MotoramicJuly 14: Volkswagen reveals the Karmann Ghia on this date in 1955
If ever a car made something interesting out of other's leftovers, it was the Karmann Ghia. Conceived by German coachbuilder Karmann as a way to grow the business it had with VW making Beetle convertibles, the styling was an adaptation of a Ghia design the Italian firm had previously offered Chrysler for a competitor to the Corvette. When the production model was revealed on this date in 1955, no one expected the Karmann Ghia to perform like a real sports car using the Beetle's engine and suspension, but as a styling exercise the Ghia succeeded wildly, remaining in production until 1971. Here's an example of a Ghia with a slight engine upgrade:
