The Wilhelm Karmann Coachwerks in Germany had been doing business with Volkswagenwerks since the late 1940s, but in 1949 the coachbuilder was commissioned by Volkswagen to produce a Cabriolet Beetle to introduce into the car maker’s line up. It was a success, and so, by the early 1950s, Volkswagen was ready to add a sporty-looking coupé to its product range and the Karmann Coachwerks negotiated a contract with Italian automobile design house, Carrozzeria Ghia of Turin, to come up with the shape.
Karmann had specifications from Volkswagen for the chassis and running gear which, as
