1974 VOLKSWAGEN KARMANN GHIA CABRIOLET - LAST RHD

This 1974 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Cabriolet is recorded as the last right-hand-drive example ever built. Under the bonnet sits a 1.6-litre air-cooled flat-four engine producing around 50bhp, coupled with a four-speed manual transmission. The odometer currently indicates 39,268 km.

The Karmann Ghia combined the platform of the Beetle with styling by Italy's Carrozzeria Ghia and hand-built bodywork by German coachbuilding firm Karmann, and was created with the intention of offering customers sports car looks with affordable running costs. The convertible version came along in 1957, with a number of cosmetic modifications, which would continue to evolve through to 1974.

Stated to be the last right-hand-drive cabriolet ever to leave the factory in Osnabrück, this Karmann Ghia was a ‘special order’ placed by a British RAF sergeant on 1 March 1974, complete with optional extras including a passenger side wing mirror and a laminated windscreen.

It was delivered new to Baerum Auto in Norway – where the RAF sergeant was then serving at NATO – and first registered on 17 July 1974, though its owner brought the vehicle back to the UK with him and re-registered it with the DVLA in October 1975. The car was kept for a further 15 years, and was later acquired by the founder of Volkswagen parts specialist VW Heritage, David Ward. It was then restored by Terry’s Beetle Services, resprayed in its original Signal Orange paint (VW paint code L20E) and fitted with a new black mohair hood. It has since featured in the July 1989 issue VW Motoring magazine and underwent some further light restoration work in 2013/14. It now presents in excellent condition and has just four former keepers on the V5C. The current owner, a classic VW collector, acquired the car four-and-a-half years ago. 

The elegant bodywork presents well, and to the best of the vendor’s knowledge, has never sustained any damage. The condition of the resprayed Signal Orange paintwork is generally excellent, and though the vendor indicates the car has a few age-related blemishes, it retains a glossy vibrant glow. The vehicle rides on a set of VW ‘Marathon’-style 15-inch wheels, which are in good condition all around the car, as is the mohair soft top.

The black leatherette upholstery is in very good order, with some age-related patina and light creasing, but no excessive wear or discolouration. The carpets and dashboard appear to be in excellent condition, and though there is some obvious wear to the steering wheel and gear knob, everything is reported to work as it should and no electrical faults have been detected.

The last routine maintenance was undertaken in September 2020 by classic VW specialist B&H Motor Services in Reading, where technicians changed the engine oil, shift rod bush assembly, track rod end, headlamp wiring and gasket set. Prior to this, the car had been under a SORN certificate due to lack of use, covering only around 159 miles in five years. The current owner confirms that the car is carefully stored in a secure basement parking garage under a Stormforce cover, and connected to a battery trickle charger. It is driven sparingly inside the confines of said garage to keep everything ticking over in good condition.

The most recent MOT test was on 21 October 2020 at an indicated 39,267 km, which resulted in a clean pass with no advisories or defects. The vendor notes the tyres are more than five years old, but have a good amount of tread remaining all round. Bidders should note that the MOT history records most tests in miles, but the speedometer in the car is a km/h unit, so these are data entry errors by the MOT tester.

Accompanying the vehicle are the original service book, owner’s manual and toolkit, as well as a superb file with literature on the car dating back to 1974, a pre-digital, photographic record of the 1995 restoration and a copy of the July 1989 VW Motoring edition in which it featured. The car also comes with an original certificate from VW confirming that it is a ‘matching numbers’ car – as Volkswagen’s Classic Parts records confirm that the chassis and engine numbers match factory records – as well as the factory colour, and optional extras. There is also a formal letter from a VW dealer in Milton Keynes, dated 12 July 1998, confirming this example as the last RHD Karmann Ghia built.

Well known to the UK KGOC (Karmann Ghia Owners Club), this VW Karmann Ghia Cabriolet is a historically significant example of the charming German classic, benefitting from a comprehensive previous restoration, a glowing Signal Orange finish, and low mileage. Presented in exceptional condition for its age, this coveted convertible is a superb collector’s item with a rich history.

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