These are definitely cool!!!
I remember the first time I ever saw offroading of any sort on TV. It was for a Pathfinder commercial and I still drool about it every now and then.
Based on the wheel type the best I can figure is that it was about a 1990ish model (was sort of the tri-spoke looking thing, that had a bit of a space ship look to it...I know my description sounds crazy).
It had footage similar to the stuff from this link, most notably the :13 time mark.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWQkt2L8 ... re=related
The commercial started off with a man and a woman all dressed up formal style; tuxedo, evening gown...pretty people sort of stuff. They were driving along, interior as quiet as can be other than the quiet hum of the engine. Then the scene panned out to the Pathy rippin through the desert in southern Utah, airing over sand dunes with the setting sun painting the rocks and sandstone spires blood red and pumpkin orange.
The final aerial fly-over shot: The guy had wheeled his Pathy to the top of a cliff that overlooked the expanse of the desert floor and the canyons below where he had a candlelit dinner waiting for his woman...all thanks to his Pathy getting them there.
Anyone remember this commercial? I can't seem to find it anywhere on Youtube. I should probably turn in a nut (preferably the left if I have to donate one) until I can reclaim an ounce of masculinity for writing this recollection...