Rossi out to help Lorenzo in Valencia / Rossi se mettra au service de Lorenzo à Valence

 Following consecutive race victories at Phillip Island and Twin Ring Motegi, Lorenzo sits second in the riders’ standings and the reduced margin of 13 points behind Marquez. Lorenzo may have been a chief rival of Rossi’s in past seasons, but the Italian insists that he will be doing all he can to help the Spaniard on this occasion.

"Usually Valencia is not one of my best tracks but I have had some good podiums there and some wins," Rossi begins. "As always, we have to try and do the maximum for the weekend. If I am strong enough, I want to try and help Jorge as much as possible on Sunday and also to be on the podium."

2013 marks the first time since 2006 that MotoGP™ has witnessed a last-race title decider; it was Yamaha versus Honda on that occasion as well, as Rossi lost out to American Nicky Hayden.

Suite à ses victoires à Phillip Island et au Twin Ring Motegi, Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha Factory Racing) n’est plus qu’à treize points de Marc Márquez (Repsol Honda) et pourra compter sur son coéquipier ce week-end à Cheste pour la dernière épreuve de l’année. Rossi et Lorenzo ont effectivement enterré leur ancienne rivalité depuis longtemps, si bien que l’Italien est prêt à jouer pour le collectif. 

« Valence ne fait pas partie de mes circuits préférés mais j’ai eu plusieurs podiums et quelques victoires là-bas, » affirme Rossi. « Comme toujours, nous allons essayer de faire le maximum durant ce week-end. Si je suis assez fort, j’essayerai d’aider Jorge du mieux que possible le dimanche et aussi de monter sur le podium. »

C’est la première fois depuis 2006 que le titre MotoGP™ se décide lors de la dernière épreuve de la saison. A l’époque, Rossi courait sur Yamaha et s’était incliné face à l’Américain Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda).

Zarco joins Caterham Moto Racing Team / Zarco officiellement annoncé chez Caterham pour 2014

Zarco, who finished second in the 2011 125cc Championship and who is currently ninth in the 2013 Moto2 standings, will bring considerable experience and talent to the new team.

 

The rider himself commented, “I'm very happy to join Caterham Moto Racing Team and proud that I’m one of the first riders to join this new team as it starts its adventure in motorcycle racing. We’re targeting consistent strong results in our first season and the experience I have gained in the last two Moto2 seasons will help us achieve that.”

 

“It’s also great to be back working with a number of people who I last worked with in 2011, for example Tony Fernandes whose backing was one of the key elements to helping me finish second in 125cc. Caterham also have some of the same people working on the bike who I worked with back in 2011 and the success we had then shows clearly what we can achieve together.”

 

The Frenchman continued, “The final piece of the team for me is also in place as my coach Laurent Fellon will continue to be part of my crew – he plays a very important role in every aspect of my racing, for example helping me to stay calm when we meet difficult periods along the way. With Laurent and the whole team that Caterham is putting together, I think we have an exciting future ahead.”

 

Johan Stigefelt, Team Manager of the Caterham Moto Racing Team added, “We are very pleased that we’ve been able to secure Johann as one of our two riders for 2014. His talent speaks for itself and he brings Moto2 experience, something that is going to be a valuable asset for us in 2014. The first chance we will have to work with Johann on track will be at the November tests in Jerez and Almeria and everyone is excited about starting work with him and Josh, and even more so about seeing what this pairing can achieve next year.”

Vice-Champion du Monde 125cc en 2011, Johann Zarco est actuellement neuvième du Championnat du Monde Moto2™ 2013 et apportera son expérience au nouveau Caterham Moto Racing Team, qu’avait présenté Dato’ Kamarudin Meranun lors du dernier GP de Malaisie. 

Johann Zarco :

« Je suis très heureux de rejoindre le Caterham Moto Racing Team et fier d’être l’un des premiers pilotes à courir pour ce nouveau team, qui débute en moto. Pour notre première saison ensemble, nous voudrons réaliser de bons résultats de manière régulière et l’expérience que j’ai accumulée lors de mes deux dernières saisons en Moto2 devrait nous aider. C’est aussi très bien d’avoir le soutien de plusieurs personnes avec lesquelles j’avais travaillé en 2011, comme par exemple Tony Fernandes, dont le soutien avait été l’une des clés de ma saison en 125cc quand j’avais fini deuxième. Caterham employe aussi plusieurs personnes avec qui j’avais travaillé en 2011 et le succès que nous avions eu à l’époque montre le potentiel que nous aurons ensemble. »

« La dernière pièce dont le team avait besoin est également en place puisque mon coach Laurent Fellon continuera de faire partie de mon équipe. Il joue un rôle très important dans tous les aspects de ma carrière et m’aide par exemple à garder mon calme lorsque nous traversons des moments difficiles. Avec Laurent et toute l’équipe que Caterham a réunie, je pense qu’un bel avenir nous attend. »

Johan Stigefelt, Team Manager, Caterham Moto Racing Team :

« Nous sommes très heureux d’avoir réussi à engager Johann pour qu’il soit l’un de nos deux pilotes pour 2014. Son talent parle pour lui-même et il est déjà expérimenté en Moto2, ce qui sera très important pour nous en 2014. Nous aurons l’opportunité de travailler en piste avec Johann pour la première fois en novembre, aux tests de Jerez et d’Almeria, et tout le monde est très excité à l’idée de travailler avec lui et Josh, afin de voir de quoi ils seront capables pour l’an prochain.

Mia Sharizman, Directeur du Caterham Moto Racing Team :

« Johann complète notre line-up pour 2014 et nous ne pourrions être plus heureux que de l’annoncer aux côtés de Josh Herrin comme l’un des deux premiers pilotes de Caterham Moto Racing. Nous voulions avoir des pilotes aux expériences différentes pour notre première saison, avec un rookie qui a cependant déjà les armes pour se battre en Moto2 dès le départ, le rôle que remplira Josh, et un pilote qui a déjà l’expérience du Moto2 mais aussi le talent et le potentiel nécessaires pour atteindre nos objectifs dès la première année, et il s’agit donc de Johann. Tout le monde au sein du team est impatient de travailler avec lui et Josh cet hiver. Nous sommes certains que nous pourrons faire bonne impression dès notre première course, en 2014, au Qatar, dans ce qui est l’un des championnats les plus compétitifs, sports automobile et moto confondus. »

Timberland : Best Then. Better Now.

For Fall 2013, Timberland introduce a collection of  footwear and apparel inspired by our past but crafted for today -- staying true to the rugged outdoor heritage we're known for, and featuring style, performance and green elements.

Yamaha XJR1300 'Eau Rouge' by Deus Ex Machina

Last year Yamaha started asking motorcycle customizers to provide inspirational ideas on how to transform modern Yamaha motorcycles into what they have dubbed ‘Yard Built Specials'. It's only been a few months since Deus Ex Machina Italy launched their last 'Yard Built' Yamaha XJR1300 named Project X. Now they have just unveiled their latest take on the XJR1300 at the EICMA 2013 in Milan – the largest two-wheeled show in the world. Deus and Yamaha have collaborated to transform this powerful XJR1300 into something to behold. The 'Eau Rouge' is Deus Ex Machina's modern interpretation of endurance racing bikes of the 70s and 80s – and what a wonderful interpretation it is.

The lines on the bike are what makes this build truly special. The angular seat unit and petrol tank have been hand-built, along with the ‘Cyclops’ nose cone that houses the off set headlight. The bike has been finished in a special paint that gives the appearance of bare metal. The iconic Yamaha ‘speed block’ design finishes the bike off perfectly and gives a nod to it's racing heritage.  

When it comes to the components, needless to say they have spared no expense. Up front they have used retro-styled Öhlins right way up forks that embrace an iconic Marvic five-spoke gold wheel, with solid discs and unique engraved Discacciati calipers. At the rear is a titanium stubby 4-into-1 exhaust system and twin Öhlins shocks with machined aluminium rearsets. 

The ’Eau Rouge’ is a stunning tribute to those that pushed the limits in non-stop 24 hour endurance races. Deus might have given a modern twist to the semi-faired 70s style endurance bikes, but it still looks like it has the soul of something much older.

To see and hear 'Eau Rouge' in action, make sure you watch the video below. 

via PIPEBURN

CATERHAM BRUTUS 750

One of the surprise announcements at EICMA, the world’s biggest motorcycle show, was the launch of Caterham Bikes. It’s a new two-wheeled division from the group that owns the sportscar company and F1 team.

The Brutus 750 is a pitched as a multi-purpose bike that works both on- and off-road, and we’re told it will also come with a kit to convert it to a snowmobile. It’s a kind of 21st century Rokon, albeit without the two-wheel drive. The raw, angular styling looks even better in the metal than in these images.

The official spec sheet doesn’t reveal much: the engine is a 750cc liquid-cooled DOHC unit, and it’s hooked up to a CVT transmission. There’s no word on where that powertrain comes from, but I’m guessing that it’s a Southeast Asian quad bike unit with the usual carburetor replaced by fuel injection. Weight is listed as 235 kg, the forks are 43mm USDs, and the wheels are 14” front and back.

It’s tempting to dismiss this as just another concept, and compare it to the similarHusqvarna Mille design from three years ago. But the signs do point towards serious intent on Caterham’s part. The company is planning to run a Moto2 race team in 2014, and has strong engineering and technology subsidiaries within the group.

So maybe this is one concept that will be put into production. And judging by the crowds milling around the machine at Caterham’s booth, the market is ready for it.

What about you?

via BIKEEXIF

Royal Enfield Bullet

Harley Davidson celebrates 110 years of uninterrupted existence in 2013. Triumph turned 110 in 2012 but did close down for a few years in between. For a brand name to survive this long is an amazing achievement, especially in the extremely volatile motorcycle market. Yet why do we not see T shirts, especially from the Harley marketing machine, with “The oldest surviving motorcycle manufacturer” printed all over them? The answer is simple, or should that read basic and it wears the badge Royal Enfield.

In 1893 the Royal Enfield name was registered, ten years ahead of Harley and Triumph. The company it evolved from was a bicycle manufacturer which gained a large contract to supply weapon parts to “Royal” Arms from “Enfield” in England. Their famous slogan “Built like a Gun” bears testimony to their history in arms manufacture. In 1898 Royal Enfield produced their first motorised quadricycle and in 1901 their first motorised bicycle. Until their official demise in 1970 Royal Enfield produced a wonderful range of motorcycles which included both two stroke and four stroke, single and twin cylinder models.

Although not Royal Enfield’s most sophisticated or most powerful model the Bullet model has become the best known Royal Enfield of all because they are still available off the showroom floor today. The Bullet name was first used in 1932 but the fully sprung model, which has the looks and single cylinder engine we all recognise in the latest model, appeared as a 350cc in 1949 and a 500cc in 1953.

The Bullet’s existence today was determined by the Indian government in 1955 which ordered eight hundred 350cc Bullets for the army and police. The motorcycles were assembled in an Indian assembly plant. In 1957 tooling to manufacture the parts was sold to the Indians who were producing complete motorcycles by 1962. The motorcycles have been improved over the years, mainly to meet legislation requirements but remain close to the 1949 originals. With the Bullets increasing popularity, its record as being the motorcycle model with longest production run looks unthreatened.

Onto our featured motorcycle…a Royal Enfield Bullet 500cc based classic racer. South Africa and Rhodesia produced some great international motorcycle racers in the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s. The South African Motorcycle Group preserves and continues racing historic racers pre 1975. Dion, a member of this group, decided to build this machine as there were no Royal Enfields being raced locally. Just about all the components including top triple tree clamp, tank, seat, rearsets and fairing were fabricated by Dion from scratch. He has built an unusual machine worthy of the slogan which was added to the original: Goes like a Bullet.

via http://www.retrowriteup.com

‘78 Moto Guzzi Le Mans I - Revival Cycles

It's hard to deny that Moto Guzzi hold a rather special place in the pantheon of motorcycles. They're a whole lot cooler and unusual than your average Ducati. They're definitely more passionate than most BMWs. And there's little doubt that they can out-sport most Triumphs, even if it is by their looks alone. In what you could call a Lamborghini-esque niche, they seem to occupy that perfect world where collectable, beautiful and unusual intersect. Which makes a custom Guzzi even more of an impressive proposition. And when they're done as well as the bikes that have been rolling out Austin's Revival Cycles in recent years, it's a wonder that the other shops haven't given up and gone home. Meet their latest and quite probably their greatest, the ‘78 Le Mans Special.

“I bought this bike as someone's unfinished factory restoration project,” says Revival Cycle's main resuscitator, Alan Stulberg. “He literally kissed it and bid it farewell when I handed him the cash. It was sort of emotional, but in reality it came to me with everything zip-tied on it to make it look as if it were a functioning bike. It was simply a rolling parts rack with everything finger-tight and I seriously had it back apart in less than an hour.”

“Not many Guzzi lovers come across a factory-clean Le Mans I for a decent price and the purists would be screaming, but I simply couldn't resist the urge to rip it down and turn it into the custom Le Mans I'd always wanted.After coming up with some basic design parameters, I started de-tabbing and cutting the frame down. We then built a custom aluminum tail and seat pan, a black suede seat with red stitching on the outside edge with a chevron pattern and a hidden RFID sensor under a Revival "R" logo to act as a keyless ignition switch.”

“We cut down and custom-fitted a set of Tarozzi rearsets and relocated the rear master to further clean up the rear 'triangle' section. We deleted the center stand, built a custom stainless 2-1 exhaust with a CONE Engineering silencer (the sound is the most amazing Italian goodness I've ever heard). We serviced the engine, verified fantastic compression and installed a new DYNA electronic ignition. It all started up on the first try. The Lithium Iron battery buried under the seat is tiny but cranks things up beautifully.”

“The vintage Marzocchi rear shocks were a cool find that simply had to go on this bike. They are upside down because they wouldn't fit with the factory rear brake caliper, but I strangely prefer them this way. They were revalved and work surprisingly well.

I picked the flat-toned grey color because it resembled the Porsche 356 color that I've loved for years. I don't think most people would paint aluminum. The tail was smooth and ready for polishing, but I decided this color was more what I was after. After that, it was all about the subtle details - the POSH grips, the leather inlay on the tank filler inset, the one-off hand cut leather 'zip-ties', the choice to keep the otherwise not-so-subtle Guzzi badge that is made subtle with black paint and maintained to show its heritage.”

“The bike is an excellent runner and infinitely faster and better handling than my old T3. It's a veritable rocket by comparison; she's a total blast to ride. But not being ones who can leave well-enough alone, we decided to race it in the Barber Vintage Festival this year. We started bu building a full set of alloy bodywork, as you can see. We also put in a stronger clutch, a modern Brembo radial master cylinder, stiffer race-tech fork springs, adjustable air cartridges for fork damping, Icon rear shocks and of course Avon track tires.

On race day Chris managed to start in 14th and got a great hole-shot that helped him finish in 5th place. We were all stunned as he passed modern Japanese sport bikes mixed in with the vintage racers to finish with a winner's fist pump.”

“The future of this bike is likely to include us slapping some tiny headlights down low on the forks and simply riding the hell out of it on the street until we can get it back on the track. We have decided that we'll also be building a more fitting race engine to make sure Chris doesn't have to settle for 5th place next time.”

via PIPEBURN

RB Kustoms Jamie’s xs650

Jamie Ireson works for RB Kustoms in Coolham, Sussex, in the UK, where he and owner, Russell Brown, do all the fabrication work for Warr’s Harley Davidson, plus they build bikes for private clients… So, you’d expect Jamie’s own bike, a 1979 Yamaha xs650, to be a bit special – and it is.

Jamie wanted the bike to have a lot of detail and clean lines, where the hard work and components stood out rather than just a ‘flashy paint job‘, and with D-Luck producing a simple flat primer-grey across the tank and frame your eyes are drawn to details like the leather tank logo and matching upholstery, the dayglo green pedal-cycle kickstarter and the anodised gold details on the suspension and front brake caliper.

Close-up, the bike is also about textures and materials. “I  love leather on bikes, as was found on old English bikes. Hence the use of Brooks parts. I’m also a lover of push bikes, BMX’s from my youth and mountain biking.” But all these interesting touches do have their downsides:  “The bike is very tactile, which was very evident at The Bike Shed event, as everyone kept touching the bike – which to begin with I wasn’t really happy with. Never touch another man’s bike. One of those unwritten rules, but the bike is so tactile with the paint and leather, I got over it ha ha.”

The fuel tank is from a BSA and was modified in-house. The front-end was donated by a Yamaha R6 while the rear is held up with a pair of Ohlins shocks. The lovely black spoked wheels were built by Talon with Excel rims, who also supplied the front and rear discs, and front sprocket.

The swingarm was custom built in-house, as were the bars, the yokes and the stainless steel downpipes. The guys also built their own linkages, bar ends and the centre stand. The Brembo levers were kindly donated by a Ducati Hypermotard and the rear brake caliper is also a Brembo item. As mentioned the leather grips are Brooks, and that pedal kickstart is from DMR, made for a mountain bike.

The hand-stitched leatherwork on this bike really stands out too as not only is the seat upholstered in brown leather, with that broad tank-strap, but the Yamaha triple tuning-fork logo is also matched in leather, with the work being done by Leather Mark 69.

Jamie’s bike was one of the most popular builds at the Bike Shed Event II and the attention was well deserved. It was also interesting that it was one of those machines that seemed to appeal to everyone, from the down and dirty brat-style lovers to the shiny-chrome custom crew. What everyone really appreciated was all that detail Jamie was so keen to show off. So, job done.

And the ride? “The bike really is great fun to ride. Has the usual XS vibrations, but that’s part of the appeal.”Thanks for sharing, Jamie, and we look forward to seeing more from you and RB Kustoms. Also, big thanks to Bike Shed regular Merry Michau for the moody photos.

Sibirsky Extreme Trail

The goal: To map an offroad trail route all the way from the edge of the European Union, across Eurasia to the Pacific Ocean at Magadan. The planned route took in Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Siberia and involved riders from the UK, Holland, US and Norway as they took on challenges as diverse as the steppes of Russia, the mountains of the Altai, the grasslands of Mongolia and the pinnacles of Siberian adventure challenges, the BAM Road and the Road of Bones - Old Summer Road. 

This video is a trailer for the DVD that resulted from the trip, currently being put together, with an anticipated release of early 2014. The DVD will be available exclusively at www.adventure-spec.com.

Nuno’s Dented Brat

Nuno Capêlo was born 35 years ago on Madeira Island in Portugal and now lives in Oporto, where he graduated in architecture. When Nuno finished his studies he realised he was in love with the city and ended up staying there to live and work. Capêlos Garage is Nuno’s hobby, a mixture of a garage, illustration and a design studio, and this “Dented Brat” is his first build.

“In 2013 I completed the construction of my first bike. I used a Suzuki GSX400 from 1987. It was a low-cost project conducted for my pure fun. That started one year and a half ago. I found the bike over the internet. After a month looking at the photos of the bike full of dust I decided to see it live. I talked to the owner and finally I went to a small village in the district of Leiria, Portugal. When I got there I found myself with a new bike. The owner had it washed. The engine started on the first attempt. I knew I couldn’t leave the village without purchasing that bike.”

Nuno had originally planned to turn the bike into a Cafe Racer, but as the construction process went on his tastes evolved and the bike changed direction towards a Brat-Style build.

“Before starting the construction of the bike, I developed and published the drawings on the Forum Café Racer 351. The project and my drawings had a huge acceptance with other Forum members. This acceptance led me to create a page on Facebook dedicated to the dissemination of my work.”

“Firstly I removed everything that was plastic. This was followed by the blinkers, the original Seat and manometers. Everything considered to be ‘out of place’ has been removed.”

The frame was shortened at the back and looped, while the airbox was taken out and cone style filters attached to the carbs, requiring some re-jetting to adapt the fueling for more airflow. The original front light gave way to a smaller unit produced by a Portuguese brand, very common in older Portuguese 50cc models.  The bars and mirrors are now LSL and the rear light is LED. Smaller indies complete a discrete and simple lighting setup.

The original front brakes were retained by using braided hoses and better pads, giving much more sensitivity. The original end cans were replaced by smaller ones without baffles, improving the bike’s soundtrack, while the header pipes were wrapped. “The rear mudguard was purchased at a fair of used parts. I cut it and, in my view, it was perfect. It’s a shame that the license plate hides the mudguard.”

“As for the fuel tank. Since the start of the project what I had in mind was to give it a raw look. For this I decided to strip it. Then I realized that the fuel tank featured several dents. These dents made me question the original idea. Should I go for the raw aspect or should I paint it? Several people advised me to paint and remove the dents. However, my instinct forced me to keep the initial idea: a gas tank with raw and naked aspect. The only painting that I made in the fuel tank was a black belt at the bottom to dissimulate the curved lines, merging it with the black of the motorcycle. For me the gas cap in brass is the crown jewel of the fuel tank. Is one of the details that I like more in the fuel tank.”

As the bike was initially designed to be a cafe racer the seat was originally designed and planned with single seat and hump, this evolved into a tracker style seat which was finally bobbed into the short seat you can see in the pics. The upholstery was stitched longitudinally for aesthetic reasons, helping the curvature of the seat match the rear of the frame.

“My aim for the painting was also to check a very crude aspect, without much ‘bling bling’. This decision reflects my personal taste. So, I sent the motorcycle frame, the rims and some smaller parts for a painting job, leaving the other components with the existing patina and aspect when I bought it.”

“For me, as the motorcycle user it translates the final design. I am very pleased with the result. There’s only one thing that should have been changed. I have plans to change the front section of the bike by a front of a bandit 400. It is a question of reliability and performance. Based on the design the front will be more robust without altering the general line of the motorcycle. The bike is fantastic in terms of driving. Is fairly light and easy to drive. This is not a bike with a lot of speed. That was not the objective. I proposed to build me a bike to ride and have fun. And that’s what I have.”

Thanks to Nuno for sharing his hard work with all of us. We look forward to seeing more from Capêlos Garage on the Bike Shed, and you can also check out Nuno’s Facebook Page, and finally, thanks to Cesar Augusto for the photos.

via Yhe Bike Shed

Enduro : Renet triumphs in Sweden / Renet triomphe en Suède

Already double winner of the Gotland Grand National in Sweden, Pierre Alexandre Renet claimed a third consecutive win and offered to the new Husqvarna Michelin squad a great win for their first race.

Déjà vainqueur de la Gotland Grand National à deux reprises, Pierre Alexandre Renet a signé un troisième succès de rang et offre à la nouvelle équipe Husqvarna Michelin une belle victoire dès la première sortie.

Organised on the Swedish island of Gotland, the GGN is one of the most important off-road race in the world and more than 2700 riders were involved in this 30^th edition.

The weather was better than usual for this birthday, so the race was faster and not as difficult as the previous years; Renet took the lead early in this three hours race, and got a strong lead when his main rival Mats Nilsson had a technical problem. “It was a perfect race for me, and physically it was not as demanding as the previous years. I had a great start and took the lead early, then I made a strong gap and could manage the race until the finish flag”said Pierre Alexandre, the single foreigner to ever win this race. Another French rider shine in Sweden, as Jeremy Tarroux (Sherco Michelin) finished third aboard its 250 Sherco and confirmed his good season.

This event was the first opportunity to see the new factory Husqvarna Enduro team, built by the new owner of the brand. Always involved with Michelin, a long-time partner, Husqvarna couldn’t expect a better result on the historical soil of the brand

Disputée sur l’île Suédoise de Gotland, la GGN est l’une des plus grandes courses moto tout terrain au monde et réunissait plus de 2700 participants pour son 30^ème anniversaire.

L’épreuve s’est, cette fois, disputée dans des conditions météo clémentes, ce qui a rendu la course très rapide ; rapidement pointé au commandement de cette course de 3 heures, Renet s’est imposé assez aisément après que Mats Nilsson qui occupait la seconde position ait connu un problème mécanique.

« Ce fut une course parfaite pour moi, physiquement c’était moins dur que les deux années précédentes car la météo était plus clémente. Je suis bien parti et j’ai pu me forger une bonne avance, ce qui m’a permis de gérer la fin de course à ma guise » confiait à l’arrivée Pierre Alexandre, seul étranger à s’être jamais imposé dans cette épreuve. Autre français engagé, Jeremy Tarroux (Sherco Michelin) confirme sa belle saison en décrochant une excellente troisième place au guidon d’une 250 Sherco.

Cette épreuve constituait la première sortie officielle du nouveau team enduro Husqvarna, formé par l’usine KTM nouveau propriétaire de la marque. Faisant toujours confiance à son partenaire de longue date qu’est Michelin, Husqvarna ne pouvait rêver meilleur début sur les terres historiques de la marque.

Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Type 34 Razor Edge.

The Volkswagen Karmann Ghia proved to the world when first launched in 1955 that the company could produce ‘sporty’ models.

When you throw Italian design, German manufacturing, American influence, and 1960/1970s panache together, chances are you’ll end up with the Volkswagen Karmann Ghia (or the Diesel fashion label). The Karmann Ghia remains one of the finer – and first – examples of ‘sporty Volkswagen’, bookmarking its place in the history books as a result. All the more ironic therefore that it shares the same platform, and indeed most of its ‘performance’ with the iconic Type 1 Beetle.

With the Volkswagen Beetle having already established itself as the company’s flagship saloon (the 10,000th unit was produced in 1946, less than a year after mass production began), a convertible model was commissioned in 1949, the production of which went to West German coachbuilders Karmann. Now hold on, because the next bit gets a little complicated.

Having recently made the jump from the Studebaker Corporation to Chrysler in 1949, American designer Virgil Exner contacted Italian entrepreneurs Carrozzeria Ghia to get his idea for ‘spicier’ Chryslers off the ground. Exner liked what he saw when the first design rolled his way in 1952 – the Chrysler K-310 Concept – and it wasn’t long before the American giant commissioned a 40-strong production. Production of the newly christened D’Elegance however hit a few snags, a lack of finances among the most crucial. The initial run of 40 was hacked down to 25, bigwigs at Ghia suitably irritated that they had been left with unused capacity and time to twiddle their thumbs.

Or so they thought. Having already considered the prospect of a ‘sexier’ Volkswagen Beetle convertible, Ghia designers – with the help of Karmann engineers – took ‘inspiration’ from Chrysler’s K-310 concept design to create a rolling coupe prototype on a Beetle platform, which would later be scrutinised by VW executives in November 1953. Having been convinced that the new model would not only prove popular in the niche automotive market but cost-effective to produce and maintain, VW CEO Heinrich Nordhoff finally gave the thumbs up for a limited production run after scriutineering the model in September 1953 Having adopted the names of its creators, the new Volkswagen Karmann Ghia made its European debut in 1955.

While many over the year’s have dubbed the Karmann Ghia the ‘People’s Porsche’ – a reference to the VW Beetle’s ‘Käfer’ moniker – don’t think VW’s latest convertible was a track weapon. The Beetle’s platform on which the Karmann sat had been widened by six inches to carry the new bodyshell, but the 1192cc air-cooled engine remained the same, as did its 36hp and questionable acceleration (this despite the coupe weighing just 794kg). Plant the right foot hard enough and you could just about hit 115kph, providing the 36-second 0-100kph time didn’t put you off.

What the Karmann Ghia did boast however was style, and lashings of it. As well as a low stance, the coupe boasted curved glass, frameless windows, rounded head and taillights, grooved bonnet and sleek front grille, or ‘whiskers’ as they’d later be known. Critical acclaim slid back and forth between reverence and revulsion, but VW’s new boy quickly made a name for itself. Whereas the Karmann Ghia enjoyed a 4500-strong production run during its eight year lifecycle, nearly three times that many Beetles would soon be hitting the factory floor every year. Hardly surprising then that in 1956, at just under $2400 the Karman Ghia was nearly $1000 more than the Beetle (around $21,500 and $8500 respectively in today’s money).

After many years pootling along the daily commute though, VW customers were clammering for more acceleration and better-equipped cabins. The answer arrived in 1961, when VW unveiled the Type 34 – Razor Edge, at the Frankfurt Motor Show. As well as a more pointed, aggressively designed nose, wider front grilles and a more stocked optional extras list (amongst which was fog lights, a cigarette lighter and an electric sunroof), under the bonnet lay the new VW 1500, a 1.5-litre air-cooled four-cylinder that pushed power up to 40hp (so keen were VW to showcase the new engine that the Type 34 – like the example above – was originally called the Volkswagen 1500 Karmann Ghia Coupe). Hardly earth shattering, but come the end of its production cycle in 1971, power for both the Karmann and the new Type 34 had nearly doubled thanks to a new 57hp 1.6-litre unit. Outright grunt may well have been the domain of the Karmann’s principal rivals – the MGB and the Triumph Spitfire – but the looks of the coupe continued to steal the show (a convertible had been unveiled in 1957).

Entering the early 1970s though, difficulties in production meant the Karmann Ghia had soon met its match, and the launch of the new VW Scirocco didn’t help the old dog either. The precedence had been set though: no longer would the world see Volkswagen as ‘just’ a producer of mainstream family cars. Decades later, the Golf GTI, the Scirocco R and theBugatti Veyron among others still show just what a ‘sporty Volkswagen’ can do.

- Shots courtesy of Hasam Al Ghamdi

Volkswagen	Karmann Ghia Type 34 (as of 1961)
Engine:	Inline 4-cyl / 1493cc
Power:	40hp @ 3800rpm
Torque:	83lb ft @ 2000rpm
Transmission:	Four-speed manual / synchro
Front suspension:	Independent transverse torsion bars
Rear suspension:	Independent transverse torsion bars
Brakes:	Single circuit / four-wheel drum
Wheels:	N/A
Tyres:	N/A
Weight (kerb)	900kg
0-100kph:	24sec
Top speed:	132kph via http://www.crankandpiston.com