Tag Archives: Ghia

Pretty Blue Dress

Lego Volkswagen Karmann Ghia

The Volkswagen Karmann Ghia may have just been a Beetle in a pretty dress, but what a dress! Penned by Italian design-house Ghia the car debuted in 1953 before going into production with German coach builders Karmann in ’55. A twenty year manufacturing run produced almost half-a-million Karmann Ghias, plus a few ultra-rare (and ultra-expensive) Type 34s.

Sadly only Volkswagen seemed to profit from such success, as whist the Karmann Ghia was replaced by the very different – but equally iconic – Scirocco in 1974, Karmann filed for bankruptcy in 2009 whilst Ghia were purchased by Ford and ended up no more than a trim grade on Fiestas and Mondeos.

Lego Volkswagen Karmann Ghia

We’ll remember their glory days, thanks to this brilliant 1960s Volkswagen Karmann Ghia from previous bloggee Henrik Jensen. With working steering, a fully detailed interior and engine, and wonderfully accurate bodywork, Henrik’s model is a fitting tribute to one of the world’s most beautiful cars. We think it’d make a rather lovely official set too, seeing as LEGO have already produced the Volkswagen Beetle and Camper as part of their Creator line-up.

There’s lots more to see of Henrik’s gorgeous Karmann Ghia at both Flickr and MOCpages – click on the links to see the full build details and all of the images.

Lego Volkswagen Karmann Ghia

Pin Up

Lego Classic Cadillac

This gorgeous 1953 coachbuilt Ghia Cadillac Series 62 is the work of famed Flickr car-builder Tim Inman, and it displays some truly outstanding brickmanship.

The real Ghia Coupe was just as special. Given to movie star Rita Hayworth by her third husband Prince Aly Khan (then the world’s richest man) during their brief marriage, the Cadillac was one of only two bodied in Italy by coach-builders Ghia using a DeVille V8 as a base.

The car now resides in the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, the city where Rita too now rests. Following several more short marriages and a battle with alcoholism, Rita succumbed to Alzheimers disease aged just 68. One of the world’s biggest movie stars Rita Heyworth’s legacy remains as one of the American Film Institutes ‘100 Greatest Stars of All Time’.

Lego Classic Cadillac Series 62