If you’ve not been gripped by Barbie fever as Greta Gerwig’s film hits the cinema this month, then you just might have spotted things going very pink seemingly everywhere you turn.
The famous doll is being brought to life on the big screen thanks to Australian actor Margot Robbie, who plays the lead role, but this also means that some of Barbie’s favourite vintage cars are also jumping out of the box and onto the road.
Auto Trader reports a 120% increase in searches for people interested in buying a "Chevy convertible Corvette" since the film’s trailer came out in May.
But whether you dream of turning up at the cinema in your very own pink Corvette or not, the sheer volume of searches for these vintage wheels is part of a much bigger trend.
In an age where we feel like we’re driving around computers on wheels, more and more of us are yearning to go back to basics. In short, vintage cars are hot – and Barbie’s making them hot pink!
Let’s talk about the cars in the Barbie Movie
Margot Robbie, sorry Barbie, drives a custom electric 1956 Corvette in the film – it’s nothing short of iconic.
Look closely and you’ll spot the Chevrolet logo on the side of Barbie’s pale pink and white vintage Corvette has E and V depicted in blue, indicating that the car was part of General Motors’ electric range.
This Corvette sponsorship deal – which is one of 200 product placements and advertising deals squeezed into the Barbie film – has come at the perfect time for GM, who announced it’s releasing the first electric Corvette to mark the car’s 70th anniversary in 2023.
Did you know…?
- The car was driven remotely by an operator using a VR headset
- Nothing on the car is ‘off the shelf’ – everything had to be custom-made
- The Barbie car is 23% smaller than the original Corvette – the whole car had to be drawn, manufactured and installed
- It’s powered by a small electric motor, similar to the type found in a golf buggy, and there’s some hidden 12v batteries from a fork lift hidden under the rear passenger seat
GM is also using the film to market SUVs from its growing EV range, including Barbie’s boyfriend Ken’s EV Hummer.
We’re getting in line to check out all the cool cars in the film… definitely not going to get swept up in Barbie fever. Nope.
