Frequently Asked Questions
The Volkswagen Karmann Ghia was made from 1955 until 1974.
What type is a Karmann Ghia?
The Karmann Ghia is a Type 14. This is due to its chassis and model designations. Later in 1961, the four-eyed Type 34 ‘Razor Edge’ Karmann Ghia was presented, based on the Type 3 chassis.
Who made the Karmann Ghia?
Italian designer Luigi Segre (of Carozzeria Ghia S.p.A.) and Wilhelm Karmann – who had taken over his family coach-building firm Karmann – are both vastly credited with the design and production of the Karmann Ghia.
The Karmann Ghia was built at the Karmann Factory in Osnabrück, Germany. However in 2009, the factory was taken over by Volkswagen.
What is a Lowlight?
The ‘low light’ models are the closest representations of the original prototype model. Made between 1955 and 1959, these rare models are highly sought after and cherished by collectors world-wide. The lowlight Karmann Ghia is distinguishable by its lower headlight positioning, the smaller tail lights, and the fresh air inlets in its nose cone.
What does ‘Karmann Ghia’ mean?
Karmann Ghia is a portmanteau of German coach-building firm Karmann and the company of Italian designer Luigi Segre, Carozzeria Ghia.
Is the Karmann Ghia a good investment?
Simply put, the Volkswagen Karmann Ghia is hot. More-so right now, and rising year-by-year. Historically referred to as the “Poor man’s Porsche”, investors are consistently looking for classic cars of a similar and desirable style, and the Karmann Ghia ticks those boxes. Not to mention, the sentimental value behind these cars. As of the 2020s, the Karmann Ghia is a fantastic investment.
What should you look for when buying a Karmann Ghia?
A comprehensive buying guide can be found here
Where can you buy a Karmann Ghia?
From car auction sites, to eBay, to classic and Volkswagen-specific forums, as well as specialist companies such as Californian Classics, there are a number of places to purchase a Karmann Ghia.
If you’re not 100% confident in what to look for, it is worth adding that we offer a service to source your Ghia, with many years of experience to boot, as well as services to help you build your dream car.
How Should I Take Care of My Air-Cooled Engine?
There are plenty of best practices to keep your air-cooled motor running as smoothly as possible.
These can be found here.
I Can’t Find the Rare Part I Need. Can You Help?
Absolutely, we’ll try our best to help wherever we can. If we can’t, we’ll try to source or direct you to the correct place. We store plenty of original and salvageable Karmann Ghia parts, some of which aren’t on our website. We try to hold on to as many used parts as we can, and we can restore them in-house.
We also have a fantastic fabrication team who can each create bespoke panels, as well as a skilled CAD engineer who is in the process of designing each niche part so that they will be readily available to you. Many of our in-house manufactured parts can be found here, however do feel free to get in touch. Chances are, we’ll be able to craft whatever you need, made to order.
I’d Like to Get a Restored Porsche 356/911. Is This Something you Would Do?
We’re more than happy to take on Porsche restoration projects.
Where is my order?
You can check the progress of your order via your account.
You should have been emailed a tracking number upon dispatch. If you do not yet have this, or if you have any other queries, do feel free to give us a call on 01424 752217 or email sales@californianclassics.co.uk and we can advise!
