Barbie x Maserati Is The Automotive Collab You Weren't Expecting

We live in peculiar times when it feels like almost anything can happen, but even so, there was a double-take when this one landed in our inbox. “Maserati and Barbie join forces for an unprecedented collaboration,” read a subject line. And no, this ‘Barbie x Maserati Grecale Trofeo’ collaboration isn’t a one-off showpiece - it’s something you can actually buy.

As you might imagine, the Barbie-infused Grecale is pink. Very pink. The colour “covers nearly every inch of the dreamy car,” Maserati notes, although it has added some acid-yellow accents in a nod to the company’s motorsport heritage.

Also on the outside are Barbie logos sealed into “an iridescent topcoat that reveals an incredible rainbow effect on a beautiful sunny day”. Lovely. Inside, meanwhile, you’ll find a black leather interior with pink contrast stitching and Barbie-branded headrests.

As for why the Grecale was chosen for the treatment, Maserati says the SUV was “selected by Barbie to match her multi-faceted lifestyle ranging from a business meeting to a glamourous event”. Fair enough, but we’d like to think there’s space outside Barbie’s Dreamhouse for an MC20 to use at the weekends, too.

Mechanically, it’s no different to any other Grecale Trofeo, meaning there’s a 526bhp 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 under the bonnet powering all four wheels. The engine has Alfa Romeo roots, as does the platform - it’s an adapted version of the Giorgio architecture also used to underpin the Giulia and Stelvio.

Only two will be made, both for the US market. It sounds as though the second, yet-to-be-revealed version will have a different spec. Barbie brand owner Mattel will donate 10 per cent of the sale price of each to the Barbie Dream Gap project, which is described as a “global initiative that partners with charities to help provide equal opportunities and remove barriers for girls.”