Divine Pink! The Barbie Maserati Grecale Trofeo From Neiman Marcus Costs $330,000 And Is Unique
The fictitious discussion between F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway, which purportedly started with Fitzgerald saying, “The affluent are different […]
Monza Staff
The fictitious discussion between F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway, which purportedly started with Fitzgerald saying, “The affluent are different from you and me,” is a staple of the Neiman Marcus Holiday Catalog. The witty retort from Pops: “They have more money.” But it’s simply so darn efficient!
There is, in fact, a $3,200,000 Cartier diamond tiara available for purchase today that will “Become a valued family heritage.” That is beyond a shadow of a doubt! For the low price of $190,000, you can also have Jim Marvin decorate your house for the holidays. Decorate. That much? Well, for $25,000, you can have the whole Traditional Christmas Tree Kit. Perhaps you are yearning for adventure.
Scottie Pippen and his kid will let you and a buddy shoot hoops with them for $333,333. Includes a meal and a personally autographed copy of his book. That the Barbie Maserati Grecale Trofeo costs just $330,000 makes me feel guilty about mentioning these extravagant purchases. Yes, Neiman Marcus is, as it has been doing for many years, giving away a specially-designed automobile for the holidays. I’ll admit right off the bat that I know nothing about jewelry, so maybe $3 million is a deal for an antique diamond tiara. When it comes to automobiles, I feel a little more confident. The base price of Maserati’s new fast SUV, the Trofeo, has dropped to $103,995, while the fully loaded test vehicle we drove cost $122,225.
Of course, not everyone would like a Barbie-themed vehicle that is a bright pink Maserati (with secondary rainbow swirls when exposed to sunlight) with peculiar yellow hood stripes. That’s why you can only buy one of these! The Barbie Dream Gap Project, which works to eradicate the pervasive gender bias that treats girls as second-class citizens, will get 10% of the proceeds, or $30,000. All of us agree that this is a fantastic cause.
So, to go back to the main point: I didn’t grow up playing with Barbies, but I’m just as sentimental about my old toys as everyone else, and if I were part of the $25,000 Christmas tree set, I’d think about getting a G.I. Joe or GoBots MC20. I’d purchase a vehicle that Lego made and sold. I argue that the adage “There’s an ass for every seat” is a truism in the automotive industry. This one-of-a-kind Barbie Maserati will be purchased by someone with more money than you or I combined, and that person will adore it. (To be clear, this is a one-of-a-kind for the North American market. You can get your hands on one of the world’s four right now. But even so.) This is where your attention, as a vehicle enthusiast, is needed.
Put aside the pink Barbie accessories for a second and appreciate the personalized attention to detail that Maserati provided. Fuoriserie is the new program’s name, and it’s presumably an Italian version of “bespoke,” the most overused phrase in the United Kingdom. This implies that you can make your Maserati uniquely your own. This means that a Quattroporte decked out in a Snake Eyes Ghibli or Destro theme would undoubtedly reign if the rights could be secured from Hasbro.
For instance, the stripes on the hood and the cursive lettering are painted under the clear coat. Wow, that’s some serious artistry there. That much I saw firsthand before getting drunk on chocolate martinis and being elbowed by Scottie Pippen at the Neiman Marcus party. Is the steep price tag reasonable, given the flashy paint and bright pink contrast stitching? To avoid answering a question with another question, can Fuori Serie even be priced? A Lamborghini Huracan STO with orange stripes and the initials “STO” etched out in large, ugly letters beneath the clearcoat was a $30,000 option at last year’s PVOTY. I can tell you that for sure. That, I believe, demonstrates the high cost associated with such endeavors.