GTP Cool Wall: 1955-1974 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia

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1955-1974 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia

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Wiegert

Wiegert

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1955-1974 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia nominated by @FerrariF1GT

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Body Style: 2-door coupe, 2-door convertible
Engine: 1.2L F4, 1.3L F4, 1.5L F4, 1.6L F4
Power: 34 hp (1.2), 50 hp (1.3), 46 hp (1.5), 54 hp (1.6)
Torque: 61 ft-lbs (1.2), 69 ft-lbs (1.3), 78 ft-lbs (1.5), 81 ft-lbs (1.6)
Weight: 820 kg (1.2 and 1.3), 910 kg (1.5 and 1.6)
Transmission: 4-speed automatic, 4-speed manual
Drivetrain: Rear-engine, rear-wheel drive
Additional Information:
This nomination includes the Typ 14 and the Typ 34 facelift.
The Karmann Ghia was introduced in 1955. As the name would suggest, the car's bodywork was done by independent German firm Karmann and styling done by Italian firm Ghia.
The car's main purpose was to have a halo car to Volkswagen's range, while the Typ 1 (Beetle) remained its standard model. Volkswagen had met with Karmann to build such a model.
The convertible version was introduced in 1957, and the Typ 34 four years later. The Typ 34 offered more luxury options to the Karmann Ghia, among them being the second car ever to have an electrically operated steel sunroof, although it was an option.
Altogether, slightly less that 500,000 Karmann Ghias were built. It was succeeded by the Porsche 914 and the Volkswagen Scirocco.​

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You know what, I don't like this car very much but I can admit that it's quite cool.

The version with the curved wheel-arches and normal headlights looks better than the quad-lights version with the side ridge.
 
High cool, almost SZ. Like the original Mini, one of those rare cars that is essentially classless: you could be John Everyman or one of society's elite, and you wouldn't look out of place behind the wheel.
 
There was a red one that would come to my old job every Saturday even during the winter. People would always stop and stare at it. It would get a lot of attention, more than most expensive sport cars that would come.
 
I will only talk about the known one we know about, the 50's one.

If you consider that year, it's Sub-Zero by far. The later ones, not as good or classy.

But it takes the SZ vote by a longshot. Great piece of german engineering.
 
Easy sub-zero. It's a pretty understated air-cooled VW piece of engineering.
 
True story, one of these was almost my first car. Visited a classic place on the side of the highway with some friends, a restored black one, $13300.

Also, holy **** you could fit like eight bodies flat in the trunk of a New Yorker.
 
Both models. So cool. It's a damn shame that the flat four is such a thirsty tiny ****er. But still, so cool.

They're great cars for classic rally racing, I've fiddled with quite a few of them, some of them making silly horse power, I can safely say that one of these will go into my millionaires garage.

Ah, screw it. Sub Zero.
 
Early ones are lovely, and as others have said, a 'classless' car.

High cool.
 
Nope, not a cool car. You guys are not judging this car by the right standards. The standard is not whether or not you think it's cool. The standard is whether or not it is cool. Personally, I like it. But it's not cool.
 
Danoff
Nope, not a cool car. You guys are not judging this car by the right standards. The standard is not whether or not you think it's cool. The standard is whether or not it is cool. Personally, I like it. But it's not cool.
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Isn't it, though? In my experience average people with little or no interest in cars tend to react very positively to the Karmann Ghia, far more so than almost any performance car.
 
Beeblebrox237
Isn't it, though? In my experience average people with little or no interest in cars tend to react very positively to the Karmann Ghia, far more so than almost any performance car.
Click to expand...

People react positively to ice cream trucks. Well... I guess from a certain perspective (temperature) those are cool.

I don't see it for the Karmann Ghia. It's old, old people tend to like them. But I don't think it has a cool vibe. It has a classic, old, vintage vibe, which is not the same thing. @7up747 has a decent point that it looks better in black. But that's because the car itself doesn't actually look that cool. Black hides the lines, slims it down, makes it cleaner (also that's a slightly different body if I'm not mistaken).

The OP hits it right on the nail. That photo is Karmann Ghia, and it's really not a cool car. It's old, it's classic, but not cool. VW buses are old and classic too, also not cool. The Beetle is a different story. I had one of those in high school and it got mad respect, coolest kid in school had one and was actually willing to talk to me (about that one subject alone). I think it even got me invited to a cool kid party once.
 
And another thing. I was trying to be something it's not, which is also uncool:

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Oversell, underdeliver.
 
Danoff
That photo is Karmann Ghia, and it's really not a cool car. It's old, it's classic, but not cool. VW buses are old and classic too, also not cool. The Beetle is a different story.
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To be fair the car in that photo isn't exactly in the most cool condition there is. Or would you call a Beetle with a faded orange paint and a layer of dust a cool way to arrive anywhere.
 
Danoff
Nope, not a cool car. You guys are not judging this car by the right standards. The standard is not whether or not you think it's cool. The standard is whether or not it is cool.
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... you're messing with everyone, right? This is a meta commentary on the usual Cool Wall discussions... right?

There's a handful of these that pop up in Toronto over the warmer months. My girlfriend — who tends to not really like cars too much, but can pick out a handful of new ones like Masers or Astons — has had "wow, what is that?" moments every time she's spotted one.

I dunno, I see it scoring quite highly on the cafe or date tests.
 

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