If you’ve turned on a radio or, you know, walked through a mall in the past month, you will have heard Bruno Mars’ new single, 24K Magic, from the album of the same name. It has a retro, funk sound to it and, like many Mars songs, is very catchy. Watching the music video, it appears that Mars believes that – as a certain 1980s jingle implores – the only way to travel is Cadillac style. Specifically, 1980s Cadillac style with the top down.
An Allanté! Hold up, is the Allanté cool now? It was never as popular as Cadillac had hoped it would be. After a series of embarrassing failures (Cimarron, V8-6-4, HT-4100), GM’s luxury brand decided the way out of the hole they had dug was to start seriously fronting, launching a $50k roadster when they still had stuff like the Cimarron in their showrooms. Their new flagship regrettably suffered from build quality issues as well as so-so dynamics thanks to its front-wheel-drive platform.
Then again, it could be argued that the Allanté and its chief competitors, the Mercedes SL and Jaguar XJ-S, were never meant to be canyon carvers. And while the Allanté was initially somewhat underpowered, Cadillac would continue to up the ante, upgrading to a more powerful 4.5 V8 engine. The final year saw the Allanté receive the new Road Sensing Suspension and Northstar V8.
The Allanté’s main purpose was to look fresh to death and, thanks to styling by Pininfarina, it certainly did, especially against its 1970s-vintage chief rivals. Inside was a striking interior very much of its time and a noticeable step up from the Eldorado on which the Allanté was based. But you needed a lot more paper to buy an Allanté: it cost a whopping $30k more than the Eldorado. Unfortunately for GM, it turned out most luxury roadster buyers weren’t about that Caddy life. Well, sluggish sales did end up helping the Allanté maintain its exclusivity…
Cadillac’s luxury roadster has been forgotten by many despite appearing so many movies and TV shows in the 1980s and 1990s, which makes its cameo appearance in a current Top 40 single’s music video all the more noteworthy. It’s not the only Caddy in the video: when Mars private jet lands, a fleet of brand new, black CT6s are waiting for his crew. That’s tight.
Related Reading:
Curbside Classic: 1993 Cadillac Allanté – The Wreath-And-Crest European Roadster
Future Curbside Classic: 2004-2009 Cadillac XLR – The Allanté, Part II
I must really be getting old – I have absolutely no idea who this guy is. My 14 year old probably knows. She is completely unimpressed with my Saturday flea market find of a VG playing 1971 Carol King “Tapestry” LP for $2. I made her listen to it anyway with a lecture about why she should. Darn kids these days. . .
At least this fellow appreciates some Detroit/Italian iron.
You probably do – his music is in the background a lot. Remember this 2014 Super Bowl commercial for Hyundai?
That’s Bruno Mars singing. I really enjoy his voice.
BTW, Beautiful was a huge hit on Broadway so CK’s timeless talent is still appreciated!
As for the Allante, a good and very wealthy friend had one. Terrible car, completely unreliable and her last American automobile.
You might also have heard ‘Grenade’ from his 2010 ‘Doo-Wops and Hooligans’ album. When he started he had a sort of retro Philly sound (not unrelated to Carole King’s early ’60’s songwriting). I find his newer stuff…meh…but his live Billboard performances of ‘Grenade’ and other songs were impressive. I’m way too old for adolescent angst, but it still registers in pop music.
1) “Making” your kid listen to Carole King is a great way to make her hate classic rock and pop. Let her discover the good stuff by herself. My kids are in their late 20’s and their ipods are filled with stuff from my heyday because I didn’t shove it down their throats.
2) I too love Detroit iron.
3) Of all the artists out today, Bruno Mars pays homage to classic R&B/soul more than most. Listen to his stuff and I’ll bet you’ll like it.
4) Yes, you are really getting old.
Don’t worry, I “made” her listen in a sneaky passive way – after my secret record cleaning technique I played the record all the way through with her around to see if I got $2 bucks worth, I did. I played it again while preparing dinner Saturday and again last night while preparing dinner. During our dinner conversation I asked about Bruno Mars – she of course knows who he his but isn’t a particular fan. This segued into how “Sergeant Pepper’s” is her favorite Beatles album and a little lesson about Carol King after she commented about the last track being a very big hit for Aretha Franklin, who she knows, likes, and thinks everybody should cut some slack for the 5 minute national anthem at the Lions game last week – because you know, she’s Aretha Franklin.
I’ll check Bruno out on youtube to see if it’s worth buying an album or two.
I’m making peace with middle age – you might as well because it only gets worse! Old age is not for cissy’s as they say.
‘… because you know, she’s Aretha Franklin.’
There’s wisdom there.
BTW, what’s your secret record cleaning technique?
I won’t divulge the process, but it involves a non-whistling kettle and very clean microfiber cloths that have not been in contact with fabric softener or dryer sheets. Audiophiles will look down their nose, but I’ve found nothing that will clean up really dirty records (they are all dirty even when they don’t look it) as quick or easy. The price can’t be beat either. Follow up with the usual anti-static dust brush. Things quiet right down and tighten up.
Records sound so much better when clean!
Thanks for that. Guess I’ll have to sacrifice a few records figuring out the rest. hehehe
Minor correction: the Allante never came with the 4.9L.
Thanks, I’ve corrected the text. Interesting that the 4.9 was rolled out to the rest of Caddy’s FWD lineup but not to the Allanté. Then again, the Allanté had received more powerful versions of the 4.1 and 4.5 not shared with other Caddys.
I suspect that the 4.9 was at the outer limits of the design, so the Allante’s tuned port injection might have pushed it over the limit for power.
I like how no one is wearing seatbelts which means the lawyers have not yet taken over the world. The song is mostly alright though some of the sound effects are a bit much, but it is a breath of fresh air compared to Kesha or Justin Beiber.
I’m nearing 40 so none of these artists are in my target market, but I will say that I respect Mars way more as an artist than those two.
Edit: just watched that video and actually really enjoyed that song. Probably because it has a lot of 80s elements from hits when I was a kid.
They still make music videos? Either way, I can safely say I’ve not been in a mall recently nor listened to any FM top 40 radio in, well, ever. Judging from what I hear I’d say the quality of the Allante is in good musical company.
Never saw the point of the Allante and never heard of this Bruno Mars guy either. Most modern music is crap and I prefer the older stuff.
Ok I just watched the first minute of this video and that was all I could stand. Ugh.
Them damn kids today with their rock and roll. In my days, “How Much Is That Doggie In The Window” was music, and you could get a WHOLE candy bar for a nickel!
There, is that an appropriate enough rant on other peoples’ rants?
Personally, I prefer a good oldie such as this:
Ah, the inimitable Sir Mix-A-Lot…good times.
The majority of Mars’ music isn’t my style, but I won’t deny the man does have talent. And I can enjoy some of it–Locked out of Heaven, in particular, sounds like it could have been an outtake from one of The Police’s early albums. Has a similar vibe.
As to the Allante…good to see it getting some love. It may not have been Cadillac’s finest effort ever, but I always thought it a damn good-looking machine.
I’m no Bruno Mars fan either, but I’ll agree he does have talent and broad appeal. One of the sales managers for BMW I work with, a man in his 60s is a really big fan. He and his wife have seen Mars in concert before.
Lol.
From the same year I think, maybe this was the Canadian equivalent? 🙂
I actually did like this song, it’s hilarious and so is the video which features The Kids In The Hall.
In my Matchbox car collection, the silver Allante with red interior was one of my favorites…I always thought it was a good looking car.
As for Bruno Mars, if not for my kids, I wouldn’t know who he is either.
I can also appreciate Bruno Mars’s 80’s vibe, and IMO, incorporating the Allante in this video was a stroke of genius. Thirty years removed from the Allante’s failure in its original mission and as it appears today – as an exclusive, beautifully styled, 2-seat Cadillac, it just works within this modern context. My Bruno song is “Treasure” – sounds like something I taped off the radio circa ’85.
Nice pick, Stopford.
Ah Bruno Mars. A lot of his stuff does sound like it came out of the early to mid 1980’s and would not be out of place in a music collection with the Police, Debarge, Michael Jackson, Prince, Human league or other artists from that time period. As a person that was born in 1977 and lived through the 1980’s, I can say that I like his music and the 1980’s vibe. I have an eclectic music collection and have Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Journey, Rush and Sir Mix-a-lot sharing my iPod.
As for the Caddy, I have a feeling that the Allante will be appreciated in the future(along with the Buick Reatta)
The Allante’s interior is soooo dated but the exterior is rather nice.
It’s certainly one of those cars that sound good as an old Sunday driver, though I would never consider such a thing new.
I once saw an Allante in all pink. May have been a Mary Kay car.
When it comes to music I am partial to stuff from 2 or 3 hundred years ago, anything from Wolfgang (Mozart) or Franz (Liszt)…
Ah Liszt. I consider him to be the Elvis or the Beatles of his era. Though woman were not throwing panties or mobbing his carriage, his log hair, image and way he played the piano, made him the “rock star” of his day.
This is something Brendan might like, there is a short ad LINK
This guy is quite good LINK
That rappy 80/90’s (I assume the Cadillac and the chains etc. are to go with the period) retro rappy thing is awful. He’s better actually singing and seems to be an actual musician but I’m guessing he sings everything at the top of his range which is annoying in itself.
I just looked up a recent interview with him. He was dressed in 90’s stupid and his speaking voice is pretty high actually.
Buick Reattas are a lot nicer.
Bruno needs to step his game up. Early 1980’s funk sound paired with 1991 neon colored tall wasted bikini bottoms literally made me laugh. That’s not in our cute whatsoever right now LOL.