The New Science Of Luxury
When Chrysler decided luxury wasn't enough. It had to sound futuristic, technical, and just a little bit scientific.
Luxury Meets Technology
While looking through old Town & Country advertisements, one phrase jumped off the page:
It's one of those perfectly 1980s marketing lines that somehow manages to sound sophisticated, futuristic, and slightly ridiculous all at the same time.
Which is exactly why I love it.
Why "Science" Sounded Expensive
Today, if a car company wants to sound impressive, it talks about software.
In 1985, the magic word was technology.
America was deep into the computer age. Personal computers were showing up in homes. Digital watches still felt futuristic. Space-age materials, electronics, and anything that sounded technical carried a certain amount of prestige.
So when Chrysler used the phrase "The New Science Of Luxury," they weren't really talking about science.
They were talking about progress.
Technology Was The Status Symbol
It's easy to forget how exciting technology felt in the mid-1980s.
Digital dashboards were appearing in cars. Electronic voice alerts were becoming a thing. Turbochargers were showing up in family vehicles. Anti-lock brakes were still considered advanced technology.
Manufacturers weren't just competing on horsepower anymore.
They were competing on who looked like they had arrived from the future.
Chrysler wanted buyers to believe the Town & Country wasn't simply a wagon.
It was a modern luxury machine.
The Funny Thing Is They Weren't Completely Wrong
Looking back now, it's easy to laugh at phrases like "The New Science Of Luxury."
But the Town & Country really was a surprisingly advanced vehicle for its time.
Turbocharged engines weren't common family-car equipment.
Electronic controls were becoming more sophisticated.
The idea that technology could improve comfort, convenience, and performance wasn't marketing nonsense.
It was actually happening.
A Turbocharged Woodgrain Station Wagon
This is what makes the Town & Country so fascinating to me.
It's full of contradictions.
Woodgrain was supposed to suggest tradition.
Turbocharging was supposed to suggest the future.
The wagon was practical enough for a family but marketed as something aspirational.
It wanted to be both country-club elegance and modern technology at the same time.
And somehow Chrysler made it work.
One Of My Favorite Taglines
The older I get, the more I appreciate weird automotive marketing.
Not because it's always good.
Because it's honest about what people hoped the future would look like.
"The New Science Of Luxury" feels like a phrase from a moment when technology still felt exciting and optimism came standard.
That optimism is part of what makes these old brochures worth preserving.
More Showroom Sunday
This Is Luxury
The horse-show brochure that convinced me Chrysler thought every wagon owner spent weekends around horses.
Read Article →What Did This Wagon Cost New?
The original MSRP, inflation-adjusted pricing, and what Chrysler considered luxury in 1985.
Read Article →Chrysler Brochures & Ads
The complete archive of brochures, advertisements, and showroom materials.
Browse Archive →The Future Was Pretty Weird
That's one reason I love these old Chrysler ads. They show what people thought tomorrow would look like. Sometimes they were right. Sometimes they were hilariously wrong.