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The most famous doll in the world is on the big screen, and the plastic celebrity is behind the wheel of America’s first sweetheart sports car, a C1 Corvette. That’s right; Barbie finally has a major motion picture starring actor Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, and Robbie is riding in style in a 1956 Chevrolet Corvette in, you guessed it, pink. However, the Barbie movie car is more than a striking setpiece; it’s an American dream. 

What year is the Barbie Corvette?

A 1956 Chevrolet Corvette that Margot Robbie drove in the movie "Barbie" shows off its drop-top car platform.
1956 Corvette C1 | Rodin Eckenroth via FilmMagic

The bright-pink drop-top car in the 2023 film, “Barbie,” is a modified 1956 Chevrolet Corvette. Further, the Corvette is the fourth model year of the first-generation model, the “C1.”

Unfortunately for fans of the movie star car, the pink from the Barbie film wasn’t a factory option. Instead, factory paint options included popular hues like Onyx Black, Cascade Green, and Venetian Red. Moreover, the 1956 model offered the iconic two-tone combination. According to CorvSport, 1,259 Corvettes from that model year wore two-tone paint applications, the most popular being an Onyx Black and Silver combination. 

As a result, getting your own bright pink 1956 Chevrolet Corvette, like Margot Robbie’s Barbie, will require some customization. Of course, Barbie’s Corvette is a product of customization. The car’s eye-popping pink and white exterior is only the surface; a dip into the ‘Vette’s interior reveals two-tone upholstery and unique details. Down to the speaker housings, Margot Robbie’s onscreen mount is quintessentially Barbie. 

What year is a C1 Corvette?

The C1 Chevrolet Corvette, the ‘Vette’s first generation, ran from 1953 to 1962. In ‘62, the second generation, or C2, took over, ushering in the era of pop-up headlights. 

Despite being the first generation of the storied sports car, the C1 isn’t the most sought after model. Many of the rarest, most valuable Corvettes in history are C2 or C3 models, like the 1963 Split-window Coupe and 1969 ZL-1. 

What was the first car that Barbie drove?

A 1956 Chevrolet Corvette that Margot Robbie drove in the movie "Barbie" shows off its custom speaker housings.
Rodin Eckenroth/FilmMagic

Barbie’s first famous ride was actually a British drop-top, an Austin Healey. However, the beloved figure swapped her royal roadster for an American icon, the Chevrolet Corvette, more than a couple times, per Hagerty

What are some of the cars Barbie has driven over the years?

Over the years, Barbie has found an automotive home in an Austin Healey, Chevrolet Corvettes, a Porsche 911, and even a Ferrari. Hagerty says the all-American doll has a list of past rides to rival the Hollywood elite.

  • 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air
  • 1962 Austin-Healey 3000 MkII
  • 1962 Mercedes-Benz 190SL
  • 1976 “Star” Corvette
  • 1987 Ferrari 328 GTS
  • 1991 Porsche 911
  • 2004 “Cali Girl” Chevy SSR

Of course, nothing compliments the classic aesthetic of the Mattel icon like a drop-top and unapologetically pink C1 Corvette.

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