crash Madness! A Gallery of Depression-Era Car Ads

1956 Chrysler Corporation

Designer Madness! Fashion in Classic Car Ads (Gallery)

1957 DeSoto

My 5 Favorite Taillights: Early ’50s Edition

1957 Monarch

Canadian Confusion: GM’s Short-Lived Passport Dealerships

1959 Lincoln

Luxury Madness! A Gallery Of Classic Lincoln Ads

1960 Mercury

Quicksilver Madness! 15 Classic Mercury Ads

1961 Chevrolet Corvair

What If…General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler Had Designed Small Cars the Studebaker Way?

1964 Oldsmobile

Rocket Madness! 10 Classic Oldsmobile Ads

1966 Imperial

Forgotten Concept: Chrysler Imperial

1968 Shelby Cobra GT

More Shelby news and reviews

1970 AMC Gremlin

Photo Feature: AMC 1972 Gremlin X

1970 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham

The Cars of Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood

1971 Dodge Demon

Chrysler Gives Dart the Mopar Treatment

1974 Chevrolet Nova

The Chevrolet Brochure Covers of 1973

1984 Cragar Black Magic

Pony-Car Madness! 10 Classic Firebird Ads

1987 Ford Tempo

Cheap Wheels: 1987-91 Ford Tempo All Wheel Drive

1990 Buick Riviera

What If: A Gallery of Alternate-Universe 1963 Buick Riviera Designs

1991 Oldsmobile Toronado Troféo

10 Most-Expensive American Coupes of 1976

Listen to the Consumer Guide Car Stuff Podcast

Backs of Cars

Rear-View Gallery