Atlanta man was fed up with record-breaking gas prices, so he decided to beat the system with a bizarre idea

A Barbie-themed toy car from Atlanta is going viral online after it was turned into a mini car that a man uses to get around locally. The car captured people’s attention when its video went viral. Many questioned how he could drive that car. The man driving it reportedly started using this vehicle to save money on rising gas prices.

According to the Daily Dot, the vehicle’s owner is 30-year-old Mali Hightower, a handyman living near Atlanta. CBS Evening News also reached out to him to ask him what motivated him to drive that sort of vehicle. According to the news, he declared the car a “mini car.” To make the vehicle, he used a pink Barbie car for the body, the go-kart as the base, and a power washer as the engine. 

Hightower, talking to the media outlet, said, “Gas is getting too high so I gotta do what I can. I can’t do my regular car so I gotta do my mini car.” He declared that the car takes only $3 worth of gas to fill up, compared to $60 for a normal vehicle. He even said that he had talked to the police, and they appear to allow him to drive in the city as long as he doesn’t drive on the highways. 

The comments section talks about rising fuel costs

His video was posted on X by a verified user, and people reacted to the car as well as the comments made by Hightower himself, in which he said,  “Gas has always been an issue; it goes up and down, things like that, but this time is when I’m actually starting to feel it.”  His car and his video seemingly sparked a debate over whether inflation or political decay has led people to adopt methods like these.

The commenters went all the way, giving their opinion on the car. One of them wrote, “Peak American ingenuity mixed with maximum troll energy.”  Another one stated, “Used to be even a poor man could have a beater car. Now we have to rig up makeshift jalopies out of junk. Depression era indicator.” Another one stated, “Dude said “gas too expensive” and turned a Barbie Dream Car into a functional vehicle with a power washer engine. Absolute legend behavior.”

The unexpected story involving a toy seems to have taken over social media, becoming the center of attention. Even though the car is functional and can be used in the city, it has limitations that could make it hard for the user to rely on it. Despite these drawbacks, at least the owner has managed to keep the vehicle on the road and seems to have a significantly cheaper commute near his residence.