Classic Ads: 1971 Volvo 144

This is a pretty famous ad. In 1971 Volvo created this publicity photo by stacking seven Volvo 144 sedans very carefully with what looks like specially designed pallets between them. The point was to demonstrate the roof strength of their cars as evidence both of their safety and durability. Volvo ads of this era love to mention that in their home market of Sweden, Volvos lasted an average of 11 years. Modern American cars, not that long ago, were built to have a useful life of about seven years. It's a testament to Volvo reliability that many of their older models are still running around decades after they were built.

This ad appeared in the January 22, 1971 issue of Life magazine.