In 1949, Volkswagen launched two cabriolet models based on the Beetle chassis: the two-seater (2+2) Type 14 and the 4-seater Type 15. These convertibles were not assembled at the VW factory but respectively outsourced to coachbuilders Hebmüller and Karmann. Volkswagen sent the completed rolling chassis and key parts to both companies, where employees mated them to convertible bodies and finished the cars.
The easy-to-rebody Beetles chassis attracted other coachbuilders as well. They saw the potential of a niche market to fill the price gap between the Beetle and the Porsche 356. As a result, VW chassis-based special automobiles were introduced by various coachbuilders in the early 1950s, and some of them became quite popular. In the early stage, Volkswagen partially supported these coachbuilders, supplying them with chassis directly. Until VW launched its own “special body”, the Karmann Ghia, in 1955…
After Volkswagen stopped supplying chassis, non-official coachbuilders had to source them as
