1969 Beetle Wedding Car.
Celebrating both the final year of the current-generation Beetle and the 70th anniversary of the first Beetle sold in the U.S., the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance is hosting a class of custom coachwork Bugs. This branch of automotive art is sometimes ignored by automakers – Europe’s carrozzeria or karosserie culture.
“While everyone knows the humble Beetle, it’s less well-known that the Beetle platform was used by a number of coach-builders in Europe to produce the amazing, unique vehicles on show this weekend,” said Klaus Bischoff, Head of Volkswagen Design.
1965 Karmann-Ghia Type 1 concept.
Custom-Bodied Volkswagens
- 1950 Hebmueller Type 14A
- 1951 Rometsch Beeskow Coupe
- 1951 Tempo Matador
- 1953 Rometsch Taxi
- 1953 Dannenhauer & Stauss Cabriolet
- 1954 Dannenhauer & Stauss Coupe
- 1954 Rometsch Beeskow Coupe
- 1956 Beetle by Troutman and Barnes
- 1957 Rometsch Lawrence Convertible
- 1960 Rometsch Lawrence Coupe
- 1965 Karmann-Ghia Type 1 concept
- 1969 Beetle Wedding Car
VW says this will be the first time that this many custom coachwork vehicles are assembled in the same place and the first time that a number of these cars will be seen in public in the U.S. The 1965 Karmann-Ghia Type 1 concept, which belongs to Volkswagen, and the 1951 Rometsch Beeskow Coupe, which belongs to the Grundmann Collection, have been shipped from Germany for the occasion.
Update
1951 Volkswagen Roemtsch Beeskow Wins Top Honor for Custom Coachwork At Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, publisher (kzhw@aol.com), is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
Zino is at home on test tracks, knows his way around U.S. Congressional hearing rooms, auto company headquarters, plant floors, as well as industry research and development labs where the real mobility work is done. He can quote from court decisions, refer to instrumented road tests, analyze financial results, and profile executive personalities and corporate cultures.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
Custom Coachwork Beetles at Amelia Island Concours
1969 Beetle Wedding Car.
Celebrating both the final year of the current-generation Beetle and the 70th anniversary of the first Beetle sold in the U.S., the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance is hosting a class of custom coachwork Bugs. This branch of automotive art is sometimes ignored by automakers – Europe’s carrozzeria or karosserie culture.
“While everyone knows the humble Beetle, it’s less well-known that the Beetle platform was used by a number of coach-builders in Europe to produce the amazing, unique vehicles on show this weekend,” said Klaus Bischoff, Head of Volkswagen Design.
1965 Karmann-Ghia Type 1 concept.
Custom-Bodied Volkswagens
VW says this will be the first time that this many custom coachwork vehicles are assembled in the same place and the first time that a number of these cars will be seen in public in the U.S. The 1965 Karmann-Ghia Type 1 concept, which belongs to Volkswagen, and the 1951 Rometsch Beeskow Coupe, which belongs to the Grundmann Collection, have been shipped from Germany for the occasion.
Update
1951 Volkswagen Roemtsch Beeskow Wins Top Honor for Custom Coachwork At Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, publisher (kzhw@aol.com), is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. Zino is at home on test tracks, knows his way around U.S. Congressional hearing rooms, auto company headquarters, plant floors, as well as industry research and development labs where the real mobility work is done. He can quote from court decisions, refer to instrumented road tests, analyze financial results, and profile executive personalities and corporate cultures. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.