The Aerostar wasn’t new in 1989. It hit the market a few years prior. But Ford was still keen to let buyers know that it wasn’t just a minivan. It was sophisticated.
And how do we know that? The ad’s not aimed primarily at parents. No Looney Tunes here. Instead, Ford was trying to get buyers to see what kind of grown-up uses a van of this size might offer. No, not like Dodge did back in 1978. Classy stuff, like shopping for antiques, driving around with your tennis buddies, and even “escorting ladies.” Maybe that line doesn’t hit as well now that most Aerostars you see look like this.
In any case, the Aerostar was a pretty interesting van. Bigger than Chrysler’s minivan and RWD like the Chevy Astro and GMC Safari, the Aerostar was around from 1985 through 1997. You could get it in a few different body styles and lengths, and the thing was even offered with a five-speed manual for a time. Wonder how driving one of those vans about town would be.