Thursday 14th July 1955

Volkswagen introduced the Karmann-Ghia coupe at the Kasino Hotel in Westfalia, Germany. The car’s sleek lines and hand craftsmanship attracted the attention Volkswagen had hoped for. Nevertheless, as sporty as the Karmann-Ghia looked, it suffered from its 36 hp flat four engine in the area of power. Still, the Karmann-Ghia sold 10,000 units in its first full production year, and with the release of the convertible in 1958, production reached 18,000 units for one year. Sales climbed steadily through the 1960s, peaking at 33,000 cars per year.