VW, Fiat build uber-pink cars for Barbie's 50th

Some might call it a bit of an extravagant gift for a girl who doesn't even exist, but VW helped Barbie celebrate her 50th birthday by creating a pink custom convertible Beetle for her dream home in Malibu. While in Turin, Fiat turned out a pink 500 for fashionista Barbie.

Two forms of motorised vanity
Five colours were mixed to create the perfect hot pink. The boot has what every girl will be asking for in her next car: a motorised vanity.

A rhinestone cowgirl
Barbie's New Beetle is outfitted with a custom white leather interior and convertible top, hand-stitched floor mats, pink quilted leather-lined door pockets and armrests, and plenty of rhinestone accents and vanity mirrors.

Just an idea
The car's dipstick was painted to match the doll's favourite lipstick colour, which is a nice touch. But more helpful would have been to finally include a place for a gal to put her purse that is within arm's reach, but out of the passenger footwell. Maybe a manufacturer can work on that for her 60th birthday?

The one and only
This Barbie-themed Beetle creation is a one-off, but in 2006 the VW plant in Mexico built 13 Barbie-styled 2007 New Beetles based on the toy car sold by Mattel.

And what's a birthday without friends? So, pictured above is Heidi Klum with one of the rides vying for Barbie's attention.

You call that pink?
A day earlier, Fiat paid tribute by displaying a custom pink Fiat 500 for the doll's 50th in the world's style capital, Turin.

Whose car is this?
Just in case the bright pink body work and phalanx of crystals wasn't enough to tell her that it's her car, there's a set of Barbie emblems on the door frames.

You call that pink?
As expected the interior is a mix of bright pink and sparkly bits. We're more intrigued by the floor mats, which have silk yarn and viscose in them.