Description
Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Cabriolet | 1966
Highlights:
– 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, manual transmission
– Complete restoration carried out, according to the seller
– Cabriolet bodystyle, one of the rarer Type 14 body styles
– Italian styling by Ghia, coachbuilt by Karmann in Osnabrück
The seller offers for sale this 1966 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Cabriolet, powered by a 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine, paired with a manual transmission. The seller describes the car as having undergone a complete restoration. It is a Cabriolet, the open-top version of the Type 14 that was added to the range in 1957 and that remains considerably scarcer today than the coupé on which it was based.
The Karmann Ghia was born from an idea by the coachbuilder Wilhelm Karmann, who wanted to place a sporty Italian-styled body on the tried-and-tested mechanicals of the Volkswagen Beetle. After Volkswagen initially turned down Karmann’s own designs, the project was handed to Luigi Segre of Carrozzeria Ghia in Turin, whose proposal was approved by Volkswagen in 1954. The result, known internally as the Type 14, was unveiled in the summer of 1955 and combined a hand-finished, Italian-designed coupé body with the dependable rear-mounted flat-four engine, torsion-bar suspension and four-speed manual gearbox of the Beetle. A cabriolet version followed in 1957, and both body styles remained in production, with periodic mechanical updates, all the way through to 1974. Over that long run, engine capacity grew in stages from an initial 1192 cc up to 1600 cc, the size offered on this example, while total German production reached around 445,000 cars, of which only some 80,000 were cabriolets.
The appeal of the Karmann Ghia lies precisely in that combination: a genuinely elegant, hand-built Italian design wrapped around Volkswagen’s famously simple and easy-to-live-with air-cooled running gear, giving owners sports-car looks without sports-car complexity. In cabriolet form, with its low, flowing lines and folding soft top, it remains one of the most sought-after air-cooled Volkswagens among collectors, and a completely restored example such as this one offers a straightforward route into ownership of one of the prettiest cars Volkswagen ever sold.
Condition of the bodywork & paint
4 — Very Good. Clean with minimal wear; might need minor replacements for small missing or broken parts.
Condition of the interior
4 — Very Good. Clean with minimal wear; might need minor replacements for small missing or broken parts.
Technical condition
4 — Very Good. Mechanically solid, with potential for minor servicing.
Overall condition
4 — Very Good. Displays only minimal wear and can hit the road any time.
This item is sold on an as-is basis. The condition of this item is the opinion of the seller and may differ from your own opinion. Photos and descriptions of the listing are for information purposes only.
