1957 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia

By 1950, Luigi Segre of Carrozzeria Ghia was bent on expanding Carrozzeria’s international reputation, and Wilhelm Karmann had recently inherited the business from his parents and was eager for more Volkswagen contracts to build convertibles. Segre often saw Karmann at International Auto Shows, and the two eventually became friends. Segre found a Type 1 Beetle in Paris and drove it all the way back to Turin, Italy where they spent 5 months gutting the vehicle and turning it into a new prototype. In 1953, Segre showed the prototype to Karmann and Karmann agreed that he wanted to aid in building the car. Segre presented the build to Karmann, who in turn presented the car to Volkswagen. VW approved the design in 1953 and the car went into full production two years later. By the end of a very healthy, 19-year production run, Volkswagen had manufactured roughly 445,000 units of the vehicle.

The black exterior of this Ghia has not been treated kindly over the years. Black doesn’t hide damage well, and this car is no exception. The front has numerous rock chips, and the sides of the car are heavily scratched. The rear is decent, but shows damage nevertheless. Chrome around the car is in good condition, both bumpers are straight and the trim on the sides lines up nicely. Glass around the car is clear and free of both chips and cracks. Tire tread is fair best, and we always recommend a new set. AS for the hubcaps, all four are tidy though a polishing might clean them up even further. Overall, there is no major damage on the outside, but the winning bidder should feel no remorse if they decide to paint the car a different color.

The Karmann Ghia possesses a sparse interior. The black metal dash is much cleaner than the exterior of the car, and all of the gauges mounted within it are clean and easily readable. The white Bakelite steering wheel has weathered over the years and its condition is in line with the exterior. The leather seats are dirty but don’t appear to be sporting any major holes or tears. A rear bench has been installed on this model and looks to be in need of a deep clean although it also shows no major holes or tears. Up top, the white headliner shows some stains, but hangs tightly in place along with both sunshades. Red floormats have been thrown in the car and while they show no major damage, a deep clean here would also benefit the interior as a whole. Overall, the interior of this Ghia is solid, but in dire need of some TLC at the bare minimum.

Lifting the lid at the back of the car reveals the teeny tiny beating heart of the cruiser. The engine, as well as the rest of the bay, is a little bit dusty, but nothing appears to be majorly damaged. Underneath the car, we see a solid frame and floorboards, suspension components all in their proper locations, and an exhaust that does sport some surface corrosion.

This Karmann Ghia comes to us as part of the Volkswagen Collection, curated by an avid Volkswagen enthusiast operating out of Santa Barbara, California. The collector has been the long-term owner of this vehicle for a number of years. Our team here at The Market by Bonhams were able to start the car on the day of the photoshoot, but we still highly recommend that the winning bidder have a professional inspection done on the car post-auction.

The Karmann Ghia was just one of a number of sales homeruns for Volkswagen in the 1950s and onwards. Internationally designed by multiple style-powerhouses that still exist today, the Karmann Ghia is a shining example of great minds coming together for collaboration. Today’s example has an exterior that will need attention, and an interior that is ready to evolve alongside the exterior. We believe an accurate price for this Karmann Ghia lies somewhere between $12,000 and $18,000.