What was the make and model of Barbie's first car?

Barbie’s first car was an Austin-Healey 3000.

Mattel introduced the toy vehicle in 1962, modeling it on the British Austin-Healey 3000 sports car. The miniature was a two-seater designed for Barbie and Ken, and its sporty roadster styling gave Barbie an early automotive identity well before the pink convertibles and Corvette-inspired cars that became more familiar parts of her image.

The original toy is generally identified more precisely as an Austin-Healey 3000 Mark II, often described as a BN7-style two-seater. Vintage examples are especially associated with coral or salmon-colored bodies and turquoise seats, although other color combinations were also produced. The car was made for Mattel by the Irwin Corporation.

The Volkswagen Beetle, Ford Mustang, and Chevrolet Corvette are plausible choices because Barbie has driven or been associated with many later vehicles. The Corvette became one of her signature cars, particularly in later decades, but it was not her first. The Austin-Healey came shortly after Barbie’s 1959 debut and her 1962 Dreamhouse.