Coachbuilder Karmann files for insolvency
The economy has caught up with Karmann, the independent German builder whose name was most famously applied to Volkswagen's '50s roadster, forcing it to file for insolvency. Most recently the company's 3,470 workers were assembling Audi A4 and Mercedes CLK convertibles. Over its 108-year history the brand has done work for a host of marques, building Porsche bodies, the Chrysler Crossfire, the roof system for the Pontiac G6 and Nissan Micra, and the European version of the AMC Javelin. Declining car sales, however, have kept Karmann from being able to fulfill its financial obligations to laid off workers.
[Source: Automotive News, sub req'd. | Photo: ArgentLA]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
inteller 8:40AM (4/08/2009)
not surprising really...Mercedes can probably absorb the convertible work...may make CLK convertibles harder to get though.
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Judgeman 9:32AM (4/08/2009)
A shame.
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BeetleGo 9:54AM (4/08/2009)
You forgot to mention all those 70's 80's Ford units. There were too many to count. And all of them were an embarassment!
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Landy 12:00PM (4/08/2009)
But all Karmann built Escort-Cabriolets were ten times better than the Focus CC build by Pininfarina. Switching from Karmann to Pininfarina was one of the rare mistakes Ford EU made lately.
dukeisduke 9:52AM (4/08/2009)
What about all those royalty payments for rust? I'm reminded of the old joke about Karmann inventing rust, and licensing it to the Italians.
Seriously, I hope they'll be able to restructure and come back.
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Mase 10:20AM (4/08/2009)
As the owner of 2 Karmann Ghia's... this is sad news. They have always been supportive of the vintage VW scene... and recently implemented a convertible top restoration service for their older models.
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jc 10:31AM (4/08/2009)
Sorry if it seems a bit off point,but wouldn't it be nice if VW brought back a successor to the Karman Ghia just as they did the Beetle?
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Eric D-J 1:50PM (4/08/2009)
VW could absorb them for the Karmann name. There was some vew "Ghia" type sketches around a few years ago. But Ford has the rights to the Ghia name
tcc3 4:13PM (4/09/2009)
Yes. And it should be the sporty little roadster the old ghia looked like but never really was.
harlanx6 11:57AM (4/08/2009)
Parasite killed the host. Smart parasites don't do that.
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richishere 2:55AM (4/09/2009)
Very sad. I guess the only good thing is my 1974 Ghia may be worth more now. It sounds like they are going try to hang in there. Let's hope so.
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korona 12:26AM (4/10/2009)
sad
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kanmann Garbage 3:28PM (4/16/2009)
I dont know what took them so long to go under!!!!! Karmann has always made garbage from the guia rustty piece of junk to the G6 and Sebring, all thay make is junk, I am glad they are going under and no one should be proud of owning anything with the Karmann logo, Their Management, Employees, and Owners, never care about the product. let them go to hell.......
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