h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Does anyone accept the Editors' T-shirt Challenge to write an Entry on the The Karmann Ghia motor car?

Well, seeing as it's a German VW car, I'd give it a go if nobody else volunteers.

Well done! Good luck.

Does this mean you don't expect the car fanatics to rush in here?

Looking forward to seeing another of B'El's masterpieces in Peer Review

You've pipped the car fanatics to the post. I'm sure they'll be only too happy to help you in Peer Review though.

That'll teach me

Write it in German, Bel - that'll teach them.

True, but remember the houserules.
Ok, I'll see what I can do.

Hooray!

Awww

Bell just a note.

Karmann are still in existence today, They are number 4 in the German rankings of the top 25 makers of motor caravans and still build on the VW chassis, a range called the Colorado. This is currently the holder of the motor caravan speed record set in 2006 at over 120 mph.
The vehicles they make are on sale from Ireland to Japan and the go from strength to strength.
The company has a proud history starting when they produced carriages for the German royal family prior to the first world war. Their tie up with VW was just one aspect of their motor heritage but perhaps the most famous.


Hope this helps and you don’t mind me butting in
karmann de if you want to see the site

Bob…

Thank you, Bob, I've been to their website already, and have read the history about the Karmann Ghia. There are several clubs, btw, and a huge meet-up for the 50th anniversary of the Karmann Ghia is planned for August this year, etc. Quite interesting, actually.

Its nice to know they are going strong BTW the price for the product is £49000 eek

Well, I haven't found this info yet, nothing about caravans, but only about cabriolets, but with the speed you mentioned, maybe you confused them? I was baffled reading a caravan would make mnore than 120 mph, they're only allowed max. 100 kmh here anyway.

Hi Bel
Nurburgring in under 10 minutes lowline speed thing bright orange. Motorcaravans not those things you tow but the things built on vehicles. Dont forget there is no upper limit on the autobahn.
This is a high speed long distance cruser.


0/09/2006 http://www.promobil.de/news/karmannmobil_rekordamnuerburgring.83496.htm
Auf der legendären Nordschleife des Nürburgrings stellte Karmann erstmals einen Geschwindigkeitsrekord für Reisemobile auf: Mit 171 km/h pfeilte der Colorado RS durch die Lichtschranken.

171 km/h is 106.25 mp/h average.

Bob...

Thanks for that, Bob.
I never knew this type of car had no speed limit on our Autobahns, so I did a bit of research now. I'm relieved to find that not only are they limited to a max. speed of 80 kmh on all 'normal' roads, but they're limited to a max speed of 100 kmh on the autobahns, too. An exception would be if they weighed less than 3.5 tonnes.
So now you probably see why your post about the speed baffled me so much, because I don't know which country you'd have to go to to be allowed to drive at that speed (apart from the fact that I think it would be insane and very, very dangerous to drive a caravan at much more than 100 kmh).

Thanks for the link, B'Elana.

If you want a photo to go with the entry, there is an orange Karmann for sale just down the road from me, which I'm sure I can snap for you.

I'll check it out for you!

Meanwhile you could try here as well.

http://www.karmann-ghias.co.uk/

I really start wondering what the fascination with this car is, I mean, it's just a car, and only a two-seater, too, so it's not even useful.
Maybe Bob should write the entry after all, as he seems to be one of the car fanatics I waited for yesterday.

As far as I can recall, and I am no Petrolhead, it was the aesthetic appearance of the car, coupled with the fact that it looked similar to Ferdinand Porsche's VW vehicle, which was built in the same factory, but 10 years earlier.

I don't know enough about the history of VW to give a definitive answer though.