What kind of little red car did Prince sing about?

The little red car that Prince sung about in the 1980s was a Corvette. The song is one of the most successful that Prince was able to write and release. Many fans have stated that it was his best. This song (“Little Red Corvette”) however was not inspired by a Corvette.

Prince came up with the idea for the song after he had been napping in backup singer Lisa Coleman’s 1964 Mercury Montclair Marauder. Coleman's car was often reported to be a pink Edsel, but she later explained that it was a Marauder (far more sexy than a pink Edsel). Prince helped her buy the Marauder at a 1980 auction.

Prior to writing the song, Prince had been involved in an all-night recording session. Lisa was at Prince's home and her car was parked in an access area. These facts come from the book 'Prince: Inside the Music and the Masks', which was published in 2011.

The song “Little Red Corvette” is about a promiscuous woman who is urged to "slow down" and "find a love that's gonna last". She should do this before destroys herself. It is just ambiguous enough not to offend most listeners.