Looking back at Mel Farr Superstar selling cars

The financial crisis sent Farr to Washington, DC, where he lobbied then President Jimmy Carter for aid in the form of Federal loans for auto dealers.

His “Mel Farr, Superstar” commercials – complete with white suit and red cape – still stand as among the most memorable local ads for many Detroiters.

His fortunes peaked in 1998 when Black Enterprise magazine named Mel Farr Automotive Group the nation’s largest black-owned company. He went on to build an auto dealership business, appearing in TV commercials as the caped Mel Farr Superstar. He also caught 146 passes for 1,374 yards and 10 touchdowns in his career.

On the football field, Farr, a first-round pick out of UCLA, was an electric runner before shoulder and knee injuries nudged him into retirement. “He was a guy that everybody would want on his team”. Good instincts, great heart. Farr went into the vehicle business after spending seven NFL off-seasons working in dealer development for the Ford Motor Co. and also because his father worked as a used auto salesman, when Farr was growing up in Texas.

“To this day, the friendship still rides high and he is going to sorely be missed”, Barney said. They each received a gold record for their contribution.

Farr’s cause of death is still unknown, but an autopsy is underway. Hall-of-Fame tight end Charlie Sanders passed away July 2 after a battle with cancer, and Farr was one of several former teammates at Sanders’ funeral.