VW launches the Karmann-Ghia in 1955

Volkswagen launched the Karmann-Ghia, a coupe based on the famed Beetle, at the Kasino Hotel in Westfalia, Germany, on July 14, 1955.

The car, positioned above the Beetle, was created to help VW move beyond its plain “bugs and buses” and draw a broader customer base as the European car market recovered.

The Karmann-Ghia went into production in 1955 and hit U.S. showrooms in 1956, priced from $2,395. It was the brainchild of Wilhelm Karmann, who hired Luigi Segre of Italian design house Carrozzeria Ghia to transform his bold idea into rolling metal in early 1953 -- at first without even consulting VW. German coach-builder Karmann had been producing the VW Beetle Cabriolet since 1949.

VW was not the only company seeking a sexy, sporty flagship at the time. Chevrolet had launched the Corvette, and Ford had a hit with the Thunderbird. Chrysler had even tapped Ghia to create a Chrysler dream car, but none of the designs materialized.

Ghia eventually supplied Karmann with a version that reprised some of the styling themes for its Chrysler design but was modified for the floorpan of the Beetle.

The car’s sleek lines and hand craftsmanship drew praise from VW executives. While the car lacked sufficient power from its 36 hp flat-four engine, sales totaled 10,000 in the first year.

With the release of a convertible in 1958, output rose to 18,000 vehicles a year. Sales climbed steadily through the 1960s, peaking at 33,000 a year.

The Beetle’s running gear underpinned all 450,000 Karmann-Ghias, known internally as the Type 14, built. Over time, as the Beetle increased in popularity, especially in the U.S., VW executives decided to focus the company’s marketing resources on the Bug.

The Karmann-Ghia was soon dropped, with production ending in 1974.