autoevolution
 

Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Described As “The Most Beautiful Car” On RCR

When Mr. Regular talks, it’d be best to listen. But calling the Karmann Ghia “the most beautiful car I’ve seen to date” is an overstatement considering the likes of the Jaguar E-Type, Mercedes-Benz 300SL, Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale, and Aston Martin DB5. But all in all, beauty interweaves with subjectivity, and the Karmann Ghia is arguably the sexiest Volkswagen of its period.
1974 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia: Regular Car Reviews 11 photos
Photo: screenshot from YouTube
Volkswagen Karmann GhiaVolkswagen Karmann GhiaVolkswagen Karmann GhiaVolkswagen Karmann GhiaVolkswagen Karmann GhiaVolkswagen Karmann GhiaVolkswagen Karmann GhiaVolkswagen Karmann GhiaVolkswagen Karmann Ghia1974 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia on Regular Car Reviews
The origin of the Karmann Ghia is, dare I say it, humble. Following the end of WWII, people in the western hemisphere started thriving. This meant that VeeDub was left behind with the Beetle and Bus, two not-exactly-pretty models that didn’t resonate with the steadily demanding public.

Long story short, Volkswagen found itself in need of an “image” car, a halo of sorts. Enter Karmann, a coach builder that was approached by VW to create the Beetle-based sportster. In need of a timeless design, the company approached Ghia and decided on… wait for it… an old Chrysler design that was modified to fit the Beetle’s floorpan. Fast-forward to August 1955, and the first production-ready Karmann Ghia rolls off the line in Osnabruck.

Much prettier than the Beetle, the Karmann Ghia went on to sell hundreds of thousands, mostly coupe. That is not a lot when compared to the Beetle on which it’s based, but then again, don’t forget what sort of bits and pieces hide under the prepossessing body shell. I’m afraid yes, it’s an air-cooled OHV flat-four that takes ages to get up to speed. And as hilarious as this might sound, the Karmann Ghia was the fastest production VW of its day.

There’s also the matter of handling, something the Karmann Ghia woefully lacked. Be that as it may, just look at it! It’s love at first sight, and it’s a reminder that things were simpler back in the day. No wonder dad-like figures love the Karmann Ghia at car shows and whenever they see one in traffic.

On the flip side, the most recent highlight of the Karmann works, which is now owned by Volkswagen, is the XL1 diesel-powered plug-in hybrid.

If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
About the author: Mircea Panait
Mircea Panait profile photo

After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories