By Speedhunters

Car Culture At Large

After seeing all of the cool Karmann Ghias at Bug-In last weekend, I got to thinking about this incredible circuit-tuned example I saw running a few times last year at Tsukuba CIrcuit. The over-fenders and RS Watanabe wheels give the Ghia a distinctively Japanese look, but this car is about much more than just looks. In fact, it was running circles around of some of its Italian and British sports car competition on the track. I’ll post more VW photos from Japan later this month.

By Mike Garrett

While no promotional vehicle quite matches the Muffler Hut in sheer idiotic awesomeness, this can car on eBay is apparently pretty appealing as a rolling billboard as well—bidding’s up to $1425, with two days to go. It’s based on a ’79 Karmann Ghia chassis, and the seller warns that it’s neither highway-safe nor likely to be legal in your state, so buyer beware. It’s also yet to be painted up with any particular sponsor, though the seller considerately offers a series of hilarious photoshops of the can car decked out in various corporate schemes. I like the Duracell battery.

Ever since I had a license to drive my matchbox cars on the kitchen floor, I’ve liked my cars low. I think it must’ve come from leaning on the little die-casts too hard. As an adult, I still like them low. Take this Karmann Ghia I found on eBay for example. This car doesn’t have fanciest wheels or the craziest paint job—it’s just low. Yet this car is still cool as hell. People who own big trucks are typically the first to say that,"lowriders are for guys who cant get it up." To them I say "lifted trucks are for guys who cant get layed." Seriously though, I don’t see why the whole high/low issue has to be so polarized, but we all have our desired vehicle ride heights. My preference is trucks high, cars low. What’s yours?

Everyone knows I love jacked-up cars, so now people send them to me. Sean, our resident VW expert, sent me this 1969 Karmann Ghia over the weekend. Looks pretty tough. I’m actually somewhat disappointed to hear that Bobby plans to re-do the interior. I think the dash is pretty awesome. The roll bar might need to be a bit taller, though.