All Artists Formerly Known as Prince's Cars and Motorcycles
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The Prince was what we would call a triple threat; half instrumental genius, half superb singer and half fashion guru. Known for his award-winning hits like "Purple Rain", "The Crimson Beret" and "1999", the multifaceted artist has given a whole new meaning to stage lifestyle and performance.
Born Prince Rogers Nelson in Minneapolis, Minnesota, he started making music at a very young age. Having written my first song at the age of 7, it was a fast track to the top. At 17, he landed a recording contract, and by the age of 21, Prince had a platinum album.
Prince was known for dabbled in many musical genres, including pop, funk, r&b, and rock. His ability to play instruments gave him the ability to move from style to style. Whether it was guitar, keyboards or drums, Prince could play it. And his talent didn't stop there.
The prince was like a machine for making music. In the mid-90s, he had a dispute with Warner Brothers Records, with whom he had a contract. To get rid of their control, he changed his name to an unpronounceable symbol for "love", and released 5 records in 2 years to fulfill his obligations. He then signed with a new label and released 16 more albums before his loss in April 2016.
We also have to mention Prince's eccentric sense of style. The miniaturist was well known for his gendered taste in style, including makeup, high-heeled shoes, and traditionally feminine frills and sequins. Let's see if his extreme appearance has anything to do with the cars hidden in his garage.
16 Buick Wildcat
The gorgeous 1964 Buick Wildcat featured in Prince's music video for "Under The Cherry Moon" actually belonged to the star herself. As extravagant as it is, of course the Prince would have had a convertible option. This car was Buick's attempt to compete with GM's full-sized Oldsmobile Starfire, another sporty model the brand sold.
The Wildcat was named after the amount of torque it produced from its engine. The 1964 version of the Prince featured upgrades not seen in previous years' cars.
For example, the big-block V8 engine was the largest in the series, displacing 425 cubic inches, producing 360 horsepower with its dual quad carburetors. This most powerful engine has earned the nickname "Super Wildcat".
15 Bus Prevo
Prince stepped up his game in the 90s. He not only threw parties, as in 1999, but also toured a lot in those years. With an average of one tour a year accompanying his numerous album releases during this decade, it makes sense that the singer extraordinaire would like to travel in comfort and luxury.
In the mid-90s, he invested in the Prevost tour bus. The Canadian manufacturing company is known for developing high quality buses, motorhomes and tour buses. Prevost opened a store in Quebec in 1924, but was acquired by American owners in the late 60s. By the time Prince bought his tour bus, the company had partnered with Volvo to supply a superior engine.
14 Ford Thunderbird
During the filming of his "Alphabet of St. video for the 1988 Lovesexy album, Prince's production team chose a 1969 Ford Thunderbird as the vehicle. Fast forward a few years to the 90s and Prince bought himself a 1993 Ford Thunderbird.
Possibly inspired by what he used in the music video, this is the less cool version you see your midwestern grandmother driving.
Definitely not as luxurious a trip as one would expect from an unconventional celebrity. It has the same name as its predecessor, and the mid-size car actually has some pretty good performance, especially if you're riding a Super Coupe with a manual transmission.
13 Jeep Grand Cherokee
There are guys with cars, motorcyclists, and there are guys with jeeps. Given Prince's varied interests in music, it's no surprise that he also had different tastes in the cars he drove. The fact that he hails from Minneapolis, Minnesota may have influenced his decision to buy a 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee (perhaps for sub-zero winter driving).
Not the most reliable vehicle in the group, Jeeps have gained a cult following. But Grand Cherokees tend to be inferior to other off-road SUVs. Jeeps already have their problems, but this model was the first to be released by Chrysler, and many grudgingly admit that this is the car's biggest mistake.
12 Purple Rain Hondamatic CM400A
Purple Rain is not only the name of the song, but also the title of the album and the feature film that accompanies it. The 1984 film was a semi-autobiographical short story and won an Academy Award for music taken from the album of the same name.
Prince's character, a singer trying to escape a harsh family life, drives a custom bright purple Honda CM400A.
That's right, it was the same type of bike used in the later Graffiti Bridge movie. It can be assumed that these bikes were chosen for Prince not only because of their iconic look, but also because of the size of the bike. Prince was only 5ft 3in and the smaller Honda model was a good choice for the petite celebrity.
11 Lincoln Town Car
It seems no stellar collection would be complete without the Lincoln Town Car, and Prince is no exception. After his death, Prince was found to have 67 gold bars worth $840,000. So a luxury sedan makes sense for a star who can afford a stylish chauffeur.
The 1997 Town Car was exactly what Prince needed for luxury rides to and from recording sessions. These upscale vehicles share design cues with the Ford Crown Vic and Mercury Grand Marquis. The 97 was the last of its generation and included features such as climate control, wood trim and rear-view mirrors (perfect for Prince to check his eyeliner before a performance).
10 BMW 850i
After his loss at the young age of 57, many were shocked to learn that the singer had no will. In 2017, most of his possessions and possessions, including all of his cars and motorcycles, were bequeathed. Looking at the compiled list of his possessions, it becomes obvious that the Prince was digging BMWs.
One of several was a 1991i 850 BMW. When the 850i was released, it was a bit of a disappointment to Bimmer enthusiasts. But let's be honest, the 90s were a tough time for a lot of cars (ahem, Camaro). Looking back, the car has become a classic and one of the most beautiful cars of the 90s. His music video for "Sexy MF" also used an 850i, possibly the same one he has.
9 BMW Z3
In the mid-90s, Prince started having problems with his record label, Warner Brothers Records. He believed that they stifle his work as an artist. To protest the label, he went public with the word "slave" written on his face and changed his name to a symbol. In 1996, he closed his contract with the label and bought a new car (possibly in honor of this).
The new Bimmer in Prince's company was a 1996 BMW Z3. This two-door coupe seems more suited to Prince's style. Spectacular, fast and the epitome of a 90s roadster. These cars were popular in their time and are still in demand.
8 Cadillac XLR
Cadillac is almost 120 years old, and with over a century of success in the luxury goods market, it's no wonder Prince was a fan of the brand. Often sold to an older generation, Cadillac has made several efforts to appeal to a younger audience. Prince's 2004 Cadillac XLR is a great example of this effort.
The XLR fuel-injected V8 paired with a 5-speed automatic transmission and a lock-up torque converter make the car more powerful than other Caddies.
The luxury coupe accelerates to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds. Not too bad when you also get close to 30 mpg. And the added feature of a retractable hardtop is a nice touch for youngsters.
7 Cadillac Limousine
In 1985, Prince hit the Billboard top 100 with the release of his album. Around the world in a day. The most popular single was the chart-topping "Raspberry Beret", which peaked at number 2. It was around the same time that he began production on his second feature film Under the Cherry Moon.
As she gains more and more fame, the life of a pop star is not complete without a limousine in which she can dodge the paparazzi. Prince had his own 1985 Cadillac limousine. The will documents don't list the make of the limousine, but based on the time frame, we can assume he owned Fleetwood or DeVille.
6 Plymouth Prowler
In 1999, Prince signed a contract with the new label Arista Records and released a new album called Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic. The prince, then known as the "symbol of love", collaborated with stars such as Gwen Stefani, Eve and Sheryl Crow. Prince has always been a big supporter of female artists and often performed with them. Unfortunately, the album was not well received due to poor reviews and confusion in the mixed pop genre.
Also confusing is the 1999 Plymouth Prowler he bought the same year.
The brand that gave you the Barracuda and Roadrunner is a clumsy attempt at an affordable "sports car." Is this Plymouth? Chrysler? Not very fast, and there is not much to see, it is not surprising that the car was closed after only 2 years.
5 Bentley Continental GT
Prince wasn't just a songwriter for himself. The multifaceted artist has also composed and written lyrics for other major stars including Madonna, Stevie Nicks, Celine Dion and many more. In 2006, he collaborated with other artists on many occasions for performances and recordings. He also promoted the new album, 3121, with an appearance on Saturday Night Live.
He owned a 2006 Bentley, according to the Probate Court, which compiled the documentation for Prince's garage. They didn't specify the type, but based on the year, we concluded it was a Continental GT. Just as Prince collaborated with other musicians, Bentley collaborated with Volkswagen. Continental was the first car produced under the joint venture.
4 Buick Electra 225
Prince had a long career spanning decades. His numerous album successes have earned him 8 Golden Globes, 10 Grammy Awards and 11 MTV Video Music Awards. Like Prince, the car in his garage was such a success that it was in production for almost 40 years.
We're not sure what year Prince bought, but we'd like to assume his Buick Electra 225 was from the 60s. The 225s Model 1960 is perhaps the most beautiful and best-selling of all. Popular with vintage car collectors, the ambitious brand has unveiled a luxury vehicle that combines style, comfort and handling and has been profitable for years.
3 BMW 633CS
1984 was a huge year for Prince. This was when he went on tour in support of one of his most famous albums. 1999. One of the instantly recognizable songs from the Little Red Corvette album featured a music video featuring Prince competing against Michael Jackson. That year, they were the only two black artists to have videos consistently aired on MTV.
Fans are generally mortified to find that instead of a small red Corvette, Prince mostly had Bimmers.
Another Bavarian car he owned was a 1984 CS 633 BMW. This classic straight-six car with sporty styling was (and still is) a popular collector's car among "young people".
2 Lincoln MKT
The TV show Glee has become a hit among fans of the musical comedy genre. The episodes told the story of a group of high school misfits who performed well-known pop songs in choir demonstrations and competitions. One of the songs used in the show was "Kiss" by Prince. Unfortunately, the TV show didn't use the right channels to use the song.
The prince was upset by the cover and stated in an interview, "You can't go and make your own version of Harry Potter. Would you like to hear someone else sing "Kiss"? And then he took off in his 2011 Lincoln MKT. So, the last part is not true, but he was driving a luxury SUV in the same year that the Glee controversy broke out.
1 Little red corvette
Although Prince has never owned a sporty red Chevrolet, the story behind the song "Little Red Corvette" does indeed stem from his driving experience. According to Lisa Coleman, one of Prince's bandmates in the 80s, the lyrics were inspired by the 1964 Mercury Montclair Marauder album.
As the story goes, Prince helped Lisa buy a car at an auction in 1980.
After the recording sessions, which continued into the wee hours of the night, Prince occasionally caught a few Z's in the back seat of her car. The Little Red Marauder simply doesn't have the same ring as the Corvette, but that's why the Prince is a musical genius.
Sources: bmwblog.com, usfinancepost.com, rcars.co, wikipedia.org.
