Bob Lutz loves spectacle, that’s him driving the then-brand new Jeep Grand Cherokee through a plate glass window (don’t worry Detroiters, they paid for it) at the 1992 Cobo Hall show. Other Jeep introductions have involved huge mounds of dirt, driving up steps, and once again, through one of the Detroit Convention Center’s sacrificial windows with the introduction of the 2007 Wrangler.
Making a big splash upon your debut is often a critical factor in any product’s success. We’ve seen days-long lines for iPhones, invitation-only acceptance into the exclusive clubs of other products and services, and politicians announcing the start of their money-making runs candidacies with bombast and whatever patriotic ballad they can crank the volume on until its artist’s lawyers send a cease and desist letter.
Those are well and good, and definitely demonstrate the hype necessary for a successful brand launch. We’re pretty much only interested in cars, and because of that focus what we want to know today is; which auto launch had the most dramatic or impressive stunt? Does Jeep own the competition? Or, has someone else topped that off-road icon for audacious introductions?
Image: Bestride.com