Created in partnership with Neiman Marcus as part of the retailer's 2022 Fantasy Christmas Gift Guide, only one Grecale Trofeo SUV has been allocated for the United States. (Courtesy Maserati)
Life in plastic might be fantastic, but nothing beats hand-sculpted Italian sheet metal. While the new live-action Barbie movie starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling doesn’t arrive until next summer, brands are already starting to pounce on the doll’s consumer friendly “Barbiecore” appeal. Perhaps the most decadent and luxurious example of that — thus far — is the Barbie-edition Maserati Grecale Trofeo SUV that has been doused with enough pink to make even Mary Kay blush.
Created in partnership with Neiman Marcus as part of the retailer’s 2022 Fantasy Christmas Gift Guide, only one of the incredibly conspicuous Grecale Trofeo SUVs has been allocated for the United States (only two were produced worldwide) and it comes with a $330,000 price tag. Ten percent of the sale will go to the Barbie Dream Gap Project, making this more than just an Instagram-friendly vanity project.
Mechanically, like other Trofeo editions, this Grecale features Maserati’s smooth-as-silk Nettuno V6 3.0-liter twin turbo engine from the MC20 good for 530 horsepower and paired to an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission.
This being a Barbie edition, it’s the aesthetics that resonate the most significance. The iconic Barbie pink hue covers the sculpted lines of the exterior and, in true Barbie style, is sealed with an iridescent topcoat revealing a rainbow effect. Save for the few interior trim pieces awash in pink, the interior is surprisingly subdued and features black leather seats with simple pink leather accents throughout. The doors are detailed with pink stitching, and the headrests are branded with a signature “B” badge.
Paying homage to the timeless Maserati 250F design and vintage Barbie-doll packaging, fine lines in a vibrant yellow adorn the Maserati Fuoriserie logo and air vents, while the Neiman Marcus and barbie logos are presented in glossy black (thank goodness the legendary Maserati Trident logo up front remains untouched). Featuring a completely overhauled interior, multiple touch screens ensure control of tasks such as climate and audio are. . . well, a Malibu breeze.
As any Barbie-phile worth her pink stilettos knows, the Barbie verse has featured its fair share of iconic cars parked in the driveway of that stately dream house: Corvettes, a Ferrari, a Porsche 911 and various Jeeps for those beach bonfires. Alas, the Grecale isn’t slated to have a cameo in the upcoming Barbie flick, but the movie’s poster has teased Margot Robbie’s character driving a C1 Corvette that looks to feature a charging port door.
Outdoor Dining with Bering's
While an electrified first gen Corvette would make waves, it would do little to compete with the Grecale for attention.
Lastly, given this Maserati’s bank-breaking price tag — some $227,000 more than the standard Grecale Trofeo it’s based on — and it being a Neiman’s fantasy gift, one can’t help but wonder how much sweeter throwing in a Mattel-produced life-size doll of its new owner would be.
Dream on.
