Down the Freeway of Love in a Pink Cadillac, Up the Stairway to Heaven in a White LaSalle

As someone strongly identified with the Motor City, it’s not surprising that the music of Detroit’s Aretha Franklin had some association with cars. While she first gained superstardom in the 1960s, the Queen of Soul roared back into the Top 10 in 1985 with Freeway of Love, featuring the lyric “We goin’ ridin’ on the freeway of love/In my pink Cadillac.” Franklin, whose voice was likely unmatched in her generation, had a good ear for lyrics. A little known piece of music trivia is that Mack Rice changed Mustang Mama to Mustang Sally at Aretha’s suggestion.

If Detroit is famous for two things, they are indeed music and automobiles. Ms. Franklin’s career combined them both, so for her funeral the Motor City gave its Queen ‘Retha a proper automotive sendoff.

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  • Zerofoo An almost 5000 pound hot hatch that fell out of the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down? No thanks.
  • Tassos Jong-iL This would still be a very nice car in North Korea.
  • Jeff One less option will be available for an affordable midsize sedan. Not much can be done about GM discontinuing the Malibu. GM, Ford, and Stellantis have been discontinuing cars for the most part to focus on pickups, crossovers, and suvs. Many buyers that don't want trucks or truck like vehicles have moved onto Japanese and South Korean brands. Meanwhile large pickups and suvs continue to pile up on dealer lots with some dealers still adding market adjustments to the stickers. Even Toyota dealers have growing inventories of Tundras and Tacomas.
  • Lorenzo This car would have sold better if there was a kit to put fiberglass toast slices on the roof.
  • Lorenzo The Malibu is close to what the 1955 Bel Air was, but 6 inches shorter in height, and 3 inches shorter in wheelbase, the former making it much more difficult to get into or out of. Grandma has to sit in front (groan) and she'll still have trouble getting in and out.The '55s had long options lists, but didn't include a 91 cubic inch four with a turbo, or a continuously variable transmission. Metal and decent fabric were replaced by cheap plastic too. The 1955 price was $1765 base, or $20,600 adjusted for inflation, but could be optioned up to $3,000 +/-, or $36,000, so in the same ballpark.The fuel economy, handling, and reliability are improved, but that's about it. Other than the fact that it means one fewer sedan available, there's no reason to be sorry it's being discontinued. Put the 1955 body on it and it'll sell like hotcakes, though.