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77-502: Brazil Type 14: 1962–1975 TC (Touring Coupé): 1972–1975 The Volkswagen Karmann Ghia are a family of three overlapping sports car models produced by Volkswagen , marketed in 2+2 coupe (1955–1975) and 2+2 convertible (1957–1975) body styles, though German production ended one year before that in Brazil . Internally designated the Type 14 (1955–1975), the Type 34 (1962–1969), and

154-459: A Volkswagen Beetle to use as a basis for a prototype – Beetles were difficult to come by and Gian Paolo, Mario Boano's son, purchased one in Paris and drove it back to Turin. Ghia customized its platform, designed the initial prototype and in five months constructed the model. Segre secretly presented the model to Wilhelm Karmann one year after the initial discussion — late in 1953, in Paris, at

231-470: A competition for Brazilian students to design a modern interpretation of the classic Volkswagen Karmann-Ghia Coupé, possibly leading to the development of a prototype. Sports car A sports car is a type of car that is designed with an emphasis on dynamic performance, such as handling , acceleration, top speed, the thrill of driving, and racing capability. Sports cars originated in Europe in

308-399: A controversial choice for a "purist" sports car. The Elan sold poorly and was discontinued after three years. The 1996 Lotus Elise , a mid-engined, rear-wheel drive roadster, was much more successful and remained in production until 2021. Roadsters enjoyed a resurgence in the mid-1990s, including the 1989-present Mazda MX-5 , the 1995-2002 BMW Z3 (succeeded by the 2002-2016 BMW Z4 ),

385-409: A definition. Insurance companies have also attempted to use mathematical formulae to categorise sports cars, often charging more for insurance due to the inherent risk of performance driving. There is no fixed distinction between sports cars and other categories of performance cars, such as muscle cars and grand tourers , with some cars being members of several categories. Traditionally,

462-460: A definitive individual styling attribution. Three companies and numerous individuals came together in the history of the Karmann Ghia. In the early 1950s, Volkswagen was producing its Volkswagen Beetle , and as postwar standards of living increased, executives at Volkswagen were at least receptive to adding a halo model to its range, if not actively seeking an additional model. Luigi Segre

539-399: A pressed-steel chassis, a gated 4-speed transmission, pushrod-actuated overhead inlet valves , a honeycomb radiator, low-tension magneto ignition , a long wheelbase, a low center of mass and a very effective suspension system. The overall result was a "safe and well-balanced machine" with a higher performance than any other contemporary production car. At the 1903 Gordon Bennett Cup ,

616-427: A production Simplex 60 hp was entered only due to a specially-built 90 hp racing car being destroyed in a fire; the 60 hp famously went on to win the race. The 1910 Austro-Daimler 27/80 is another early sports car which had success in motor racing. The 27/80 was designed by Ferdinand Porsche , who drove the car to victory in the 1910 Prince Henry Tour motor race. The Vauxhall and Austro-Daimler —like

693-623: A styling concept "by Ghia." In August 1955 the first Type 14 was manufactured in Osnabrück , Germany. Public reaction to the Type 14 exceeded expectations, and more than 10,000 were sold in the first year. In contrast to the Beetle's machine-welded body with bolt-on fenders, the Karmann Ghia's body panels were butt-welded , hand-shaped, and smoothed with English pewter in a time-consuming process commensurate with higher-end manufacturers, resulting in

770-452: Is an iconic sports car of the early 1960s, due to its attractive styling and claimed top speed of 241 km/h (150 mph). The E-type was produced for 14 years and was initially powered by a six-cylinder engine, followed by a V12 engine for the final generation. In 1962, the MG B introduced a new era of affordable lightweight four-cylinder roadsters. The MG B used a unibody construction and

847-406: Is notable for using a three-seat layout, where the front row consists of a centrally-located driver's seat. The location of the engine and driven wheels significantly influence the handling characteristics of a car and are therefore crucial in the design of a sports car. Traditionally, most sports cars have used rear-wheel drive with the engine either located at the front ( FR layout ) or in

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924-695: The Alfa Romeo 2500 CC, Lancia Aurelia (1950), Karmann Ghia (1953), Chrysler K200, Alfa Romeo 1900 SS, and some Ferrari 166 of berlinetta style. He is also credited with Lancia Aurelia GT coupé design. In 1954 he founded Carrozzeria Boano in Grugliasco with his son Gian Paolo Boano (born 1930) who also had been with him while at Ghia. They took over some of the initial Ferrari 250 GT Coupé production from Pinin Farina . After only three years, Boano closed, and his son-in-law Ezio Ellena took over

1001-520: The Audi RS 2 Avant . Ford Europe withdrew from the sports car market at the end of 1986 when the Capri was discontinued after a production run of nearly two decades. There was no direct successor, as Ford was concentrating on higher-performance versions of its hatchback and saloon models at the time. In 1989, a new generation of Lotus Elan roadster was released which used a front-wheel drive layout,

1078-541: The BMW 303 , Citroën Traction Avant and Fiat 508 — offered similar handling and comfort to the more expensive sports cars. Powerful, reliable, and economical (although softly suspended) American saloons began to be imported to Europe in significant numbers. Sports car ownership was increased through models such as the Austin 7 and Wolseley Hornet six , however many of these sports cars did not offer any performance upgrades over

1155-600: The Beetle's floorpan. The main difference was the engine: the Type 145 TC was fitted with the 1,584 cc flat-four air-cooled boxer unit from the Type ;3 instead of the 1200cc units of the Type 14. The car produced 65 hp (48 kW) at 4,600 rpm and had a top speed of 86 mph (138 km/h), compared to the 34 hp (25 kW) and 72 mph (116 km/h) top speed of the Type 14 Karmann Ghia. 18,119 TC models were sold during their production that began at

1232-623: The Bentley Speed Six (1928-1930), with the former famously described by Bugatti's founder as "the fastest lorry in the world". Between the Great Depression and the World War II the pre-war era was a period of decline in importance for sports car manufacturers, although the period was not devoid of advances, for example streamlining . Cheap, light-weight family sedans with independent front suspension— such as

1309-520: The Jensen FF became the first sports car to use all-wheel drive . The Ford Capri is a 2+2 coupe that was produced from 1968 to 1986 and intended to be a smaller European equivalent of the Ford Mustang. A main rival to the Capri was Opel Manta , which was produced from 1970 to 1988. The 1973-1978 Lancia Stratos was a mid-engined two-seat coupe that was powered by a Ferrari V6 engine. This

1386-470: The Type 145 TC (1972–1975; Brazil), the Karmann Ghia cars combined the floorpans and mechanicals of the Type ;1 / Beetle or Type 3 'ponton' models with styling by Italy's Carrozzeria Ghia , and hand-built bodywork by German coachbuilding house Karmann . The 1955 Type 14 Karmann Ghia was just the second Volkswagen passenger car ever produced, after the Beetle, and launched six years before

1463-561: The VW-Porsche 914 (known as Porsche 914 in the USA), the Type 34's successor as the fastest VW. As an alternative to the Type 34 Karmann-Ghia coupé, which Volkswagen had introduced to Europe in 1961, Volkswagen do Brasil looked to Ghia in Turin for a reworked version of the Type 14 at the end of the 1960s. At the time Ghia employed the now famous Italian designer Giorgetto Giugiaro , who

1540-583: The "thrill of driving" or are marketed "using the excitement of speed and the glamour of the (race)track" However, other people have more specific definitions, such as "must be a two-seater or a 2+2 seater" or a car with two seats only. In the United Kingdom, early recorded usage of the "sports car" was in The Times newspaper in 1919. The first known use of the term in the United States

1617-432: The 1500 'pancake' engine that allowed a front and rear boot. This makes the Type 34 mechanically the same as other Type 3s. However, all bodywork and bumpers, the interior, glass, and most of the lenses are all unique to the Type 34. The car has wider 6.00-15 crossply tyres, until 1968 when they moved to 165R15 Pirelli Cinturato. The Wilhelm Karmann factory assembly line which assembled the Type 34, since then also produced

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1694-413: The 1500 offered greater interior and cargo room, in three luggage spaces, than the first generation Karmann Ghia, despite unchanged wheelbase-length. Based on the new 1500's platform, with its new, bigger and more powerful 1500cc engine, the Type 34 was the fastest production Volkswagen of its day. In 1962, an electrically operated sliding steel sunroof option was added – only the second automobile model in

1771-403: The 1905 Isotta Fraschini Tipo D, the 1906 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost , the 1908 Delage , the 1910 Bugatti Type 13 , and the 1912 DFP 12/15 . Early motor racing events included the 1903 Paris–Madrid race , the 1905-1907 Herkomer Trophy, the 1908-1911 Prince Henry Tour and the 1911–present Monte Carlo Rally . The Prince Henry Tours (which were similar to modern car rallies) were among

1848-495: The 1921 Coppa Florio . Another approach— such as that used by Morris Garages— was to convert touring cars into sports cars. The first 24 Hours of Le Mans race for sports cars was held in 1923, although the two-seat sports cars only competed in the smallest class, with the majority of cars entered being four-seat fast touring cars. "This race, together with the Tourist Trophy Series of Races , organised after

1925-404: The 1948 Ferrari 166 S . A new concept altogether was the modern Gran Turismo class from Italy, which was in effect unknown before the war: sustained high-speed motoring from relatively modest engine size and compact closed or berlinetta coachwork. The 1947 Maserati A6 1500 two-seat berlinetta was the first production model from Maserati. In Germany, the motor industry was devastated by

2002-499: The 1980 Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft and Giro d'Italia automobilistico marathon. The Montecarlo was a basis for the silhouette racing car , Lancia Rally 037 . In the 1970s, turbocharging began to be adopted by sports cars, such as the BMW 2002 Turbo in 1973, the first Porsche 911 Turbo in 1975, and the Saab 99 Turbo in 1978. Turbocharging became increasingly popular in the 1980s, from relatively affordable coupes such as

2079-452: The 1980–1986 Renault Fuego and 1992–1996 Rover 220 Coupé Turbo , to expensive supercars such as the 1984-1987 Ferrari 288 GTO and 1987-1992 Ferrari F40 . In the late 1980s and early 1990s, several manufacturers developed supercars that competed for production car top speed records . These cars included the 1986–1993 Porsche 959 , 1991–1995 Bugatti EB 110 , 1992–1994 Jaguar XJ220 and 1993–998 McLaren F1 . The 1980-1995 Audi Quattro

2156-506: The 1990s, all-wheel drive has become more common in sports cars. All-wheel drive offers better acceleration and favorable handling characteristics (especially in slippery conditions), but is often heavier and more mechanically complex than traditional layouts. Examples of all-wheel drive sports cars are the Lamborghini Huracan , Bugatti Veyron , and Nissan GT-R . Rear engine layouts are not typical for sports cars, with

2233-687: The 1995-2002 MG F , the 1996–present Porsche Boxster and the 1998–present Audi TT . Mario Boano Felice Mario Boano (1903 – 8 May 1989) was an Italian automobile designer and coachbuilder was born and died in Turin . He worked for Stabilimenti Farina in Turin before joining Pinin Farina in 1930. In 1944 (with Giorgio Alberti), Boano bought the Carrozzeria Ghia in Torino when their friend Giacinto Ghia died. Boano and Luigi Segre were central in several low-roofline designs;

2310-598: The Karmann Ghia debuted (at the 1955 Paris and Frankfurt auto shows and at the Kasino Hotel in Westfalia, Germany, on July 14, 1955) and went into production, first at Ghia and then in Osnabrück — ultimately to reach a production over 445,000, running 19 years virtually unchanged. The design and prototype were well received by Volkswagen executives, and the Type 14 debuted at the October 1953 Paris Auto Show as

2387-411: The Karmann Ghia's higher price. The Type 14 was marketed as a practical and stylish 2+2 rather than as a true sports car . As they shared engines, the Type 14's engine displacement grew concurrently with the Type 1 (Beetle), ultimately arriving at a displacement of 1584 cc, producing 61 PS (45 kW; 60 hp). Production doubled soon after the Karmann Ghia's U.S. introduction, becoming

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2464-468: The Mercedes Simplex 60 hp— were production fast touring cars. The 1912 Hispano-Suiza Alfonso XIII is also considered one of the earliest sports cars, as it was a "purpose built, high performance, two-seater production automobile". The model was named after King Alfonso XIII of Spain , a patron of the car's chief designer and an enthusiast for the marque. Other early sports cars include

2541-484: The Societé France Motors factories (Volkswagen's dealership for France and the exclusive European dealer of Ghia-built Chrysler models). When Wilhelm Karmann saw the coupé, Karmann said, "I'd like to build that!" As the head of Ghia, Segre singularly directed the project through conception and prototyping, delivering a feasible project that Willhelm Karmann both wanted to and could practically build —

2618-455: The Type 34 was available in most countries, it was not offered officially in the U.S. – VW's largest and most important export market – another reason for its low sales numbers. Nevertheless, many made their way to the USA (most via Canada), and the USA now has the largest number of known Type 34s left in the world (400 of the total 1,500 to 2,000 or so remaining). Like the earlier Type 14,

2695-512: The Type 34 was styled by the Italian design studio Ghia. There are some similar styling influences, but the Type 34 Ghia looks very different from the Type 14. The chassis is also a major difference between the cars; the Type 14 shares its chassis with a Beetle (though with a wider floorpan), whereas the Type 34 body is mounted on a Type 3 floorpan and drivetrain (the same as a 1500/1600 Notchback, Fastback or Variant (Squareback)) – all featuring

2772-500: The Type 3 notchbacks, fastbacks and Variants (squarebacks). They were faster and more expensive than the Beetle, but very cramped in the back, despite their wider, postwar and nearly slabsided body design. Two years later, in 1957, a convertible was added. In 1961, the Karmann Ghia briefly lost its title of fastest Volkswagen, upon launch of the more powerful 1500cc Type 3 models, but later that year, Volkswagen, Ghia, and Karmann presented an all new Karmann Ghia – Type 34 , using

2849-434: The Type 3's floorpan and 1500cc powertrain . Made from 1962 to 1969, this had both new, more modern, angular and roomier bodywork; and a new, more luxurious interior, making it substantially more expensive than all other VW passenger cars. Additionally, the Type 34 was one of the world's first cars with a power operated steel sunroof option. The Type 34 Karmann Ghia thus became VW's range-topper again – costing up to twice

2926-518: The United Kingdom, or "European Ghia" (or "Type 3 Ghia" among enthusiasts) in the United States. Today the name Type 34 is recognized as the worldwide naming convention. Until it was replaced by the VW- Porsche 914 , it was the most expensive and luxurious passenger car VW manufactured in the 1960s — at the time costing twice as much as a Beetle in many markets. 42,505 (plus 17 prototype convertibles) were manufactured from 1962–1969. Although

3003-479: The car appeared during the next year or two, all conforming to the same basic design and earning for themselves a reputation second to none for fast and reliable travel. The 60-h.p. cars were announced late in 1902. The cars were possessed of a very real performance superior to anything else which could be bought at the time... and the model achieved an almost invincible position among the fast cars of its day. The Sports Car: Development and Design The basis for

3080-422: The car most imported into the U.S. In August 1957, Volkswagen introduced a convertible version of the Karmann Ghia. Exterior changes in 1961 included wider and finned front grilles, taller and more rounded rear taillights and headlights relocated to a higher position – with previous models and their lower headlight placement called lowlights . The Italian designer Sergio Sartorelli , designer of Type 34, oversaw

3157-458: The car's production life, not including the Type 34 variant. Volkswagen do Brasil (Volkswagen Brasil) produced 41,600 Type 34s in Brazil for South America between 1962 and 1975. Long noted for its exterior styling, the Karmann Ghia was designed with input from numerous individuals at Carrozzeria Ghia and was strongly influenced by Virgil Exner 's work, though all of its designers passed without

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3234-411: The development of performance cars such as the 1910 Vauxhall Prince Henry , 1910 Sunbeam 12/16 , 1910 Talbot 25 hp , 1910 Straker-Squire 15 hp and 1913 Star 15.9 hp . Following the halt in sports car production caused by World War I , Europe returned to manufacturing automobiles from around 1920. It was around this time that the term 'Sports Car' began to appear in the motor catalogues, although

3311-489: The early 1910s and are currently produced by many manufacturers around the world. Definitions of sports cars often relate to how the car design is optimised for dynamic performance, without any specific minimum requirements; both a Triumph Spitfire and Ferrari 488 Pista can be considered sports cars, despite vastly different levels of performance. Broader definitions of sports cars include cars "in which performance takes precedence over carrying capacity", or that emphasise

3388-400: The early 1920s, the cost to produce a racing car was not significantly higher than a road car, therefore several manufacturers used the design from the current year's racing car for the next year's sports car. For example, the 1921 Ballot 2LS based on the racing car that finished third at the 1921 French Grand Prix. The Benz 28/95PS was also a successful racing car, with victories including

3465-463: The exact origin of the name is not known. The decade that followed became known as the vintage era and featured rapid technical advances over the preceding Brass Era cars . Engine performance benefited from the abandonment of " tax horsepower " (where vehicles were taxed based on bore and number of cylinders, rather than actual power output) and the introduction of leaded fuel , which increased power by allowing for higher compression ratios . In

3542-472: The first supercars . Other significant European models of the 1960s and 1970s which might be considered supercars today are the Ferrari 250 GTO (1962-1964), Ferrari 250 GT Lusso (1963-1964), Ferrari 275 GTB/4 (1966-1968), Maserati Ghibli (1967-1973), Ferrari Daytona (1968-1973), Dino 246 (1969-1974), De Tomaso Pantera (1971-1993), Ferrari 308 GTB (1975-1980) and BMW M1 (1978-1981). In 1966,

3619-528: The first World War by the R.A.C. , appealed to the public imagination and offered to the manufacturers of the more sporting cars an excellent opportunity for boosting sales of their products." The classic Italian road races— the Targa Florio , and the Mille Miglia (first held in 1927)— also captured the public's imagination. By 1925, the higher profits available for four-seater cars resulted in

3696-573: The late 1920s were AC Cars , Alfa Romeo , Alvis , Amilcar , Bignan and Samson, Chenard-Walcker , Delage , Hispano-Suiza , Hotchkiss , Mercedes-Benz and Nazzaro . Two cars from the Vintage Era that would influence sports cars for many years were the Austin Seven and MG M-type "Midget". Successful sports cars from Bentley during this era were the Bentley 3 Litre (1921-1929) and

3773-518: The mass-produced cars upon which they were based. The highest selling sports car company of the 1930s was Morris Garages , who produced 'MG Midget' models of the M-Type , J-Type , P-Type and T-Type . The K3 version of the K-Type Magnette was a successful racing car, achieving success in the Mille Miglia , Tourist Trophy and 24 Hours of Le Mans . The Bugatti Type 57 (1934-1940)

3850-537: The middle of the vehicle ( MR layout ). Examples of FR layout sports cars include the Caterham 7 , Mazda MX-5 , and the Dodge Viper . Examples of MR layout sports cars are the Ferrari 488 , Ford GT , and Toyota MR2 . To avoid a front-heavy weight distribution , many FR layout sports cars are designed so that the engine is located further back in the engine bay, as close to the firewall as possible. Since

3927-544: The most common layout for sports cars was a roadster (a two-seat car without a fixed roof). However, there are also several examples of early sports cars with four seats. Sports cars are not usually intended to transport more than two adult occupants regularly, so most modern sports cars are generally two-seat or 2+2 layout (two smaller rear seats for children or occasional adult use). Larger cars with more spacious rear-seat accommodation are usually considered sports sedans rather than sports cars. The 1993-1998 McLaren F1

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4004-809: The notable exception of the Porsche 911 . The front-wheel drive layout with the engine at the front ( FF layout ) is generally the most common for cars, but it is not as common among traditional sports cars. Nonetheless, the FF layout is used by sport compacts and hot hatches such as the Mazdaspeed3 . Sports cars with an FF layout include the Fiat Barchetta , Saab Sonett , or Opel Tigra . The ancestor of all high-performance cars had its origin in Germany. The 28-h.p. Cannstatt-Daimler racing car of 1899

4081-456: The philosophy of achieving performance through minimizing weight and has been rated as one of the top 10 sports cars of the 1960s. The Elan featured fibreglass bodies, a backbone chassis, and overhead camshaft engines. A different style of roadster was the AC Cobra , released in 1962, which was fitted with V8 engines up to 7.0 L (427 cu in) in size by Shelby . The Porsche 911

4158-501: The price of a Beetle – while the cheaper Type 14 remained in production. Only the latter offered a convertible. Failure to offer the Type 34 in the United States – the Karmann Ghia's most important market – combined with high pricing elsewhere likely contributed to limited sales, and after the type 14 also received the 1500cc engine in 1967, production of Type 34s was ended during 1969. Volkswagen of Brazil nevertheless looked for an alternative in its market segment, and so Carrozzeria Ghia

4235-423: The production of two-seat sports cars being limited to smaller manufacturers such as Aston-Martin (350 Astons built from 1921 to 1939) and Frazer-Nash (323 cars built from 1924 to 1939). Then by the late 1920s, the cost of producing racing cars (especially Grand Prix cars) escalated, causing more manufacturers to produce cars for the growing sports car market instead. Significant manufacturers of sports cars in

4312-600: The project Wilhelm Karmann would in turn present to Volkswagen. The styling of the vehicle, however, integrated work by Segre as well as Mario Boano , Sergio Coggiola and Giovanni Savonuzzi — and at various times they each took credit for the design. Furthermore, the design bore striking styling similarities to Virgil Exner 's Chrysler D'Elegance and K-310 concepts, which Ghia had been tasked with prototyping — and which in turn reflected numerous cues and themes developed previously by Mario Boano. According to Virgil Exner's son, Virgil M. Exner Jr., Giovanni Savonuzzi

4389-558: The rear seat. In late 1974 the car was superseded by the Golf -based Scirocco . In September 1961, based on the new VW 1500 (Type 3) 'ponton' models introduced that same year, Volkswagen also introduced a new VW 1500 Karmann Ghia model (Type 34), with a new body, designed by Italian engineer Sergio Sartorelli , positioned above the Beetle-based Karmann Ghia 1200 and 1300 models. Featuring more angular 1960s styling,

4466-558: The sporting events of the period, bringing renown to successful entrants. The Prince Henry Tours started the evolution of reasonably large and technically advanced production sports cars. In England, the development of sporting cars was inhibited by the Motor Car Act 1903 , which imposed a speed limit of 20 mph (32 km/h) on all public roads. This led to the 1907 opening of the Brooklands motor circuit , which inspired

4543-408: The sports car is traced to the early 20th century touring cars and roadsters , and the term 'sports car' would not be coined until after World War One. A car considered to be "a sports-car years ahead of its time" is the 1903 Mercedes Simplex 60 hp , described at the time as a fast touring car and designed by Wilhelm Maybach and Paul Daimler . The Mercedes included pioneering features such as

4620-476: The sports car, but also the most important and diverse technical developments [and] very rapid and genuine improvement in the qualities of every modern production car; assisted by new design and manufacturing techniques a consistently higher level of handling properties has been achieved." In Italy, a small but wealthy market segment allowed for the manufacture of a limited number of high-performance models directly allied to contemporary Grand Prix machines, such as

4697-463: The time, before the passing of the various designers, further complicated by the overlapping work of the key players. A definitive individual attribution on Karmann Ghia's styling was never made. Segre and Virgil Exner became close professionally and personally, eventually traveling Europe together. Peter Grist wrote in his 2007 Exner biography that when Exner in 1955 eventually saw the Karmann Ghia, which cribbed heavily from his Chrysler d'Elegance, "he

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4774-654: The turn of 1970 until the end of their sales in 1976. It was offered only in South America and was not exported off the continent. There is a prototype that is part of the factory museum collection of Karmann in Osnabrück , Germany. In 1990, Karmann introduced a Karmann Ghia-inspired concept car – the Karmann Coupe – at the Frankfurt Motor Show , and in April 2013 Karmann Ghia do Brasil launched

4851-598: The various restylings of Type 14. In 1970, larger taillights integrated the reversing lights and larger wrap-around turn signals. Still larger and wider taillights increased side visibility. In 1972, large square-section bumpers replaced the smooth round originals, and tail lights were again enlarged. For the USA model only, 1973 modifications mandated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) included energy-absorbing bumpers . A carpeted package shelf replaced

4928-478: The war, but a small number of manufacturers returned it to prominence. In 1948, the Porsche 356 was released as the debut model from Porsche. The significance of the Porsche 356 and its successors was described in 1957 as "future historians must see them as among the most important of mid-century production cars". The 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL is another significant car from this era. The 1961 Jaguar E-Type

5005-419: The world to have this option. The Karmann Ghia 1500 further featured round tail lights, built-in fog lights, an electric clock, upper and lower dash pads, door pads, and long padded armrests. Due to model confusion once the original Type 14 Karmann Ghia was also introduced with the 1500 motor in 1967, the Type 34 was indicated variously as " Der Große Karmann " ("the big Karmann") in Germany, "Razor Edge Ghia" in

5082-415: Was a pioneering all-wheel drive sports car. The 1995 Porsche 911 Turbo (993) saw the 911 Turbo model switch to all-wheel drive, a drivetrain layout that the model uses to this day. The BMW M3 was released in 1986 and has been produced for every generation since. The 1993-1996 Mercedes-Benz W124 E36 AMG was the mass-produced AMG model. Audi's equivalent division, called "RS", was launched in 1994 with

5159-663: Was again commissioned, to design a third Karmann Ghia model, for the South American market, the Karmann Ghia TC (Touring Coupé), made in Brazil from 1972–1975. The result was a stylish, rakish fastback that offered good interior space for a 2+2 car. For its final model year, the vestigial rear seat in the Type 14 was discontinued for North American models, as it lacked provisions for seat belts; all Karmann Ghias for 1974 were marketed strictly as two-seaters. More than 445,000 Karmann Ghias were produced in Germany over

5236-635: Was an unusual arrangement for a car used to compete in rallying, nonetheless it was very successful and won the World Rally Championship in 1974 , 1975 , and 1976 . The Lancia Montecarlo was produced from 1975 to 1981 and is a mid-engine two-seater, available as a coupé or a targa-top. It was sold as Lancia Scorpion in the USA. Its racing variant, Montecarlo Turbo, won the 1979 World Championship for Makes in its division and overall for 1980 World Championship for Makes and 1981 World Endurance Championship for Makes . Montecarlo also won

5313-576: Was another significant sports car of the pre-war era and is now among the most valuable cars in the world. The T57 was successful in sports car races, including winning the 1937 24 Hours of Le Mans and 1939 24 Hours of Le Mans . Another successful Bugatti sports car was the Bugatti Type 55 (1932-1935), which was based on the Type 51 Grand Prix racing car. The decade following the Second World War saw an "immense growth of interest in

5390-417: Was committed to expanding the international reputation of Carrozzeria Ghia . And Wilhelm Karmann had taken over his family coachbuilding firm Karmann and was eager to augment his contracts building Volkswagen's convertible models. Wilhelm Karmann and Luigi Segre often encountered each other at international automobile shows, and after an initial discussion prompted by Wilhelm Karmann, Segre secretly obtained

5467-485: Was in 1928. Sports cars started to become popular during the 1920s. The term initially described two-seat roadsters (cars without a fixed roof), however, since the 1970s the term has also been used for cars with a fixed roof (which were previously considered grand tourers ). Attributing the definition of 'sports car' to any particular model can be controversial or the subject of debate among enthusiasts. Authors and experts have often contributed their ideas to capture

5544-507: Was pleased with the outcome and glad that one of his designs had made it into large-scale production." Chris Voss, a stylist in Exner's office, reported in 1993, that Exner considered the Karmann Ghia the ultimate form of flattery. Segre in turn sent Exner the first production Karmann Ghia imported into the state of Michigan, in gratitude. After Volkswagen approved the design in November 1953,

5621-694: Was produced until 1980. Other successful lightweight roadsters include the Triumph Spitfire (1962-1980) and the Alfa Romeo Spider (1966-1993). The Fiat X1/9 (1972-1989) was unusual for its use of a mid-engine design in an affordable roadster model. A late entrant to the affordable roadster market was the 1975 Triumph TR7 , however by the late 1970s the demand for this style of car was in decline, resulting in production ceasing in 1982. The original Lotus Elan (1962-1975) two-seat coupe and roadster models are an early commercial success for

5698-675: Was released in 1964 and has remained in production since. The 911 is notable for its use of the uncommon rear-engine design and the use of a flat-six engine . Another successful rear-engine sports car was the original Alpine A110 (1961-1977), which was a successful rally car during the Group 4 era. In 1965, the BMW New Class Coupes were released, leading to the BMW 6 Series which remains in production to this day. The Lamborghini Miura (1966) and Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale (1967) mid-engined high-performance cars are often cited as

5775-590: Was set to work on the new Brazilian Karmann Ghia. The result was the Volkswagen Karmann Ghia TC (Touring Coupé), internally known as the Type 145, which began production in 1971 and was produced until 1975. This was a roomy 2+2 coupe with a modern and comfortable interior. Underneath, it still shared components with the Type 14, but the TC used the platform of the VW 1600 Type 3 / Variant models instead of

5852-579: Was tasked with scaling down the full-sized d’Elegance, replacing "the Chrysler’s egg-crate grille with a gentle, boat-like prow. Exner Jr. is further quoted as saying that the Karmann Ghia "was a direct, intentional swipe off the Chrysler D'Elegance. Giovanni Savonuzzi was the engineer and designer who downsized the D'Elegance and made the Karmann Ghia out of it. Nobody minded it. It was wonderful." The precise styling responsibilities were not well-documented at

5929-417: Was without a doubt the first attempt to give real performance to a road car. Many of its features, such as a honeycomb radiator and gate gear change, were continued on the much improved version which Paul Daimler designed in 1899-1900. This was of course the famous Mercedes. It also laid down standards of chassis design which were to be followed, almost unthinkingly, for the next thirty years. Several variants of

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