K Is For Karmann

Karmann was the company that made Volkswagens beautiful, along with decapitating and camping them up too. This is the story of how the Osnabrück firm became so associated with VW, before ultimately ending up as part of the family.

- Richard Gunn / Hans Klapp

Of all the outside ‘names’ associated with Volkswagen, Karmann is probably the best-known. Even those who aren’t particularly interested in air-cooled VWs yes, there are such people, and we just trust they’re getting the right medical treatment - can recognise a Karmann Ghia and call it by its right title instead of just ‘a nice old sporty Volkswagen’. A few more still may know that it was Karmann who cut the roof off Beetles to make convertibles. But the full extent of Karmann’s connection with Wolfsburg - perhaps even reliance - is huge and takes in a lot more than al fresco and sleekly-bodied Beetles. There were also concept cars, beach buggies, the four-cylinder VW/Porsche 914s, later Golfs, Sciroccos and Corrados and, of course, the characterful and clever Camper conversions of the 1970s and beyond. So close was the link between the two companies that, when Karmann ran into financial troubles during the 21st century, it was Volkswagen that took over its assets.

But we’re getting well ahead of ourselves. What became Karmann started out in 1874 as the Klages coachbuilding firm in Osnabrück. After its founder, Christian Klages, died, the firm was acquired by Wilhelm Karmann in 1901. The 30-year-old German initially learnt his craft at his father’s carriageworks in Krefield before going off to work for other companies, eventually becoming the director of operations at the Heinrich Scheele electro-mobile factory in Cologne. But one bank loan later and he owned two buildings, had 15 staff and a good reputation with a company known for quality work.

Motoring ahead