Jeff Gordon Did Not Drive Chevrolet Camaro SS In Recent Pepsi Commercial, It Was All Staged
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Easily, the Pepsi-sponsored video of a disguised Jeff Gordon giving an unsuspecting car salesman the scare of his life with a Chevrolet Camaro test drive is the video that wins the Internet this week. But upon further inspection, a few things don’t add up, and in conclusion, the entire event seems to be staged.
Watching it a few times, over and over, exposes the inconsistencies A very obvious one is that the Chevy supposedly tested in the video is a black 2009 Camaro V6. The fifth-generation Camaro’s youngest model year is 2010. Additionally, when the video cuts to the interior, we notice that — aside from the rigged cup holder cradling a can of Pepsi — the steering wheel and GPS system are those of a 2013 Camaro.
Then there’s the engine sound. That’s definitely the sound of an LS3 V8 from an SS model. So what we have is a “09″ Camaro V6″ as the star, while the stunt double was a 2013 Camaro SS. There’s also evidence of multiple wheel marks where the Camaro rests, a sign of multiple takes.
And what of Jeff Gordon, and the salesman? According to a local newspaper, it was racer Brad Noffsinger who did all the stunt driving, and not the guy who is only used to driving in circles. The salesman is also probably an actor, though we’re sure those emotions felt in the Camaro while it was performing automotive parkour were very real.
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Plus you can also see a 2013 Spark next to the Camaro with a year sticker on the wind shield that reads “10.”
Also if that man had a heart attack during that stunt they would be in deep doodoo.
@Jeff that would have been very unfortunate. Luckily, it turned out to be comical and accident-free
It all looked very staged even the dealership is staged. You never see the sign and its not the design required by Chevrolet.
Coming after the Hertz renting rebadged Camaro LT V6s as V8 SS cars we probably shouldn’t be too surprised.
Fun though.
I figured it was staged. They wouldn’t do this and be liable for a heart attack on that guy. This is the wave of new advertisements. Staged reality looking commercials.
I suspected this when I saw it as I caught some of the things that did not add up.
But who cares it made me laugh and for 90% of the public who are watching fake reality shows on TV they will never be the wiser.
To me this was a much better Chevy commercial vs. a Pepsi commercial. To be honest I got a much bigger Chevy vibe than Pepsi.
Too bad GM does not have the Balls to do adverting like this. All the do is keep changing companies and themes and never getting a clear good message out.
I got taken with this one. Normally I give NASCAR and its drivers NO credit at all. But I let my guard down and said why not…give the guy a break. [psheww] Then I should have expected staging from Chevrolet who clearly staged all the “spy” photos of the Corvette (does anybody doubt me now?!?). That was pretty lame. Seriously…very very lame…What this is saying to the public at large is that GM is full of hype and no substance. Once again, folks, the marketing department of GM has screwed the brands, yet again…[smdh]
As a Jeff Gordon and Camaro fan, I thought the ’09 sticker and cup holder were odd. Kinda shrugged it off though.
That’s disappointing.
I always look at U-tube first. Always debunks this stuff in a hurry, Fun to think of though.
In the video you can read 1510 on the building as an address, I checked Google Maps and found three Chevy dealerships with 1510 as their address. Two had street level views and were ruled out as the set of the video. One, Raceway Chevrolet in Hartville, SC, did not have a picture.
C’mon, people, it’s a COMMERCIAL! Of course it was all staged! And I hate to burst anyone’s bubble, but the Burger King is not an actual King, either! I know it’s a shock, but just because you saw it on TV (or the Internet), doesn’t mean it’s true! Duh!
@Bill
Haha, you are so right! We are a funny bunch, all debating what might or might not be true about the entire thing. I laugh at myself because surely I know all commercials are staged, right? Right?! Apparently not! lol But what about Ronald? Surely Ronald McDonald is real, right?
I was rather gutted it was staged, it spoils all the fun really
ah well I suppose its done to sell a product & get people talking about it, and that its done. Success !
Im sure the used dealership was in on it.Might even be one of Gordons or Rick Hendriks.Yes he knew the route from practice probably why they were closed.But the salesman would win a Oscar if he knew about it.They knew they had a can for a camera so put it in the night before cause probably the salesman want think anything of it.I believe there was a stunt driver in the car he cut off but Jeff dont need one hes drove everything to the limit since 5 years old.The streets were wet on purpose so the v6 could spin the wheels with ease.The first camaros came out march 09 and a LS3 wouldnt hook in the wet and also would be dualed for a exhaust system.I only watched twice and caught all this.But crying laughing!
Also, if look at the bottom of t he screen, it has the “closed course, professional driver” disclaimer.
The used car dealership is Troutman Motors on Hwy. 49 in Concord. Just a little mom and pop used car lot. You can see S&D Coffee plant in the back. The warehouse is the old Philip Morris plant just down the road from Troutman’s.
They have come out and said everyone was in on the joke but the salesman. The car dealership helped set it up. How do you think they got camera’s in it?
Yes they came out and said it was fake but the salesman didn’t know about it, and that Jeff did the driving.. so which story is real? Did jeff do the driving?? Why would he let someone else do it… kind of dumb?
Who cares if it was staged. Great commercial! You only helped it’s views by watching it so many times.
According to the “behind-the-scene” article and video here: http://gmauthority.com/blog/2013/03/jeff-gordonpepsi-chevy-camaro-prank-behind-the-scenes/
this is not so fake as some people are saying. Of course the dealership owners knew about the prank (they even loaned him the mini-van he arrived in), but the salesman did not know about the prank beforehand.
From what is said in the “behind-the-scene” article and video, it sounds like Jeff Gordon was behind the wheel for the “prank test drive” (no stunt driver).
It’s a prank, and as with any prank (ala “Prank-My-Mom”, “Punk’d (Ashton Kutcher)”, …) some people are “in” on it and others are not, and certain things are “setup” in advance, some things are “fake” (like fake police, fake accident scene, faked injuries). But that doesn’t in any way make it a “fake” prank.