With Volkswagen beneath and Italian design on top, the Karmann Ghia was a success, and the earliest models are the most beautiful. The artist was a spy during WWII, which makes his life story even more interesting. This example is now fully fixed. To prepare for next year’s car shows, it is currently for sale on the Bring a Trailer auction site. This is either a lowlight or a highlight. Bring a trailer, which is owned by Hearst Autos, like Invoice Pricing, which has the best car of the day. It’s an early model of the Karmann Ghia, distinguished by its lower headlights compared to those found on later versions. Beautiful Italian style and useful German engineering go together in this one. Now is your chance to own a car that a real secret agent created. In addition to being an excellent practical collector’s vehicle, this is your opportunity to own a car created by an actual secret agent. Let’s begin: 1943 in Naples. As the Nazis try to escape, they destroy the city to slow down the Allied attack. A young Neapolitan named Luigi Segre is one of many people who stand up to fight. After four very hard days, the Allies march into town, leaving a mark on the history of the city that most people outside of Italy forget about. Segre joins the fight. Segre was employed by the Office of Strategic Services, the organization that served as the World War II-era counterpart to the CIA. He did this after parachuting into northern Italy from behind enemy lines. As the attack moved north through Italy, he helped by working as a link between Allied leaders and anti-Nazi Italian partisans for the OSS. Besides being smart and brave, he was also a reliable and nice soldier who learned English by using American words. After the war, Segre became an engineer and finally worked for Ghia, a company that makes coaches. The Chrysler designer Virgil Exner became a close friend of his, and some of his ideas were used in the Karmann Ghia. As a thank-you, Segre gave Exner the first Ghia in the United States. Volkswagen’s executives were informed that the Karmann Ghia, crafted by Ghia and manufactured by Karmann, was officially approved. Segre had moved a Volkswagen Type 1 to Italy in secret and changed its body, which made him think of his time as a secret spy. VW agreed to make them, and production began. He did a great job, so you should praise him for that. With its swoops, curves, and finesse, this 1959 example is incredibly beautiful, even though it was made to fit people’s cars. A 1.2-liter air-cooled four-cylinder engine in the back gives the motor below some power, but not a lot. That being said, Karmann Ghias was a little slower than current Bugs, but that doesn’t matter because, well, look at it. The 1955–1959 Lowlight models, like other early Volkswagens, have increased in value over time. The Volkswagen Museum Foundation has accepted this one and has been through a lot of work to fix it. The bottom of it is a Volkswagen, so it should be easy to fix. You can take it to the local VW show once a year or on the weekend for a cruise. This car is a collector’s item and has an interesting history. No matter what its name is, driving this small Italian-German blend will be the best part of your day. The sale ends on November 29.
