The styling story of the Volkswagen Karmann Ghia is messed up. Ghia likes to claim their designs as their own. The truth is unclear. But if you go back far enough, you’ll find Virgil Exner. The Detroit-born stylist left his unmistakable fingerprints on those wide fenders.
Exner wasn’t a nobody. He rose to fame with Pontiac and Raymond Loewy Studio where he managed the Studebaker account. In 1950 he joined Chrysler. He started working in an advanced design studio. He became a style director in 1953.
Chrysler needs a makeover. Exner wants to improve the image of the third largest car manufacturer in the United States. His solution? Go to Italy. He contacted Ghia to create prototypes, concept cars and design studies. The coachbuilder from Turin agreed. They began working under Exner’s direct supervision.
result? Chrysler K-310 Concept. It debuted in 1952. The “K” stands for Chrysler President Kaufmann T. Keller. “310” refers to the theoretical horsepower of the V-8 engine. This is a show car. This is a testbed. It was a plan for something more famous.
The second life of a beetle
K-310 did not disappear into history. It was born in 1953 as a Chrysler/Ghia d’Elegance concept car.
The D’Elegance has a 115-inch wheelbase for elegance. It has a smooth roofline and a lower body line that settles aggressively into the rear fender bulge. Exner then created the Ghia De Soto Adventurer from the same theme. He has been driving this car for three years.
Chrysler ordered 40 D’Elegance coupes. The plan was destroyed in the Korean War. Production fell to 25 units.
Ghia was left with empty shops and bored designers.
It’s time to think.
result? A coupe prototype based on the Volkswagen Beetle platform. Volkswagen executives proved this in November 1953.
It looked like the D’Elegance scaled down. The proportions are the same. A greenhouse of the same shape. The line of the lower body and the nature of the C-pillar are also the same.
Is this a copy of Exner’s concept? Uncertain. Some historians have suggested that Gere simply applied similar stylistic themes to two different projects.
There are undeniable similarities between the two.
Ghia added two front grilles to enhance the effect. The design of the Volkswagen Karmann Ghia is complete.
Nordhoff saw an opportunity. It’s an easy way for Volkswagen to expand its product range. He gave a thumbs up.
He handed production over to Karmann.
The finished Beetle platform was transported from Wolfsburg to Osnabrück.
Carman made a body there. they drew them. Please cut. Finished car.
It then feeds them into Volkswagen’s regular distribution system.
The rest is history. Or at least the beginning of it.
Form and soul
If you think the Karmann Ghia is just a beetle in a tuxedo, you’re missing the point. Yes, they wear the same underwear as the Bug. The layout of the rear engine is also the same. The same air-cooled four-cylinder boxer engine pushes the rear. The same basic suspension architecture was born in the 1930s. But what about the skin? That’s a completely different story.
The body was designed by Luigi Segre, a young stylist at Carrozzeria Ghia in Turin. He didn’t just smooth out the Beetle’s curves. He stretched them. The roofline swoops with a drama that the Beetle never had. The rear window is almost vertical. The greenhouse is huge. It looks more like a 1955 sports car than a 1946 utility.
Under the skin
This is the difference. A beetle is a tool. Karmann Ghia is a statement.
Most mechanical principles are common:
Engine: 1.1 liter or more 1.2 liter air-cooled horizontally opposed 4-cylinder engine
– Horsepower: About 25-30 horsepower (depending on model year and market)
– Gearbox: 4-speed manual
Wheelbase: Same as Beetle
However, the Karmann-Ghia has a more robust frame structure. Ghia reinforced the floors and thresholds. They added even more rust protection. The body is more rigid. It took the extra weight of the steel body panels, which were much heavier than the Beetle’s tin.
Interior: Volkswagen luxury
Come in. The Beetle has a bench that looks like a plastic chair. Karmann-Ghia’s dashboard curves around you. Comes with chrome trim. Genuine chrome. The seats were bolstered. Headroom is better because the roof is higher, not lower.
It’s not just driving. You drive a coupe. A sedan. A convertible. Introduced in 1957, this convertible was a big hit. It lowered a bit. It feels faster. It’s not fast. But it felt faster.
Why does it exist?
Daimler-Benz wants to buy the Beetle factory. They want to make Volkswagen a premium brand. The deal fell through. However, the revelation of the Karmann-Ghia concept still exists. This proves that Volkswagen can make stylish cars. Construction costs are not cheap. Labor costs in Italy are higher than in Germany. The tools are complex.
Still, it sold. In the years 1955-1974, more than 190,000 were produced. The amount is by no means small. This is a success.
Legacy
Karmann Ghia did not save Volkswagen. Type 2 (Bus) does this. Beetle kept the lights on. But the Ghia gave VW credibility to the masses. This showed the world that their engineering could wear nice suits.
This is not a real sports car. Handling still suffers from severe understeer. The braking system is a 4-wheel drum brake. Acceleration is slow. But it has soul. The Beetle was a function.
