Karmann

Cars with bodies by Karmann

The car itself is credited to its chassis manufacturer. Open a car to see its individual chassis.

• 

  Opel · 1965–1967

  Diplomat V8 Coupé (Karmann)

  347 Built

  Very RareCoachbuilt

Key facts

Founded

1901 (Wilhelm Karmann took over an existing carriage-building business)¹ Independently researched

Founder

Wilhelm Karmann¹ Independently researched

Headquarters

Osnabrück, Germany¹ Independently researched

History

Wilhelm Karmann, trained as a wheelwright in Krefeld, took over a carriage-building workshop in Osnabrück in 1901 and delivered his first automobile body, to Dürkopp, in 1902. A 1926 deal with Adler and a move to all-steel bodies were key steps. Bombing destroyed about 65% of the plant in the Second World War, and work for Hanomag, Ford and Volkswagen rebuilt it. In 1949 he designed a four-seat cabriolet on the Beetle chassis, and Heinrich Nordhoff ordered 1,000; his son continued building the model.

Milestones

1. 1901
   Wilhelm Karmann takes over an Osnabrück carriage workshop.¹
2. 1902
   First automobile body delivered, to Dürkopp.¹
3. 1949
   Four-seat Beetle cabriolet designed; 1,000 ordered by Volkswagen.¹

Sources

Each number links to the exact facts it supports.

1. 1
   Karmann, Wilhelm Level C Deutsche Biographie

   • Wilhelm Karmann takes over an Osnabrück carriage workshop.
   • First automobile body delivered, to Dürkopp.
   • Four-seat Beetle cabriolet designed; 1,000 ordered by Volkswagen.
   • "1901 machte er sich selbständig, indem er einen Handwerksbetrieb in Osnabrück übernahm, der Kutschwagen baute"
   • took over the Osnabrück carriage business in 1901
   • Handwerksbetrieb in Osnabrück
   • company history

   Accessed 2026-11-13