Corvette-Crazy: The best Barbie-inspired convertibles you can get your hands on now
July 14, 2023 by carwow staff
Car changing is a big deal
Thursday 13th July: With Barbie-mania sweeping the country ahead of the much anticipated movie release next week, it鈥檚 no surprise that carwow has found that enquiries for convertibles are up 70% since the start of May on its site, compared to the same period in 2022. To celebrate the release, carwow reveals the best Barbie-inspired motors you can get your hands on right now 鈥 and you may even be able to find them in pink!
Over the years, Barbie has proven herself a true petrolhead. Her first car was an Austin Healey 3000, and she has been behind the wheel of a Mercedes-Benz 190 SL and Ferrari 328 GTS. This time, all eyes will be on her trademark pink Chevrolet Corvette.
And there鈥檚 a recurring theme to her automotive purchases: they鈥檙e usually convertibles and of course, Barbie pink. Inspired by Barbie鈥檚 vast car collection, carwow鈥檚 automotive expert Mat Watson has hand picked his favourite drop tops for every budget:
1. Volkswagen Beetle 鈥 2013 鈥 拢11,000
If you鈥檙e on a lower budget but still want to live your life like Barbie, the Volkswagen Beetle is a great shout. Its cutesy styling perfectly matches the happy, smiley vibe of Barbie Land, and it鈥檚 also available in a variety of fun colours. There was even a Dune version that was designed to be a bit more rugged and off-road friendly 鈥 if you have a bit more to spend 鈥 and great for escaping to the beach.
2. Mercedes-Benz SL Class 鈥 2018 鈥 拢40,000
Although one of Barbie鈥檚 first cars was an Austin Healey, she quickly replaced it with something much more luxurious 鈥 a 1962 Mercedes-Benz 190SL. Want one today? You鈥檙e looking at more than 拢100,000. But something more affordable? The latest SL is out of budget, but we recommend a lightly used version of the previous model. There are a few to choose from, starting with a more comfort-focused V6-engined SL and ranging all the way up to a ferocious V12 with more hair on its chest than a pre-wax Ken.
3. Ferrari California 鈥 2010 鈥 拢60,000
Unsurprisingly, given her penchant for luxury convertibles, Barbie has owned a Ferrari. A Ferrari 328 GTS, to be exact. Those models are getting on a bit now, so we鈥檝e been looking for a more modern equivalent, and we reckon the California is perfect. It鈥檚 not the sharpest Ferrari to drive, but it鈥檚 been designed to cruise the beachfront topless and grab the attention of passers by. If Barbie鈥檚 a secret track day enthusiast then perhaps a convertible 360 or F430 might appeal more, but we鈥檙e confident the California is more Barbie鈥檚 style.
4. Jaguar F-Type Convertible 鈥 2023 鈥 拢100,000
With her history with the Austin Healey, it鈥檚 clear Barbie has a soft spot for British soft tops. Those classic convertibles are becoming increasingly tricky to find in good condition so, instead, let鈥檚 take a look at something brand new and far more flashy. The new Jaguar F-Type is one of the prettiest cars on sale today and it鈥檚 great fun to drive, too. There鈥檚 also a choice of a smaller, more affordable engine or a fire-breathing V8.
5. Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 鈥 2023 鈥 拢100,000+
Money no object? The ultimate Barbie car is the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray. The new Barbie movie鈥檚 star car is a classic 1956 Corvette Stingray, but finding one of those in the UK will be tricky. Instead, we鈥檇 recommend the new Corvette 鈥 though you鈥檒l still have to find one that has been imported from the US. It鈥檚 worth it, though, because the new Corvette Stingray has all the visual drama of a Lamborghini and packs a powerful V8 engine under the 鈥榟ood鈥 for a healthy dose of Americana.
This comes as carwow has seen a 70% surge in customer enquiries for convertibles since May compared to the same period last year.
Mat Watson, Chief Content Officer at carwow commented; 鈥淣ot only is the Barbie Movie providing dream convertible inspiration but the UK鈥檚 enjoyed a streak of hot, dry weather since May too. On carwow, we鈥檝e seen this translate into a larger than usual boost of online searches, inquiries, and sales of convertible cars. With consumers catching Barbie fever when it comes to other products, we anticipate we鈥檒l see a big summer for convertible sales too.鈥
ENDS
For more information about convertibles please visit 鈥 /convertible-cars
Data is based on the volume of carwow鈥檚 website enquiries by convertible car body type for the period 1 May 鈥 12 July 2022 compared to 1 May 鈥 12 July 2023.
About carwow
莲花直播 exists to give everyone car-confidence. With 3.5 million monthly users, we are a leading online car marketplace that sits uniquely in between customers, automotive brands and car dealers. Because we don鈥檛 hold any stock, we don鈥檛 mind which car consumers buy or sell, we鈥檙e here to help them make the right choice for them.
Since it was founded in 2013, by CEO James Hind, Alex Margolis and David Santoro, carwow has:
- Launched its 鈥楽ell My Car鈥 service where consumers can easily list their cars at a great price, while letting dealers buy used-car stock directly from the platform
- Raised $157m from some of the most prestigious technology, marketplace and automotive investors, including Balderton Capital, Accel, Vitruvian Partners, Episode and Samos
- Become one of the most influential names in consumer car media with the biggest automotive channel on YouTube with +8 million subscribers, fronted by Mat Watson
- Created an award-winning service that customers love, with a 4.7* rating on Trustpilot from over 40,000 reviews
- Opened offices in the UK, Germany, Spain and Portugal with a combined team of 370 people
For more information visit www.carwow.co.uk