1972 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Coupé

As is so often the case, remarkable origin stories like this one tend to leave a trail of equally remarkable cars and ownership stories in their wake. This Type 14 is certainly a charming case in point.

The current owner’s father bought this sunny looking example of the Type 14 oeuvre as a new car in August 1972 to coincide with the advent of the new “L” registration suffix. The Karmann Ghia was supplied by VW dealers Jim Alves of Street in Somerset. The retail price was an unimaginably reasonable sounding £1,614.09 with Jim Alves offering a useful £39.09 in discount. A part exchange allowance of £530.00 was made against a 1965 Volkswagen TL Fastback. This remarkably straightforward provenance lends this Type 14 a rare and desirable status – that of a UK supplied, factory right hand drive car with a single family ownership history.

As if this wasn’t temptation enough for VW connoisseurs and aficionados, this example is largely unrestored with a diligently logged and documented service history. We say “largely” on the basis that the coupe was repainted in its original hue in 1983 and benefitted from a full engine rebuild in 2014.

This excellent Type 14 passed from father to son in April of 2003. In December of that year a handwritten note was scribed into the service book, noting “100,000 miles recorded.” On the day of our shoot, the VDO odometer was showing 8,407 attesting to the meagre additional mileage covered in the intervening 23 plus years.

With Carrozzeria Ghia consisting of a cabal of collaborative designers, attribution of the Karmann Ghia’s styling has never been specifically revealed. What is quite obvious, however, is the influence of Virgil Exner’s Chrysler d’Elegance albeit in comparative miniature. Perhaps this comes as no surprise given that Ghia worked on a number of styling projects for Chrysler with Segre and Exner going on to remain lifelong friends.

Our example presents in its original factory hue of Saturn Yellow (L13M -26) which accompanying documents confirm was the colour reapplied in 1983 following on from “repairs to front nose due to minor accident.” It seems it was professionally and diligently applied as it remains impressively fresh and zingy looking a full 40 years later. This bright hue contrasts dramatically with the deep black of the roof panel which helps to accentuate the car’s sleekly low roofline.

Everything else visible here appears equally impressive. Panel gaps and shut lines are of a traditional Volkswagen standard and light lenses and cabin glass appear in fine order. The little coupe exhibits the visual cues of being a post 1972 (and final) upgrade car, specifically with its bigger chromed bumpers and larger, and persistently familiar, rear lights. The bumpers and accompanying chrome adornments are bright and shiny throughout.

The 15-inch steel wheels are disguised behind a set of deeply chromed hub caps with embossed VW branding at their centres. A matching set of Nexen SB-802 tyres are fitted in a 165/80 configuration. Although these were fitted back in 2009, only around 4,000 miles has passed beneath them since then.

The cabin of this Karmann Ghia offers a fine level of originality as well as a dollop of Wolfsburg’s period-typical boarding school locker room chic. In its austerity lies its charm. Various hues of “dark” predominate from coal-mine via witch’s cat to charcoal. It’s in vivid contrast to the car’s vibrant exterior livery.

The seats, front and back, are dressed in hard wearing, textured black vinyl which has been heat formed into a series of horizontal box pleats, complete with faux double stitched edges. The fronts are well shaped and in good order for their age. Whatever the legal definition of “seats” was in 1972, it is likely the rears only just met it. The condition is good as a result, however, and they offer useful additional luggage or canine companion space when required. The compact compartment under the bonnet can augment the former... but never the latter, and is lined with a thick cardboard-type material, with a silver coating.

The Volkswagen Beetle DNA is obvious in here, from the ultra-clear 120mph VDO speedometer to the big Kienzle clock with inset fuel gauge and warning lights, via the four spoke steering wheel compete with wolves and burg at its centre. The original “Blue Spot” push button radio is present and sits below the Karmann Ghia script badge. This serves as a constant reminder to the driver of their position at the helm of the hand built, range topping amalgam of German precision and Italian style.

Mechanically the Type 14 was as much a Beetle as any Deathwatch or Longhorn. As such the model developed in tandem with its more ubiquitous sibling’s various updates. In this 1972 model year’s (final) form this meant the most powerful version of the air-cooled flat four engine featured in 1584cc form. Whilst being the most powerful version, it should be remembered that all things are relative. With around 50bhp to play with the quoted 0-60mph time was still of the 20 second plus variety. What it lacked in pace, however, it more than made up for with reliability, ease of maintenance, ubiquity of spare parts and after market upgrades.

The engine bay of this example looks to be in excellent order. It appears well catered for in terms of recent looking parts and a full engine rebuild is documented as recently as 2014 (and hence around 2,000 miles ago). This was an engine out operation with new pistons, rings, barrels, bearings, valves and springs being replaced. Other key maintenance, including the fitment of a new clutch and thrust bearing, was undertaken at the same time.

The first mention of some DIY undersealing being applied is within a few months of the car’s arrival in 1972. This became an ongoing routine over the years, it seems, which has significantly contributed to the solid condition of the underside of the Type 14 today. The application has gone a little “Jackson Pollock” in places around the perimeter of the lower body panels, but this is not readily evident from above.

There’s a satisfyingly chunky paperwork archive included with this Type 14. The V5 registration document is present with the Karmann Ghia classified as an Historic Vehicle on the basis of age. This renders the car MoT exempt and zero rated for VED in the UK. Many hard copy MoTs that pre-date this status are present, however.

The original book pack is included complete with the VW Service Record. This combines an array of stamps with numerous handwritten notes and annotations to help underscore what a well-cared for car this has been. Very helpfully a document is included which carefully tabulates all work undertaken between the PDI in August 1972 and the quartz conversion of the clock in July 2024. The remainder of the archive consists predominantly of invoices for parts sourced and work undertaken.

It’s hard to comprehend that the Type 14 was only Volkswagen’s second mass produced car (excluding the Type 2 T1 as a commercial vehicle) and it remained in production until it was succeeded by the Scirocco in 1974. That alone is enough to secure the Karmann Ghia a place in the automotive hall of fame. Add to that the car’s sublime looks and Italian / German parentage, however, and it is no wonder that the Karmann Ghia Type 14 is such a sought after collectors’ car the world over.

The boxes on this car’s provenance checklist must almost be obscured with ticks. It’s a UK supplied, right hand drive car in an unrestored but diligently maintained condition. It has fastidious documentation to support that and has been in the cosseting stewardship of one enthusiastic family from new. As such, it coming to market conspires to make the reappearance of Halley’s Comet seem like an event of monotonous regularity. We urge you not to miss this thrilling ownership opportunity. 

We are happy to offer this car for auction with an estimate in the range of £16,000 - £21,000.

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