1964 Volkswagen Karmann-Ghia Coupe

After the second World War and into the 1960s, as prosperity increased with the car-buying public, the demand rose for better, more elegant and entertaining vehicles. Up until this time, most manufacturers concentrated on rather bland and functional cars. Volkswagen, of course, produced the Beetle and a Microbus.

Looking for a new “image” car, Volkswagen contracted with Karmann, one of Germany’s oldest coachbuilding firms, to build such a vehicle. Karmann, in need of a design, approached the famed Italian styling house Carrozzeria Ghia. Before this approach was made one of the main overseas clients of Ghia had been Chrysler, which contracted (for around 20 years in total) to build a series of dream- or show-car exhibits. Very few of these dream cars reached production, and one car they did not produce evolved into the Volkswagen Karmann-Ghia.

By 1953, Ghia’s sole owner was Luigi Serge, who is credited with his staff for the design of the...