A big budget TV ad for Supercheap Auto featuring four wheel drive cars racing through the streets of Brisbane has been banned by the advertising watchdog because it promotes dangerous driving.

The ad – to promote Supercheap Auto’s involvement in motor racing – fell foul of the Ad Standards Board because of city scenes featuring cars racing down the wrong side of the road and on pavements.

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The ad was shot by production company The Dreamers. It features a mixture of special effects and stunt driving. It begins with the four cars – each representing a different oil brand – being dropped off by helicopter at Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast before racing along the beach and through Port of Brisbane before arriving in the city.

They then hurtle through city streets at times on the pavement or on the wrong side of the road.

A complaint to the ASB argued that if it had been for a car the commercial would have breached multiple sections of the voluntary Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries self-regulatory code. The complaint said: “The Australian road toll is going through the roof. Advertisements like this, promoting dangerous driving will only add to the carnage. If this ad were for a motor vehicle it would be taken off air immediately as it breaches practically every road rule and section of the FCAI code.”

Defending the ad, Supercheap Auto argued that it was clear the cars were being portrayed as racing under controlled conditions.

However, the ASB ruled that although the helicopter and beach scenes were “unrealistic and exaggerated” the same could not be said for the city scenes. It ruled: “The majority of the Board considered that the depiction of the trucks racing through city streets, did so in a manner that highlighted speed and performance of the vehicles or tyres and that the overall impression was condoning street racing or at very least unsafe driving.”

Although the broadcast ad has been banned, it is still available on Supercheap Auto’s YouTube page: