1953 Karmann Ghia prototype. Photos courtesy VW Heritage.
In July of 1955, an entirely new Volkswagen model was shown to the automotive press assembled at the Casio Hotel in Georgsmarienhuette, Germany. Unlike the sensible Type 1 Beetle, the Ghia-designed and Karmann-built coupe was downright sexy, and for the next 19 years the Karmann Ghia would be a staple of VW’s product line. In celebration of the car’s 60th birthday, UK supplier VW Heritage will display three Karmann Ghia prototypes, on loan from Volkswagen Classic, at the upcoming VolksWorld Show in Esher, Surrey, England.
Following World War II, Karmann Karosserie found itself rebuilding from the effects of 78 Allied bombing raids on its production facility in Osnabrueck, used to produce airplane subassemblies during the war. As early as 1946, Wilhelm Karmann began dialogue with Volkswagen, then under British control, about production of a Type 1 cabriolet. Later that same year, things looked promising when Volkswagen sent engineers to inspect the completed Karmann prototypes, even going so far as to request pricing. Availability of parts and tooling delayed the project, and by the time dialogue resumed in early 1947, Volkswagen expressed concerns over the safety of open-air cars. Focused on the upcoming launch of the Type 1, the addition of a low-volume convertible variant to the product line was likely seen as too distracting.
1965 VW Karmann Ghia Type 34 hatchback prototype.
Nearly two years would pass before Volkswagen again expressed interest in Karmann’s cabriolet, but following the successful testing of 25 prototypes, VW ordered 1,000 Type 1 cabriolets from the German supplier in mid-1949. The relationship opened the door for future joint ventures, and in 1950, Wilhelm Karmann Jr. began a dialogue with Volkswagen’s Heinrich Nordhoff about the possibility of sportier cabriolet, built upon the Beetle’s platform.
At first, Nordhoff rejected the idea of a “Sunday Volkswagen,” viewing it as too much of a risk for the brand. Undeterred, Karmann Jr. reached out to Luigi Segre, commercial director of Carozzeria Ghia in Turin, Italy, and at the 1953 Geneva Motor Show, the pair met to discuss the idea of a sports model for Volkswagen. To avoid suspicion, a new Beetle was shipped to Turin from a French dealership, and by October 1953 Segre was ready to show off the work of designers Mario Boano, his son Gian Paolo, and Sergio Coggiola.
1965 Karmann Ghia convertible concept.
Shown in a Paris garage, the completed prototype coupe was shipped back to Osnabrueck for a few final adjustments at the Karmann factory. Satisfied with the result, Karmann Jr. requested a meeting with Volkswagen’s Nordhoff and Dr. Karl Feuereissen, head of sales. The coupe caught the men by surprise, and the reaction was said to be overwhelmingly positive. A production deal was put together, and in July of 1955 the Karmann Ghia coupe was revealed to the motoring press, with its public debut taking place a few months later at the Frankfurt Auto Show. In 1956, Karmann began work on a convertible version of the Karmann Ghia, and production of this model began in August 1957.
Honoring the Karmann Ghia’s 60th birthday, Volkswagen Classic, the automaker’s division dedicated to supplying parts for out-of-production models, will loan three Karmann Ghia prototypes to British specialist firm VW Heritage. Visitors to this year’s VolksWorld Show, scheduled for March 28 and 29 at Sandown Park Racecourse in Esher, Surrey, U.K., will get to see the 1953 Karmann Ghia prototype that launched the product line alongside a futuristic 1965 Karmann Ghia convertible prototype that never progressed beyond the concept stage and a 1965 Karmann Ghia hatchback, based on the larger Type 34 Karmann Ghia, that also never saw production.
For more information on the upcoming show, visit VolksWorld.com.
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