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Quite wedge-shaped - the ItalDesign Karmann studies Cheetah, Asso di Picche and Asso di Quadri

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Created on March 12, 2021

Text:

Sven Jürisch

Photos:

Kai Uwe Knoth

47

ItalDesign

2

Archiv

5

Kai Uwe Knoth

47

ItalDesign

2

Archiv

5

ItalDesign-Karmann creations VW Cheetah (1970), Audi Asso di Picche (1973) and BMW Asso di Quadri (1976) - they are all committed to the wedge shape

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ItalDesign-Karmann creations VW Cheetah (1970), Audi Asso di Picche (1973) and BMW Asso di Quadri (1976) - six years between the three litters

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ItalDesign-Karmann creations VW Cheetah (1970), Audi Asso di Picche (1973) and BMW Asso di Quadri (1976) - there are clear differences in the rear design

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ItalDesign-Karmann creations VW Cheetah (1970), Audi Asso di Picche (1973) and BMW Asso di Quadri (1976) - three years lie between the Audi and the BMW

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ItalDesign-Karmann creations VW Cheetah (1970), Audi Asso di Picche (1973) and BMW Asso di Quadri (1976) - the Cheetah (in the background) is clearly different from the later Audi and BMW

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ItalDesign-Karmann creations VW Cheetah (1970), Audi Asso di Picche (1973) and BMW Asso di Quadri (1976) - which one do you like best today?

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ItalDesign-Karmann creations VW Cheetah (1970), Audi Asso di Picche (1973) and BMW Asso di Quadri (1976) - none of the three made it into series production, for different reasons

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ItalDesign-Karmann creations VW Cheetah (1970), Audi Asso di Picche (1973) and BMW Asso di Quadri (1976) - all three designs promised plenty of light inside

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ItalDesign-Karmann creations VW Cheetah (1970), Audi Asso di Picche (1973) and BMW Asso di Quadri (1976) - which one looks the most modern?

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VW Karmann Cheetah 411 (1970) - presented at the 1971 Geneva Motor Show

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VW Cheetah 411 (1970) - actually a pickup convertible, but without a loading area behind the cockpit

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VW Cheetah 411 (1970) - notchback convertible with fixed side panels

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VW Cheetah 411 (1970) - very little here is reminiscent of a VW 411

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VW Cheetah 411 (1970) - with clock instead of rev counter

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VW Cheetah 411 (1970) - futuristic-looking seats

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VW Cheetah 411 (1970) - air-cooled 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine from the 411 in the rear

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VW Cheetah 411 (1970) - wedge shape

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VW Cheetah 411 (1970) - the pointed design also affects the position and shape of the signal system

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VW Cheetah 411 (1970) - ventilation of the rear engine is taken care of

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VW Cheetah 411 (1970) - Folding headlights

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VW Cheetah 411 (1970) - type designation from the animal world

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Audi Coupé 'Asso di Picche' (1973) - four-seater coupé study based on the Audi 80, designed by Giugaro, ItalDesign and Karmann - International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt 1973

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Audi Asso di Picche (1973) - IAA 1973

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Audi Asso di Picche (1973) - low front end with asymmetrical elements

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ItalDesign Asso di Picche (1973) - based on Audi

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Audi Asso di Picche (1973) - the tailgate is held by a bar

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Audi Asso di Picche (1973) - wedge shape and almost only straight lines

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Audi Asso di Picche (1973) - together with the "successor" with the BMW badge

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Audi Asso di Picche (1973) - as a contrast to the straight exterior - rounded interior

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Audi Asso di Picche (1973) - futuristic digital interior

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Audi Asso di Picche (1973) - where creativity was given free rein

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Audi Asso di Picche (1973) - two cylinders form the basis for the dashboard

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Audi Coupé 'Asso' (1973) - Rollers for advertisements, specially switched switches in the prototype by ItalDesign - International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt 1973

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Audi Asso di Picche (1973) - the gearshift has a very traditional design

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Audi Asso di Picche (1973) - the front switches don't seem to match the rest of the interior

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Audi Asso di Picche (1973) - real pockets in the door panels

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Audi Asso di Picche (1973) - the longitudinally mounted carburetor four-cylinder petrol engine drives the front wheels

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Audi Asso di Picche (1973) - a bumper was omitted from the concept car

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Audi Asso di Picche (1973) - four-eyed face

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Audi Asso di Picche (1973) - Ace of Spades lettering

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Audi Asso di Picche (1973) - Spades on the rim center

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Audi Asso di Picche (1973) - Tailgate with high loading sill

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Karmann Karo As (Asso di Quadri) (1976) - built by Italdesign on the basis of the BMW 320, shown at the Turin Motor Show

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ItalDesign Asso di Quadri (1976) - BMW-based prototype

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BMW Asso di Quadri (1976) - BMW front end with flat kidney grille

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BMW Asso di Quadri (1976) - straight lines and edges dominate

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BMW Asso di Quadri (1976) - could also pass for the predecessor of the Scirocco II

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BMW Asso di Quadri (1976) - pleasing, but rather traditionally furnished interior

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BMW Asso di Quadri (1976) - traditional interior, only the steering wheel stands out

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BMW Asso di Quadri (1976) - Seats with headrests

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BMW Asso di Quadri (1976) - classic BMW controls

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BMW Asso di Quadri (1976) - interesting mix of materials

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BMW Asso di Quadri (1976) - longitudinally mounted four-cylinder front engine

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BMW Asso di Quadri (1976) - extravagant rims with Giugiaro lettering

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Summary

At the beginning of the seventies, mid-range coupés experienced their heyday. Reason enough for Karmann to put numerous studies on wheels. The Italian top designer Giorgetto Giugiaro and his company ItalDesign were always involved. Three of the models that never made it into series production as VW, Audi and BMW are presented here and shown in many current and historical pictures.

This article contains the following chapters

Longing for something better
End in semi-darkness
Open the flap for Cheetah
Close to series production at the trade fair
The run-out ends
Ace of Spades without a stitch
Bland basis
Stylish two-seater
Small danger from the BMW Asso di Quadri
Proven basis
Near-series interior
Blueprint for the M1

Estimated reading time: 9min

Preview (beginning of the article)

These days, the automotive landscape can hardly do anything with a mid-range coupé. Instead of dignified elegance, customers are asking for city tanks whose design is more reminiscent of a cyclone vacuum cleaner and which go out of fashion so quickly that it is hardly worth memorizing the usually cryptic model designation. Back in the early seventies, things were different. Until then, the world of car drivers consisted of staid limousines in which they went about their business during the week. There were also boring but practical butchers' station wagons and coughing small cars like the Fiat 500, which were usually bought for the woman of the house as a better walking aid.

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