Barbie, the American fashion doll which has had over a million clones worldwide since being ‘born’ in 1959 had an Austin Healey as her first car. But as she got older, she had a liking for Chevrolet Corvettes (typically pink) and also had many sportscars as well as a Rolls-Royce. She’s no stranger to Italian cars either, having had a Ferrari 328GTS in her garage.
Now she’ll also have a limited edition Maserati Grecale in her name and there will be only three real units of the new SUV. The Barbie Maserati Grecale is the result of an unconventional collaboration between the Italian sportscar maker and Mattel, the brand owners of Barbie.
The three exclusive cars, designed under the Maserati Fuoriserie customization program, are among the 2022 Fantasy Gift range of luxury retailer Neiman Marcus in the USA. 10% of the sales price of the first unit will benefit the Barbie Dream Gap Project. This is the brand’s ongoing global initiative that partners with charities to help provide equal opportunities and remove barriers for girls. Details of the other two cars will be forthcoming.
This Barbie Grecale is a Trofeo version and in full Barbie fashion, her favourite iconic pink hue covers nearly every bit of the SUV with fine acid-yellow lines, inspired by the carmaker’s racing heritage. Also placed on the exterior are the Barbie logo, sealed with an iridescent topcoat that reveals an incredible rainbow effect on a sunny day.
The all-black interior features full-leather seats, dashboards, carpets, and doors – accented with pink stitching – as well as branded headrests with the unique ‘B’ badge. Under the bonnet is the powerful 530-bhp V6 Nettuno engine that should provide an exhilarating drive.
The Grecale’s design uses elements from the MC20 sportscar, with a more ‘vertical’ design language more appropriate for the SUV form that is 1670 mm tall. The body has meandering, visual forms and its technical components are highlighted by the use of carbonfibre. In the rear, the boomerang taillights are inspired by the Giugiaro 3200 GT and fit in with the trapezoidal line, made even more striking by the coupe effect of the profile.
