Though we all know the Karmann Ghia as a Volkswagen, Karmann was responsible for both the idea of a sporty VW and its design, with VW a reluctant participant. VW had trouble finding an owner/operator after WWII – the company and its factory were offered for free to Henry Ford II who rejected it. None of the Brits, the Australians, or the French wanted it either. The company was left in the hands of German engineer Heinz Heinrich Nordhoff, who ran it until 1968. Nordhoff preferred to concentrate the company’s efforts on a single model at a time as he rebuilt VW’s finances and infrastructure. That model was the Beetle. Consequently, when Karmann – who had helped produce the convertible Beetle – penned a sportier model based on a slightly enlarged Beetle pan, VW was resistant. Another try after consulting with Italian designer Ghia struck a chord, and the Karmann Ghia was born. Production ran from 1955 through 1974. Here on craigslist is a last-year Karmann Ghia coupe, with an asking price of $60,000. Said to be all original, with an odometer reading of 40,000 miles, this Karmann Ghia is located in Sparks, Nevada. ToddK found this one for us – thanks for the tip!
Like the Beetle, the Karmann Ghia is equipped with an air-cooled, rear-mounted, flat-four. In this car, displacement is 1582 cc’s, breathing through a single carburetor. Output is about 46 hp; while performance wasn’t the point of the Karmann Ghia, the car weighed under 2000 lbs so its “git up ‘n go” could take it to about 90 mph – eventually. Thankfully, lots of vendors will sell you “go faster” parts for VW engines of all types. The car has drum brakes all around and a four-speed manual. By 1974, that gearshift was fairly precise, but early cars had a bit of “stirring the soup” feel.
Now’s the time to mention that this ad wins a brevity award – only eight photos with two of them identical, and only this single interior shot. I don’t know if I see a crack in the dashpad or not, but we do know it needs new carpets. The passenger’s seat shows wear, and that stereo does not look original, nor does the large speaker in the door panel. Instrumentation is very basic, with only two gauges – speedo/odo, and a clock with a fuel indicator. No tach, no oil pressure.
One trim piece is missing here – the upper whisker that finishes on the front fender. But we can compliment the paint, the chrome, the lenses, the window seals, and certainly the panel fit. This is a car that needs more photos or an in-person visit – if a buyer can accept anything near the asking price. The seller may have immaculate documentation showing that the mileage is original, but even then, I’m having trouble understanding how this comes in at $60k. High prices are achievable on very early examples or convertibles – but even then, we’re talking the $40k area. What do you think of the ask on this one?
Comical asking price…..
Good deal if there’s $50k in the glove box
Yeah, I think that I’m with both Ms. Michelle and Mr Meowington. And I love Karmann Ghias. The owner is living in a fantasyland.
A good example of one of the best things VW ever did. Only thing that kills it is the scruffy engine compartment and the asking price.
It may be the case of the spouse says “SELL!!!” and he says, ” i’m (barely) trying…”.
LOL…I might have seen examples of that.
Laughable. One too many zeroes
That’s definitely a “I don’t really want to sell it” price.
Something is fishy. Totally unrealistic
Maybe the owner made a mistake and added an extra zero on the end of the price? It’s nice, but not 60K nice.
In my opinion these were pretty much basic economy cars. They weren’t fast and they weren’t sports cars. I guess the VW emblem on them commands money. I had a friend in high school that had one of these and no body wanted to ride in it and it broke down several times on him. He finally got rid of it and got a mustang and every body wanted to ride in that as said just my opinion and experience. GLWTS
If this thing is worth 60k, what’s my 60 el Camino worth with a 327? Dang!
Probably less than a Karmann Ghia, if you want the truth.
Uhmm I’ll take the 60 EL’Camino without the 327 over that VW. Asking price for the VW is a joke……Wow!
60 thousand dollars !! …….then he woke up.
Are you sure it’s not April 1st? $60k is really funny.
Much like everyone else, I almost spit out my coffee (except I wasn’t drinking any) at $60k asking price… with what this one needs to make it up to par, I’d say theyve over shot by about $45k, and I’m being generous… Nice car, but not $60k nice…
Revoke that brevity award — the price is waaaayyyy longer than it should be.
Maybe $60K because it is the most sought-after VW KG in the rare orange paint with black interior. Now I am thinking my orange VW Thing must be worth its weight in gold :-)
As a kid I let a bicycle tire and rim get away from me screwing around with a pair bicycle forks. Sure enough it rolls out of our little neighborhood onto a busier street right in front of an Orange KG. It cracks me up the seller lives in Sparks because that’s what I remember before takin off running.
That vintage Ghia would have front discs. That being said, the seller’s about $40K high. I don’t care how original it is, or if it’s never taken a nose hit (a Ghia trademark). It’s been painted, the trim clips where the moulding is missing shouldn’t be orange. The car looks really nice, but still. $60K? Can’t get over that. In MY dreams, I have a puppy……
Nice spot on the trim clips. I missed that.
Someone told the non-car guy that he’s sitting on a gold mine.
Bought one new in 1973. Great little car but $60,000?? Mine was a ragtop and I paid $3,200.00 new.
An addition to the author’s account of the circumstances regarding Volkswagen’s plant in Wolfsburg at the end of WWII. Well before any British, American, French, etc. manufacturers were offered, and subsequently declined, ownership of VW and the Wolfsburg plant in 1948, it had been put under British military control as it fell in their zone of occupation. A small volume of vehicle production was restarted under that authority in late-1945/early-1946.
That price is double what a #2 excellent condition is priced at thru Hagerty. A Concours ready restored is only worth $49K tops. I had a 1970 hardtop Ghia and to this day my wife still hates the memory of it.
I had a 64. My wife feels the same way. Even still and I sold it 44 years ago.
I would consider this a “survivor – driver” $10,000. I would not give that much, but, some would.
Something fishy about the ad and that it reports that this car had 836 horsepower engine in it when in fact in 1973 most if not, all of the dual portoriginally in this had 63 horsepower. I don’t believe the seller knows what he’s talking about. And it appears very much that demileage does not correspond to the wear. In there on this vehicle. Highly suspect.
Last year for the KG and not as desirable as earlier models.
That engine compartment is a mess and the big smear of red RTV under the alternator doesn’t help.
For such a simple car, that’s a nasty rats nest under the engine lid, but could be easily cleaned up. The front bumper has a little ripple in it, so maybe it has been punched & repaired. As my brother stated, this car should have front discs (’67-on), and that DIN-sized hole in the dash knocks a bundle off the price. $17-20K tops.
Somebody needs to put the crack pipe down!!!
The seller been reading too many vintage Porsche listings. It could be “original” but it was definitely driven on a regular basis. If it lived it’s life as a garage queen with VERY low miles a collector MIGHT offer $30k