UNUSUAL CARS MODEL GUIDE
The Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Type 14 wrapped dependable Beetle running gear in one of the most elegant bodies of the post-war era. Built by Karmann from 1955, styled through Ghia and offered as a coupé or Cabriolet, it was never a true sports car. Its appeal came from craftsmanship, proportions and uncomplicated air-cooled ownership.
Featured image: Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Type 14 coupé. Photograph by Sicnag, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; locally hosted.
How Karmann, Ghia and Volkswagen created it
Karmann began preliminary work in 1953 and commissioned the Italian design house Ghia to shape a 2+2 coupé around Volkswagen mechanicals. The proposal gave Volkswagen a glamorous showroom companion to the Beetle without demanding an entirely new drivetrain. Production began at Karmann’s Osnabrück factory in August 1955.
The Type 14 used a widened Beetle floorpan and rear-mounted, air-cooled flat-four engine. A front anti-roll bar helped control body movement, while the wider cabin, lower seating position and twin instruments made it feel distinct from the economy car beneath. The Cabriolet followed and became particularly desirable, but its reduced structural rigidity makes sound sills and heater channels even more important.
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Production | Type 14 coupé: 1955� 1974 |
| Layout | Rear-engine, rear-wheel drive |
| Engines | Air-cooled flat-four; approximately 1.2 to 1.6 litres |
| Bodies | 2+2 coupé and Cabriolet |
| Key risk | Complex structural corrosion and poor body repairs |
Engines and important model changes
Early cars used modest 1.2-litre engines. Volkswagen introduced the fully synchronised gearbox and 34PS engine for 1960, a 40PS 1.3 in 1965, a 44PS 1.5 in 1966 and the 50PS 1.6 for 1970. Performance remained gentle; condition and correct specification matter more than chasing a nominally faster version.
The 1959 revision raised the headlights and altered the front air intakes, separating the celebrated early lowlight cars from later models. Front disc brakes, dual-circuit hydraulics and other safety improvements arrived during the late 1960s. Larger lamps, stronger bumpers and a revised dashboard followed. Volkswagen records 362,601 Type 14 coupés before production ended in 1974.
Love cars you dont see every day?
Get forgotten cars, surprising motoring stories and the most interesting finds from Unusual Cars by email.
Free to join. No spam. Unsubscribe whenever you like. See our privacy policy.
Why body condition decides the purchase
Unlike a Beetle, the Karmann Ghia does not have simple bolt-on wings. Its nose, wings and quarters form a welded shell that was carefully finished at Karmann. Correct repair therefore requires shape, alignment and metalworking skill. Thick filler, uneven door gaps, distorted bumper mounts and ripples around the nose may reveal collision damage or corrosion repairs.
Examine the full length of both heater channels, the inner and outer sills, floorpan edges, jacking points, lower A-pillars, rear quarters, wheel arches, battery area and spare-wheel well. Lift carpets and inspect underneath. On a Cabriolet, check that the doors open and close consistently with the hood raised and lowered; sagging apertures can indicate weakened structure.
Engine, gearbox, brakes and steering
The air-cooled engine should start readily, settle to a clean idle and show no heavy crankcase breathing. Check end float at the crank pulley, oil leaks, exhaust condition, cooling tinware, fan belt and evidence of regular valve-clearance work. Many cars have replacement engines, so confirm the number and specification rather than assuming originality.
A vague gear change can involve linkage bushes, but jumping out of gear or significant transmission noise is more serious. Check kingpins or ball joints according to year, wheel bearings, steering box play, brake pull and flexible hoses. Later front discs improve confidence, but a rebuilt drum system should still stop the car squarely.
Interior, identity and originality
Trim is easier to renew than structure, but correct seats, instruments, steering wheel, brightwork, bumpers and lamps influence value. Early parts are particularly costly. Check chassis and body numbers against the documents and establish whether a left-hand-drive car has been converted. A conversion is not automatically unacceptable, but its workmanship and description must be clear.
Choose the straightest, best-documented car rather than the shiniest. A photographic restoration record, invoices and evidence of cavity protection are more persuasive than a recent repaint. An independent inspection by a Karmann Ghia specialist is sensible because attractive paint can conceal the model’s most expensive faults.
Buying checklist
Inspect the shell before the paint
View the structure from above and below, question fresh underseal and obtain a specialist opinion on previous repairs.
Identify the exact specification
Match chassis, engine, body style and year-specific details to the documents and available history.
Price missing parts before purchase
Rare trim and body components can cost more and take longer to find than routine mechanical service parts.
References
- Volkswagen Classic Type 14 history
- Classics World Karmann Ghia buying guide
- Karmann Ghia Owners Club GB
Continue the Volkswagen story
Explore the complete Volkswagen hub for more rare, sporting and technically unusual models.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Karmann Ghia a sports car?
Not in the conventional performance sense. It combines Beetle-based air-cooled mechanicals with a lower, wider and more elegant coachbuilt body.
What is a lowlight Karmann Ghia?
It is the early Type 14 produced before the 1959 front-end revision, identifiable by its lower headlights and early air-intake treatment.
Which Karmann Ghia rust areas matter most?
The heater channels, sills, floorpan edges, lower pillars, inner wings, nose, rear quarters and battery area deserve close inspection.
Are Karmann Ghia mechanical parts available?
Many routine engine, transmission, braking and suspension parts are shared with or related to air-cooled Volkswagens, but model-specific body and trim parts can be expensive.
Should I buy a restored Karmann Ghia?
Only after checking the workmanship and documentation. A photographic restoration record and specialist inspection are more useful than fresh paint alone.
