Did You Know That VW Released a Real-Life Barbie Car in 2009?
Jane Lu
· 3 min read
Volkswagen
built a real-life Barbie car in celebration of the iconic toy's 50th birthday in 2009. The car is like nothing else in the German carmaker's lineup.For one, it's bubblegum pink in honor of the doll's favorite color. The trunk includes a handy motorized pop-up vanity complete with a large mirror and lights.
A
Fiat 500
also went on display at the Milan Monza auto show in honor of Barbie's birthday. The custom car's pink color and luxurious silk floor mats paid tribute to the famous doll and 50 years of success. Maybe the carmaker was hoping a little of that success would rub off.Here are more details about the custom Barbie Beetle.
Where did the real-life Barbie car make its debut?
The lavishly pink debut party took place at Barbie's real-life Malibu Dream House. The 3,500-square-foot mansion in Malibu hosted celebrity guests like supermodel Heidi Klum, designer Lauren Conrad, and reality stars Khloe and Kourtney Kardashian for a first peek at the pink and white vehicle.
The
Orange County Register
reported that the Malibu Barbie New Beetle convertible was a collaboration between Mattel, Volkswagen, customizers ABD Racing Werks, FoamMolders, and Katzkin Leather and Interiors. The result was a one-of-a-kind vehicle that any Barbie devotee would be proud to drive.This VW Beetle is a vision in pink
According to
CNET
, it required just the right mix of five different colors to achieve the perfect hot pink for the car's exterior paint. The car's signature Barbie pink color isn't just found on the exterior, either. The engine compartment also received the pink treatment, including a dipstick that matches Barbie's favorite lipstick shade of, you guessed it, pink!The interior keeps the same color scheme with white leather and pink accents. The seats are embroidered with a pink silhouette of Barbie's ponytail.
The door panels are covered in quilted pink leather, as are the door pockets, seat inserts, armrests, and headrests. Even the inside of the trunk lid features quilted pink leather. And because we all know how much Barbie likes a little (well, actually a lot) of bling, glittering rhinestones surround the rearview mirror.
Other little touches of luxury include the hand-stitched floor mats. To top it all off, the white convertible top acts as a nice contrast against the bubblegum pink exterior.
Why a VW and Barbie pairing? VW's marketing general manager, Laura Soave, explained to
WIRED
that the VW Beetle and Barbie have both "made a remarkable impact on pop culture history." So it makes perfect sense to celebrate her birthday together.Barbie has an impressive car collection
A real-life VW Beetle isn't the only vehicle in Barbie's car collection, although it's certainly one of the largest. Over the years, the fashion doll has amassed a number of other cars,
cool campers
, and even a private airplane. Maybe an innovative flying car
will be next on the toymaker's horizon for her.Some of the cars included in the
Barbie toy car collection
include a Corvette, Mercedes-Benz M-Class, Ferrari 360, and Ford Mustang, among others. Barbie has a bubbly personality and she has a wide range of colorful cars
to represent that.Barbie doesn’t need it for her toy cars, but It's important to make sure that your real-life ride has quality car insurance. Fortunately, the Jerry app makes getting that insurance quick, easy, and cheap!
Jerry
will gather rates from 50 name-brand insurance companies to make sure you're getting the coverage you need at a price you can afford.
