Where The World Meets™
 
It’s a whole new world out there; like that of the ski community way above the tree line -- a story I’ll save for another time. For  now, just go to the nearest parking lot and take a good look around… pretty boring I’ll bet? Come on, admit it -- this is one gorgeous car! It’s no wonder the better ones are fetching 15K.
 
 by S. Thomas
"LOOKING FOR KARMANN GHIA" by Elyahou Lallouz Copyright © 2003-Present. Galleria Lallouz, Corp. All rights reserved. I could waft poetically for days over this car... actually over all of my cars. But for the moment, let me cut to the quick for those of you hard-core city folk who are wondering what I’m getting at. Unlike my skis, which when used up were, well… used up! With a classic car, you can actually make money, real money! Somewhere, somehow, Americans convinced themselves that their homes should increase in value while their cars (second largest investment) should depreciate. Well surprise, surprise -- welcome to my world! So the stock market is played out, and your kids are set for school (after that, well... it’s their problem). Anniversary trips for you and your spouse are paid until... forever! Money left in the bank is practically useless. So now what, Sotheby’s... a third house? Your money manager will undoubtedly point you in these or some other self-serving directions. My advice is much simpler: remember FUN? Take a spin in a classic, and then go out and buy one. I’ve made money on most of my 4-wheeled ‘holdings’. Even when I came out even, in effect I’ve benefited with free weekends and summers of transportation for as long as I’ve owned the classic (notice I didn’t say winter transportation). The longer you hold onto them, the more they appreciate, sometimes even overnight. Can you quit your day job? No. Will it replace real estate investments? No. But consider this; there are no bank points, lawyers, closing fees, or tax assessors. Unlike a house, if you don’t like the market, you can simply drive ‘it’ to another one! And remember that ‘collector car insurance’ costs next to nothing -- they know that you won’t be driving it all the time. But let’s get back to the art of this all -- when you’re driving one of these, the last thing you’ll be thinking about is the resale value!
 
 
the world of the karmann ghia
 
With a new car buyer, personality plays little role. The primary emphasis is to show off the new wheels, (a possible shortcoming with regard to taste), and give insight to their finances. But the thrill will last only for the time it is ‘new’ and ends abruptly the instant the ‘newer improved’ version of the vehicle makes its appearance onto the scene. At that point, the game is up. A classic, by definition, has defeated time itself, as production for the Karmann Ghia ended in 1974. The car’s owner, by contrast, forces the observer to look at him, as well as the car. “Who is this guy?” It works even better with women; a little known secret among women looking for an ‘edge’. Voilà la différence: the driver becomes a part of the equation. Is it any wonder that the first five letters of ‘Classic’ spell…? Take the Karmann Ghia; it’s a great first-time venture into the vintage car realm. The total 36 to 75 horsepower is what your neighbor’s Lexus uses to light his glove box, but we’re talking ‘class’. The Ghia is handmade, the Lexus is not. While one’s a legend, the other is a symbol. Are you catching my drift? Provenance is not easily attained, and this particular car comes up with a big one. In the 1950’s, Chrysler sought out new designs from Italy in an attempt to trump GM’s Corvette. They fiddled with many designs, one in particular from the House of Ghia. Suddenly, they dropped the whole idea. Later, Volkswagen, looking for its own ‘concept model’ approached the German Design House, Karmann. The Karmann people approached Ghia for some ideas. And voilà -- the rejected Chrysler design! The Karmann Ghia is a virtual Ménage à Trois... Germany, Italy and the good old U.S. of A!
 
"JOYRIDE" by Elyahou Lallouz Copyright © 2003-Present. Galleria Lallouz, Corp. All rights reserved. It’s a whole new world out there; like that of the ski community way above the tree line -- a story I’ll save for another time. For now, just go to the nearest parking lot and take a good look around… pretty boring I’ll bet? Come on, admit it -- this is one gorgeous car! It’s no wonder the better ones are fetching 15K. I’m a ‘coupe’ guy myself, but there are some fab convertibles out there as well. With the androgynous lines of this model, it does have a certain “unisex” appeal, although men do look slightly better in the coupe, and a wee bit ‘off’ in the convertible… sort of Maxwell Smart-ish. Women can do both. But it’s the convertible that brings out her… ‘je ne sais quoi’. Although they are more pricey, they have a higher resale return. But why would you even sell such a beauty? Isn’t the Karmann Ghia something to bequeath to your offspring... along with the trust fund, of course!
 
 
Eclectic writer, Thomas R. Sebastian, penned S. Thomas, is the author of racing cult classic, ‘Miracle at Monaco’ reviewed as the most accurate portrayal of the ‘Formula 1’ experience currently available in the book world. He is also one of the few automotive journalists who actually owns the cars he writes about. His Formula 1 racing experiences have been featured at GrandPrix.com. Thomas can be reached via email: plus8mog@yahoo.commailto:plus8mog@yahoo.comshapeimage_14_link_0
 
By way of introduction, I have been asked to wax poetic on the world of classic cars as I know it -- yes, and I admit to using foreign words for no reason… let me begin with an analogous experience. When I was first introduced to downhill skiing, a whole new world opened up to me that I had theretofore not known. It changed everything; life... and such a good life! ‘Above the tree line’ became my winter universe. Life is short. One of those novel ‘openings’ in the fabric of ones time here on earth does go a long way. I never expected another... and then I bought my Karmann Ghia. It wasn’t a car so much as it was a theme -- a musical note heard only by those with the proper sensory apparatus. As with the whistle that only the family pooch pops its ears up for, I soon noticed that the car I’d bought solely as cheap transportation seemed to be some sort of consciousness raising event for some... only some, as they watched me go by.