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VW Karmann-Ghia - and why the Americans in particular loved it

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Created on October 29, 2015

Reading time 5min

Written by:

Bruno von Rotz

Photos:

Daniel Reinhard

2

Bruno von Rotz

41

Volkswagen / Werk

4

Archiv

26

Daniel Reinhard

2

Bruno von Rotz

41

Volkswagen / Werk

4

Archiv

26

VW Karmann Ghia (1968) - herrliche Präsenz

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VW Karmann Ghia (1968) - der elegante Heckmotorsportwagen

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VW Karmann Ghia (1968) - die Silhouette änderte sich natürlich in den über 20 Jahren Bauzeit nicht

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VW Karmann Ghia (1968) - wunderschöne Rundungen

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VW Karmann Ghia (1968) - grosszügig verglast

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VW Karmann Ghia (1968) - die Form besteht aus einer Serie von Schwüngen

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VW Karmann Ghia (1968) - immer über 800 kg schwer

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VW Karmann Ghia (1968) - für die Ausfahrt über Land

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VW Karmann Ghia (1968) - mit 1,6 Metern breit für die Zeit

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VW Karmann Ghia (1968) - Über 385'000 dieser Coupés wurden hergestellt

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VW Karmann Ghia (1968) - stämmige Heckpartie

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VW Karmann Ghia (1968) - mit Zusatzscheinwerfern

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VW Karmann Ghia (1968) - zweckmässiger Innenausbau

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VW Karmann Ghia (1968) - einfaches, aber stilvolles Interieur

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VW Karmann Ghia (1968) - da fühlte sich der Käferfahrer sofort wohl

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VW Karmann Ghia (1968) - klassisches VW-Lenkrad mit Tacho

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VW Karmann Ghia (1968) - bis 140 km/h reicht der Tacho, mehr wurden's ohne Tuning selten

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VW Karmann Ghia (1968) - das Wolfsburg-Zeichen

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VW Karmann Ghia (1968) - der Drehzahlmesser ist ein Nachrüstteil

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VW Karmann Ghia (1968) - stehende Pedale

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VW Karmann Ghia (1968) - herrliches Radio mit eingebautem Lautsprecher

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VW Karmann Ghia (1968) - Heizungsverstellung am Handbremshebel

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VW Karmann Ghia (1968) - guter Zugang zum Motor ist gegeben

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VW Karmann Ghia (1968) - braver Vierzylindermotor im Heck

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VW Karmann Ghia (1968) - ähnlich auch im Käfer verbaut

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VW Karmann Ghia (1968) - Aerodynamik stand hier nicht im Vordergrund

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VW Karmann Ghia (1968) - mit Zusatzscheinwerfern

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VW Karmann Ghia (1968) - verchromte Nüstern

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VW Karmann Ghia (1968) - Karmann steht stolz auf der Flanke

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VW Karmann Ghia (1968) - Tankklappe vorne rechts

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VW Karmann Ghia (1968) - einfache Türgriffe

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VW Karmann Ghia (1968) - Ausstellfenster

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VW Karmann Ghia (1968) - schöner Rücken

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VW Karmann Ghia (1968) - schöner Schriftzug

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VW Karmann Ghia (1968) - gebaut bei Karmann, gezeichnet bei Ghia

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VW Karmann Ghia (1968) - die aufgesetzten hinteren Koftflügel

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VW Karmann Ghia (1968) - die grösseren Rückleuchten der späteren Versionen

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VW Karmann Ghia (1968) - mit dem 1,5-Liter-Motor

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VW Karmann Ghia Prototyp (1953) - im Auftrag von Volkswagen bei Ghia aufgebaut

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VW Karmann Ghia Prototyp (1953) - im Auftrag von Volkswagen bei Ghia aufgebaut

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VW Karmann-Ghia (1955) - Internationale Automobilausstellung (IAA) in Frankfurt 1955 - Seitenansicht, rechts-vorne

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VW Karmann Ghia (1959) - in seiner ursprünglichen Eleganz

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VW Karmann Ghia (1960) - auf grosser Fahrt als Cabriolet und Coupé

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VW Karmann-Ghia Cabriolet (1957) - Internationale Automobilausstellung (IAA) in Frankfurt 1957 - Seitenansicht

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VW Karmann-Ghia Cabriolet (1963) - mit 1,2-Liter-Motor

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VW Karmann-Ghia Coupé (1957) - die Coupé-Variante

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VW Karmann-Ghia Coupé (1961) - Interieur, gesehen an der IAA in Frankfurt 1961

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VW Karmann-Ghia Cabriolet (1960) - sah schneller aus, als er war

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VW Karmann-Ghia (1960) - mit stabilen Stossstangen

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VW Karmann-Ghia Coupé (1962) - mit klassischen Formen

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VW Karmann-Ghia Cabriolet (1960) - mit geöffnetem Dach

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VW Karmann-Ghia Cabriolet (1962) - VW-Cabriolet mit 2+2-Sitzen

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VW Karmann-Ghia Coupé (1961) - gerne zweifarbig geordert

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VW Karmann-Ghia Coupé (1960) - für die selbstbewusste Damen

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VW Karmann-Ghia Coupé (1957) - einen Kühler brauchte der Heckmotorwagen vorne natürlich nicht

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VW Karmann-Ghia Coupé (1957) - ein Coupé in Schweizer-Besitz

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VW Karmann-Ghia Coupé (1963) - auch nach fünf Jahren noch hübsch anzusehen

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VW Karmann-Ghia Cabriolet (1960) - mit geschlossenem Dach

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VW Karmann-Ghia Coupé (1959) - die Dame macht sich auf der Beifahrerseite parat

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VW Karmann-Ghia Coupé (1957) - fliessende Formen, die man auch anderswo sah

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VW Karmann-Ghia Coupé (1960) - eine AMAG-Auslieferung

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VW Karmann-Ghia Cabriolet (1959) - offen fahren macht Laune

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VW Karmann-Ghia Coupé (1959) - genug Platz für Koffer im Bug

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VW Karmann-Ghia (1957) - Neue Armaturentafel im Jahr 1957

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VW Karmann-Ghia Cabriolet (1957) - auf VW-Fahrgestell

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VW Karmann-Ghia Coupé (1963) - stolz zeigt er ihr sein neues Auto

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VW Karmann-Ghia 1200 (1964) - Durchsichtszeichnung

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VW Karmann Ghia (1974) - der eigentliche Vorläufer des Sciroccos

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VW Karmann Ghia (1965) - an der OCC Jungfrau Rallye 2015

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VW Karmann Ghia (1972) - an der Saalbach Classic 2015

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VW Karmann Ghia (1972) - an der Saalbach Classic 2015

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VW Karmann Ghia (1968) - sportliche Optik von vorne

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VW Karmann Ghia (1968) - die Amerikaner liebten ihn

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Summary

The VW Karmann-Ghia certainly went down in history as one of the most popular sports cars of the fifties and sixties. Americans in particular were crazy about the elegant Beetle brother, which was available as a coupé and convertible. This driving report, which is illustrated with new and historical images, brochures and a sound sample, explains why this was the case and whether this enthusiasm can still be understood today.

This article contains the following chapters

Influenced by an American designer
Loved by the American press
Quite suitable for the American highway
Not for the quarter mile
With American advantages
Also for European hearts
Coupé or convertible?
Further information

Estimated reading time: 5min

Preview (beginning of the article)

Around half of all VW Karmann-Ghia (Type 14) went to America, a country with huge distances and large road cruisers. So at first glance, one wonders what the Americans thought of the small and comparatively slow Karmann-Ghia, but if you look deeper, the German-American relationship makes a lot of sense. In October 1953, some onlookers were able to inspect a prototype at the Paris Motor Show in the posh suburb of Neuilly. It was the forerunner of the VW Karmann-Ghia, which had matured at Ghia in Italy. The designers were Luigi Segre and Felice Mario Boano, both of whom worked for the Turin-based coachbuilder. However, the two designers drew on the shapes of the Chrysler C-200 and D'Elegance concept cars from the early 1950s, which in turn are generally attributed to the American designer Virgil Exner.

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