KK July-Sept.indd - Karmann Ghia Owners Club

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and could turn out aproximately 50 cars a day. The initial product was a small, specialbodied Austin/BMC coupé sports car. I think it was based on the small Austin Healey/ MG Sprite components. They also produced a Fiat 1500 sports coupé. The company would later go on to produce the famous Ford/Taunus based coupé – and to employ many famous “KG” names. Sadly Segre died in February 1963 at the age of only 44 years from “complications during surgery” to remove the appendix. Following his untimely death, his widow sold 75% of the shares of Ghia. In 1967 Alejandro De Tomaso acquired control of Ghia. During this transition period, Ghia had partial involvement in the De Tomaso Pantera, the famous, brutal 70’s supercar with a high-performance, mid-mounted OHV Ford V8 engine. From 1973, the Ghia name became more widely known and recognised as Ford’s top trim-level throughout its mainstream model range. The trend began in Europe but soon spread worldwide, particularly to the US, South American and Australian markets. In the British market, however, the practice of using the Ghia name in such a capacity was only finally phased out in 2010, in favour of the ‘Titanium’ moniker. Ironically the British Ford Fiesta retained the Ghia trim designation for the longest amount of time of any model: thirty-one-and-a-half years uninterrupted, from February 1977 to November 2008. Ford Motor Company purchased 84% of Ghia from Rowan Industries (owners of De Tomaso) in 1970. Three years later they purchased the remaining 16%.Today Ghia studios are all but swallowed up into the monolith that is the Ford Motor Company and produce various concept cars under the Ford banner. The picture below was taken at the 1957 Turin Motor Show. The large white convertible on the middle right of the picture is the Dual-Ghia. Notice also the two Fiat 600 convertible versions and others. 20 The group of twelve men shown are (from Left to Right) Tom Tjaarda, Sertgio Coggiola, Sergio Sartorelli, unknown, Ravetti, unknown, Luigi Segre, Magnani, Vajo, Piatto, Nicolotti, and Odasso. Some of the names you’ll recognise from the KG story. Next time we look at what some of these lesser known characters went on to do in their often extraordinary careers at the forefront of Automotive design from the 50’s to the 70’s.
What happened to EGC307H? Paul and Heidi Smith would like to hear from anyone who knows Hello, the latest edition of Karmann Komment (April-June 2012) has finally stirred me into responding to the regular requests for contributions. Whilst looking at the front cover car, and wishing I had a convertible again, something rang a bell deep in the back of my mind. After looking again, I realised the registration was the same as a convertible we used to own – but the car is completely different – colour and earlier year wings. I was wondering whether this was a very old photo before we owned the car or whether this is its current state, and how it got to how it is now. EGC307H in Albert Blue livery at Stonor Park (left) and at the 1991 KGOC-GB International in Bath We bought the car in early 1994 as our main family car. At the time we were considering trading our Golf in for a newer (G reg!) one for £4000 at our local VW dealer – all very sensible with a ten month old daughter and paraphernalia to lug around, especially considering our second car was a Beetle which being honest wasn’t overly pushchair or child seat friendly. Having been brought up with air cooled VWs, and having had a Beetle since I learnt to drive, I’d always hankered after a Ghia but always baulked at the price. And then came the eureka moment when flicking through Volksworld – we realised the amount we were going to pay for the Golf would buy any number of Ghias in the small ads. After a few days going through the motions of saying what a silly idea it would be, whilst simultaneously concocting plans for how to squeeze all the family gear in, we decided to go for it. This was when we started to learn about the poetic licence which seems to be part and parcel of Ghia adverts. We spent the next month or so trawling from our home in 21
Page 1: VOLUME 28 ISSUE No 3 JUL - SEP 2012
Page 4 and 5: Contents Karmann Komment, July - Se
Page 6 and 7: From the Editorial team Welcome the
Page 8 and 9: Mailbox From Our International Corr
Page 10 and 11: Type 34 KG Territory by Andy Holmes
Page 12 and 13: The guy ordered everything for the
Page 14 and 15: Notting Hill: grand villas, “stun
Page 16 and 17: Karmann Ghia - the DNA Files Invest
Page 18 and 19: Giacinto Ghia died soon after this
Page 22 and 23: Wiltshire to Devon, Cornwall, Hamps
Page 24 and 25: Historic Advert (1972) Magazine adv
Page 26 and 27: entrance into the hotel road unusua
Page 28 and 29: A few of the more vintage motor veh
Page 30 and 31: stronger. Over the years my taste i
Page 32 and 33: I believe the car had previously be
Page 34 and 35: Ghias In The Movies Inspector Clous
Page 36 and 37: ear wheel arches, rear valance, fit
Page 38: Ninove, Belgium, 10-11th March Mart
Page 41 and 42: Daily Mail version of KG History -
Page 43 and 44: Parts News Stainless steel luggage
Page 45 and 46: The Pershore Plum Festival August B
Page 48: TUDOR WHEELS LTD Specialist Wheel R
Page 52 and 53: TYPE 34 SPARES ALL PARTS AVAILABLE
Page 54: TYPE 14 KARMANN GHIA PARTS AVAILABL

KK July-Sept.indd - Karmann Ghia Owners Club

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