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The
KG boasted fresh air ventilation through the two air intakes on
the nose and had a higher top speed and superior handling when compared
to the heavier beetle. As design changes were made to the Beetle,
they were carried over in to the KG. Production shifted to Brazil
in 1961.
When
VW released their Type 3 range in 1961, they committed to a Type
3 version of the KG. The new car was given "modern" styling,
breaking away from the clean lines of the T1 Ghia. The nose of the
Type 3 KG seemed to cause the most concern: there was no grille
and 4 headlights up front. The car had lots of glass and very thin
roof pillars. Although regarded by many as an ugly duckling, the
"razor" is becoming increasingly sought after: the Type
3 mechanical, running gear and brakes gave it far superior dynamics
to the Type 1 KG. With a twin carb 1600cc motor, front disk brakes
and fully independent rear suspension the went, stopped and handled
far better than the original. Although endowed with comfortable
front seats, the rear could at best hold small children - definitely
a 2 seater! Options for the T3 KG included a simulated wood grain
dash, auto transmission, Bosch fuel injection and manual or electric
sun roof. The styling of the razor is similar to the infamous Chev
Corsair - a car with a flat 6 motor, and specifically developed
to take on the VW range. Although embracing many aspects of the
Porsche and KG, the Corsair designers could not come to grips with
the weight bias - the handling was compared to "a cake of soap
on the bathroom floor". The T1 and T3 KG were sold alongside
one another for many years. Many buyers refused to accept the T3
KG as a VW and it was continually outsold by the T1 model.
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The
story of the Karmann Ghia came to an end in 1975 - exactly 20 years
after it was born. The Type 1 KG remained basically unchanged in appearance
through its production run despite continuous improvements to its
mechanical specifications. Production halted due to the cost of revamping
the design to meet increasingly tight safety regulations in the USA.
Sadly the Ghia studio fell on hard times and has become the "Ghia
Operations" division of the Ford Motor Company. The name now
gets applied to Ford specials.
The
Volks Enthusiasts Club is fortunate to have a number of excellent
KG's among its ranks, including genuine cabriolets, standard T3's,
modified and standard T1's and a very rare early 36hp model which
is basically rust free and has been carefully nurtured through its
long life.
Many
people dream of cruising the streets in a rare, collectible car
like the Karmann Ghia. Among us are a number of lucky individuals
who get to live this dream. For KG owners, the message is clear
- look after that precious metal and be extremely proud of it. For
those who dream of owning a KG, keep it on your wish list, but be
quick as they are gaining rapidly in value every year.
Keep
Your Volks Waggin'
Richard
Newbury
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