1953 Ghia Prototype

[KGCoupe]

[djway3474]

[John Moxon]

[Bleyseng]

Well, I can tell you that the author invented a lot of the "facts" about the 914. He should have read the German book on the subject.....
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[KGCoupe]

[John Moxon]

[djway3474]

What about the article I posted? How accurate was that? It seemed a little off to me but I have not read that much on the history. I do have a book about KGs but it is in German and I speak Californian LOL.

[oldbusboy]

The overlapping side glass would be pretty noisy at speed. I can see why this didn't stick.

Trevor
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1968 porsche

[pdc]

The article “VW’s Karmann Ghia Was a 5/8ths Scale Chrysler” repeats once again what has become the “official” story of the genesis and evolution of the Karmann Ghia design. The various versions of the story differ for accuracy, details and are often contradictory, but in general agree on one point: Ghia has taken inspiration for the small VW coupé from the monumental D’Elegance, and, as a consequence, the design has to be credited to Virgil Exner. The circumstances in which it happened are shrouded in mystery, but it is clear that everyone agrees that Ghia has somehow “stolen” the design, casting a shadow on the real merits of the Italian company.
I know that, in the absence of clear evidence, it is just guesswork often expressed as a doubt, but the substance does not change.
The first thing that does not convince me is the fact that the KG is a scaled-down D'Elegance. The two cars, in my opinion, are completely different not only technically, but also aesthetically, and the only serious aesthetic common element is the portion of the rear fender.
But what leaves me more puzzled in the "official" reconstruction is that no account is taken of the context in which collaboration between Exner, Segre, Boano and Karmann has progressed in those years. Ghia was working on many projects and with many manufacturers, testing original and innovative aesthetic and technical solutions. To identify the steps that would lead to the definition of the KG design, it would be sufficient to broaden our vision beyond the D'Elegance and Exner.
If I were to suggest the car whose aesthetic greatly influenced the design of the KG, the first that comes to my mind is the FIAT 1900 Junior Ghia that was presented at the Paris Motor Show in 1952, together with Exner's Chrysler Special (and not the D'Elegance as indicated in the article).

I am attaching pictures that illustrated the article on the Paris Motor Show published on the issue 22/1952 of Auto Motor und Sport. The 1400 B Junior was a show car featuring highly innovative aesthetic solutions, but is not difficult to guess the general proportions and design solutions that were later transferred to the KG.

Finally, I also attach a photo of the European car that was more deeply influenced aesthetically by the D'Elegance, which is not the KG, but the 1953 Alfa Romeo 1900 Sprint Special Supergioiello.

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[KGCoupe]

[djkeev]

I went through this thread and removed most of the crappy Photo Bucket links, man do I HATE Photo Bucket!!

I substituted similar photos that I gleaned from doing a Google search or from here in our gallery.

Dave
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Ghia
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392473

Vanagon
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6315537#6315537

Beetle
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482968&highlight=74+super+vert

[xzener]

[RockStock]

Chassis shots I took at HO22
Not great, but you get to see the construction

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[Rome]

[RockStock]

Good points
Jackpoint must be super long too…and a vertical rib in the front arch rear panel.
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[Braukuche]

It’s a shame they didn’t stick with the welded on pan, can you imagine how much more rigid the body would have been?
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Retirement is here!
1956 Ghia
1959 SO-23 Westfalia
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1963 356 B coupe
1963 Notchback
1967 21 window less rusty now

[JeffL]

We visited Karmann in the early 90s. I believe the chassis for the prototype shown in their collection was built in early 1953 as an 11 C sedan and sent to Paris. Does anyone have more details? Maybe that’s what Ghia could get their hands on to make the prototype.

In seeing notes like, they kept the seats in the same location, I ‘m thinking they just made their body conform to this 1953 chassis.

Here the VIN plate from the 1953 Beetle was just moved over to the finished prototype. Maybe that was the 1953 gas tank moved over too

I also like the detail of the muffler outlets behind the bumpers and in the rear apron was a nice touch. Maybe that is the original 53 engine too?

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https://karmannghias.org/GAlken/index.html

[EverettB]

It looks like a '52 style engine from that photo, although obviously the angle isn't the best.

A '53 engine has a carb. with an accelerator pump and 6mm fuel lines.

The air cleaner looks more low profile, probably to clear the Ghia decklid.
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[bugnutt]

I can't understand why this car, a 1951 Ferrrari 212, body by Ghia, never gets mentioned in discussions about the origin of the KG design. This car pre-dates the Chrysler by at least two years. Did Mr Exner also claim this as his design?
Check out a recent Jay Leno's Garage video of this car, the similarities with a KG can't be disputed, does the Ferrari crowd refer to this car as a "lowlight"?


Link

[John Moxon]

That's an interesting comparison. I think the Karmann Ghia design is drawn from many other influences that were current at that time.

Ghia of course had a house style that crept into other cars of their making, but the "Exner advocates" are the only ones who claim the design was stolen.
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