 |
| Volkswagen Karmann-Ghia: German engineering, Italian design, and on this Cuban example, a British-themed licence surround. |
IT TAKES courage – even in Cuba – to paint your ride chrome yellow. Few cars look their best in this colour, taxi cabs and pizza delivery vehicles notwithstanding.
But for a select number of well-designed machines – think Iso Grifo or Ferrari 250 SWB – the result can be eye-poppingly wonderful. See me, it says, and acknowledge my beauty.
But for a select number of well-designed machines – think Iso Grifo or Ferrari 250 SWB – the result can be eye-poppingly wonderful. See me, it says, and acknowledge my beauty.
 |
| VW made the Karmann-Ghia from 1955 until 1974. Post-1959 models had higher headlights and larger grille openings. |
You won't find an Iso or Ferrari parked under a Cuban palm tree – I don't think– but you might come across this Volkswagen Karmann-Ghia Coupe. It has a few scars and patches, but wears its bright-as-egg-yolk hue like a royal mantle.
Headlamp placement reveals this as a "low-light" Karmann-Ghia, assembled between 1955 and 1959 at coachbuilder Karmann's plant in Osnabrück, Germany.
Headlamp placement reveals this as a "low-light" Karmann-Ghia, assembled between 1955 and 1959 at coachbuilder Karmann's plant in Osnabrück, Germany.
 |
| Steering wheel, seats are non-original. |
With the buzzy flat-four engine and swing-arm rear suspension of its Beetle sister model, the Karmann-Ghia was never a true sports car. But with styling by Carrozzeria Ghia (perhaps only Italian designs can truly be yellow), it looked as sweet as anything on the road.
Still does.
 |
| More than 480,000 coupes and convertibles were produced at factories in Germany and Brazil. |
See another Cuban Karmann-Ghia and read about the rather unlikely contribution of famed Chrysler stylist Virgil Exner at CubanClassics.