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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  • Shipwright As my Avatar shows I had an '08 GT 500, Grabber Orange convertible. I now own a '12 GT 500 Kona Blue coupe.
  • ArialATOMV8 I tend to prefer more amusing colors when picking out a car (if possible). My 2017 Lexus RX is painted in a Nightfall Mica (Dark Blue) and I really dig the look. In the dealership it stands out compared to the regular tame blacks, silvers and whites. Soon I may be at the point to afford a new car and when I do, I'll do my part and spec/hunt for an allocation of a vibrant color.
  • Tassos Tim is not that good with colors.The bright "pink" is not pink, but FUCHSIA. Both colors may look good on a woman's sweater, but not on steel panels.
  • Tassos While I was a very satisfied owner of a much earlier Accord COupe 5 speed (a 1990 I owned from 1994 to 2016), I don't like the exterior styling of this one so much, in fact the 2017 sedan looks better. Or maybe it sucks in white. The interior of my 1990 was very high quality, this one looks so-so. The 157 k miles were probably easy highway miles. Still, Hondas are not Toyotas, and I remember the same service (like timing belt replacement) back then cost TWICE for an Accord than for a Camry. Add to this that it has the accursed CVT, and it's a no. Not that I am in the market for a cheap econobox anyway.
  • 3-On-The-Tree My 2009 C6 corvette in black looks great when it’s all washed and waxed but after driving down my 1.3 mile long dirt road it’s a dust magnet. I like white because dust doesn’t how up easily. Both my current 2021 Tundra and previous 2014 Ford F-150 3.5L Ecobomb are white