I guess advertisers think we are all f***ing stupid

That has been going on a long time. Dealer brings in a top-of-the-line, halo vehicle to draw in your attention, and then redirect you to something you can actually afford.
My niece's father in law bought one of those the week after it arrived at the small town dealer. On display in the one car showroom, he saw it and decided to buy it. The dealer was hoping to keep it for a few months to draw showroom traffic, but was asked "Do you want to sell it or not?" He decided he did.

Now with 18,000 miles, the triple black 1972 Road Runner GTX 440 is a true survivor. Always garaged, it's not perfect, but it's nice. The original owner, now 75, still has it.