She lives the life in the driver’s seat.
The fabulousness of the Barbie Movie opens a chamber in my heart that I sometimes forget is there: to find inspiration to dream and then, do. The idea of Barbie first seared into my consciousness as a child, wandering the toy aisle where I was drawn to the Barbie section: Shiny boxes stacked high, Barbie smiling from behind the cellophane, dressed in glamorous outfits.
And then, there were Barbie’s rewards: The Malibu dream house, the dream closet, the dream boat and … the Barbie Dream Car. Or cars. The Barbie Corvette. The Barbie Beetle. The Barbie Dune Buggy. The Barbie Porsche. Pink, convertible, and Barbie behind the wheel.
My mom told me to pick the Barbie toy I wanted — and mention it in my letter to Santa Claus. As we wandered back to our pale blue station wagon with its stiff pleather seats and vaguely oily smell, I thought about Mom behind the wheel and the stark difference between play and reality.
But could that world of play be possible? Could I live life in a fun car? One that is all about me, even going as far as to be pink?
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The Barbie Dream Life, Horse-Powered
Barbie and her dream cars reflected the celebrity life that played out on the screen and in paparazzi scrums: a fabulously beautiful woman who has it all, who hops behind the wheel to whisk herself away. From Brigitte Bardot to Beyoncé, the image of flowing hair blown back by horsepower inspires us — to grow our hair and dream of an indulgently impractical car that makes us feel fabulous.
This idea has blossomed in the Barbie Movie.
So which Barbie Dream Car inspires most? Here’s my list:
The Barbie Jeep
I have to start here and not with one of the cars in the movie. When my daughters were 2 and 5 we bought an electric powered Barbie Jeep for them to drive up and down the driveway. They came running downstairs on Christmas morning to see it proudly shinning in the middle of the den, and even before we could open presents or dump out the stockings, we had to don coats and slippers and take the Barbie Jeep for a spin. They have been independent, driving women ever since.
The Barbie Corvette
Every girl should have a fabulous, freeing convertible in her lifetime. In this case, a classic Corvette sets Barbie and Ken free. Ken hid in the back seat —who hasn’t wanted to do that?— for the getaway from Barbieland. Wouldn’t most of us be thrilled with an unrealistic convertible Corvette if it set us free?
Related: 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Empowers Women to Embrace the Sports Car Life
Chevrolet Blazer SS EV
Chevrolet was a major sponsor of this movie and nearly all the cars with a role in the movie were from the automaker. In contrasting reality with Barbieland’s pink classic cars, the Chevy Blazer EV is shown in a deep blue hue and it represents the future: it’s electric. For many reasons, including its cameos in the movie, we are excited to drive this one when it comes to the market.
Related: The Chevy Blazer is Back and More Bad-Ass Than Ever
VW Camper Bus
Capturing one of the hottest pop culture trends of the day, Barbie and Ken get away from it all in a camper van— a classic VW Bus. We get it. We can’t get enough of it, either.
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Chevrolet Suburban
Barbie finds out what it’s like to be just like everyone else, riding in the back of a Chevy Suburban SUV, ensconced in comfort and pampering, no doubt, and learning to appreciate things like captains chairs and a running board. This is something that so many of us, even the average suburbanite, can identify with.
Related: Three Blondes, Two Weeks Of Para-cycling And One 8-foot Bike: Putting The Chevy Suburban To The Test
GMC Hummer
Ken isn’t left out; he gets his dream car, too: the GMC Hummer, which in real life is filled with all the cool features boys love, from super fast acceleration to a 4 wheel drive system that can drive over anything. Seems fitting for Ken, but we would’t be surprised if Barbie borrows it and *forgets* to return it.
Related: GMC Hummer EV SUV: A Kitschy-Cool EV with Functional Space, Utilitarian Interior
There is and always has been a lot of controversy around Barbie, and for those of us who loved her as a child, some mixed feelings. Until criticism grew loud, she was an unrealistic role model, culturally tone deaf, and only in later incarnations empowered to achieve as an astronaut or doctor.
Barbie has had a tough road but still endured. There’s something in her demeanor, that permanent smile, the un-ending possibilities for her future that inspires us still. And, the cars that she makes her getaway in, her blond hair blown back by horsepower.
