In 1961, production of the “big Karmann”, the Type 34, began in Osnabrück. Just as the “small Karmann” Type 14 was based on the Beetle, the big one was based on the Type 3 (1500/1600). The VW Karmann-Ghia Type 34 is a sports car coupe that was produced under contract for VW at the German automaker Karmann from 1961 to 1971.

Instead of equipping the VW Karmann Ghia Type 14 with more powerful power units, the decision was made in Wolfsburg and Osnabrück to launch a more powerful series of new coupes, which went into series production in 1961 as the VW Karmann Ghia Type 34. The Karmann-Ghia Type is the big brother of the Karmann-Ghia Type 14, which was based on the VW Beetle. Unlike Type 14, Type 34 was not based on the Beetle, but on the slightly larger VW Type 3. The big Karmann Ghia borrowed styling from its smaller brother, but got a much more angular body with a high roof structure and long tailgate, under which worked an air-cooled engine that came from the VW 1500 and later from the VW 1600.

The car was sold by VW as “A Ladies Sportscar”, so according to the manufacturer it was never a full-fledged sports car. Both VW Karmann-Ghia designs were sold in parallel. Until the introduction of the VW 411, the Karmann-Ghia Type 34 was the most expensive and fastest passenger car in VW’s lineup.

The designers opted for a 2+2-seater coupé, but the space offered was larger than in the Type 14. The body design was already created at Ghia in the late 1950s and was actually intended as a successor to the “small Karmann”, influenced by the so-called “Corvair line” based on the American model. Characteristic features are the fog lights integrated into the front and the beading tapering into two “creases”. The coupé is available with a mechanical steel crank roof. Also introduced in 1961 was a convertible with a fully retractable folding roof, an elegant, elongated-looking vehicle. However, Wolfsburg did not see sufficient market opportunities, and the required torsional rigidity would be very difficult and expensive to achieve. The decision was made not to go ahead with series production.

Officially, the Type 34 is a four-seat, closed passenger car that was delivered with a rear engine and rear-wheel drive. After initially using a 6 V lighting system, it was replaced by a 12 V system from August. All wheels were individually suspended and were initially equipped with drum brakes. From 1966, disc brakes were used on the front axle. A fully automatic transmission was available at extra cost from 1965; when the automatic transmission was used, the Type 34 was fitted with a modern semi-trailing arm rear axle.

The 2+2-seater coupé of the new series was initially powered by a 1.5 liter engine with 34 kW (45 hp), which was replaced in 1962 by a more powerful drive with 40 kW (54 hp). In the variant based on the VW 1600, which came into the program from 1965, the VW Karmann Ghia Type 34 then had up to 40 kW (54 hp), which was still sufficient for a top speed of just under 150 km/h.

When the series was discontinued in 1969, only just over 40,000 Type 34 coupes had been sold. By comparison, the VW Karmann Ghia Type 14 coupé sold a good 385,000 units in the model years from 1955 to 1974. And the convertible of the series found over 80,000 buyers during this period.