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Too Many Cooks… One Svelte Design
Post WW2, the world economy was slowly getting back up on its feet and people were looking to spend their newfound cash on the latest and greatest car makers had to offer. VW’s image of making slow and economical cars( LOL They also own Bugatti ) was proving to be a big nay-nay among consumers.
So VW decided to transplant the innards of their supremely reliable Beetles in a much more refined and aerodynamic looking body ( think Civic Type R and Integra Type S) supposedly designed by Ghia and made by Karmann.
No one can say for sure who designed the Karmann Ghia. Designers and coachbuilders like Wilhelm Karmann and Luigi Segre, Mario Boano, Sergio Coggiola, and Giovanni Savonuzzi claim joint credit for developing the Ghia’s body.
While Virgil M. Exner Jr claims that the design of Ghia is a scaled-down version of his father’s Virgil Exner ( who led the design and department of Chrysler and Studebaker ) Chrysler D’Elegance concept car.
“It was a direct, intentional swipe off the Chrysler D’Elegance. Giovanni Savonuzzi was the engineer and designer who downsized the D’Elegance and made the Karmann Ghia out of it. Nobody minded it. It was wonderful.”
Virgil M. Exner Jr on Karmann Ghia’s design
Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Type 14 Coupe and Cabriolet
In August 1955 Karmann Ghia made its public debut with an adequate 1192cc flat for making 30 hp with a 0-60 time of around 35 seconds. It came with a roll bar and was also known as “Low Lights” as headlamps were mounted 50mm lower than future iterations.
A couple of years later convertible version of Ghia was introduced primarily for American markets weighing around 1900 pounds. Volkswagen also introduced changes like fuel gauge and chassis stiffening components along with special bumper tubes for the US.
In 1959 Karmann Ghia underwent a styling refresh and came with a revised headlight position, fender flares, and larger tail lights. A year later a new 40-hp 1200cc engine was introduced. In 1968 a 1588cc 50hp Single port engine was made available. Which got a dual port (57 hp) setup in 1971.
The Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Type 14 Convertible got a 1300cc engine and a new ball-joint front suspension in 1965. A year later it also had a 1500 cc engine and front disc brakes. The IRS was introduced in 1968. Check out the detailed chronology here.
Volkswagen Type 34 “Razor Edge” Karmann Ghia
VW’s other attempt to shed its economy car image came in the form of Sergio Sartorelli/Tom Tjaarda designed Type 34 AKA “Der Große Karmann” (“the big Karmann”) AKA “Razor Edge Ghia” AKA “European Ghia” AKA “Type 3 Ghia”.
Which offered a bit of everything in every department when compared to its sober Type 14 siblings. Type 34 ran from 1962-1969 and was built on a Pontoon Beetle with which it shared its chassis and a much more expansive luggage and occupant space.
It was essentially a Villain arc in the history of Ghia-built cars. It had a sharper front end and was among only a couple of cars at that time that had a sliding steel sunroof. Type 34 came with a 1500 CC 53 hp engine, making it the fastest VW of its era. Later in 1967 it got a major update and came with a twin carburetor setup (66 hp), all-wheel disc brakes, and a 90 mph speedometer.
Brazilian Type 34 ???
AKA “Type 145 TC”. To inject some life into Type 34’s declining sales VW introduced the Karmann-Ghia Touring coupé (TC). It was styled by the legendary Giorgetto Giugiaro who also designed the BMW M1, Lotus Espirit and the DMC De Lorean. Karmann-Ghia Touring coupé was only available in South America and came with a 1584 cc flat-four making about 65 hp.
Common issues with Karmann Ghia?
Just like any other Beetle of that era RUST is probably the biggest downer for those looking to buy a used Karmann Ghia. The whole Galvanisation thing wasn’t big back and corrosion can seep into usual hot spots like wheel arches, cowl, and doors. The lattermost is very common for cabriolets.
Other notable issues are excessive engine oil leaks/consumption from the flat-four engines that powered Ghia’s. Manufacturing a Karmann Ghia was an extremely labor intensive process that required hundreds of hours of manual work and as such no two Ghia are going to be the same.
Commonly used wear and tear spares are available but specialist parts may need to be custom fabricated.
A used VW Karmann Ghia Type 14 costs between $20,000 and $30,000 as per Car Gurus and Classic.com. Expect 20-30 percent more for the Type 35 coupe/cabriolet. VW made more than 444,000 Karmann Ghia’s so availability isn’t an issue. Getting one in decent condition and with full-service records can be tedious but is the only way to go so that your beloved Beetle in a Tuxedo doesn’t turn out to be a money pit.
