Caravelle vs Ghia

Exquisitely engineered European coupés go head to head.

Sometimes the average classic car journalist can be slightly self-deluding. When comparing the Renault Caravelle 1100S with the Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Type 34, one could tell oneself that this is a rational evaluation of two well engineered and equally well executed coupés of the 1960s. But it would be far more honest to say that the real reason behind this group is to experience two of the most elegant, Italian-styled tourers of their generation. At a fraction of the price of a Porsche 912, you can still own a rear engine car; of lesser performance, yes, but of equal aesthetic appeal.

French fancy

The commercial success of the original Beetle-derived Type 14 Karmann Ghia of 1955 inspired Renault to commission the Italian stylist to design a rival, based on the Dauphine. The bodies were coupé, cabriolet and convertible – the last-named with removable hardtop – and the range was badged as the Caravelle in the USA and the Floride in Europe. By 1962 the former name was universally adopted for a new model that looked similar to its predecessor, but had the floor pan, four wheel disc brakes, rear suspension and 956cc engine of the newly launched R8 saloon, plus a re-styled hardtop. Post-1965 cars were fitted with an 1108cc engine and, from 1966 onwards, there was also the twin carburetter ‘S’ version.

The 8 saloon was a fairly common sight in 1960s Britain, but the Caravelle seemed to be a car removed from the hoi polloi, an impression reinforced by a price of over £400 more than an AustinHealey Sprite. If the overall condition of our 1968 test car may be best described as ‘usable rather than ‘immaculate’ this does not mask its appeal. The thrust forward headlamps, the sculptured side panels and the subtle tail fins of the Caravelle all unify in a body that

Anyone used to the Dauphine’s road manners will be most surprised by the Caravelle’s lack of body roll

makes the Renault one of the most elegant cars of its generation.

Suave and slick

Not content with looking as suave as Serge Gainsbourg in Coleur Café mode, the Caravelle was also extremely well planned, with a ‘Paris designed’ interior, according to the launch advertisements. The coupé roof doesn’t just provide an excellent degree of headroom and compliment the Renault’s lines; it is also easy to remove and the front seats are more comfortable than those of a large British saloon car of the same era. The ‘+2’ description is slightly over-ambitious, but the Renault is perfectly suited for conveying two adults and a fair quantity of luggage, both on the rear bench and in the front boot. The ‘S’ package also gives a rev counter and, although the Renault is not exceptionally fast, it certainly feels brisk, with little oversteer when negotiating a narrow corner.

Anyone used to the Dauphine’s road manners will be most surprised by the Caravelle’s lack of body roll, although the four-speed gearbox takes some acclimatising, as the rubbery shift and tortuous

linkages make for a certain amount of negotiating with the central lever. But when seeing the roads through the Renault’s tinted sun visors, these are but mere details, for this is the sort of car that demands the owner wear Jean-Luc Godard shades and/or a Brigitte Bardot hairstyle, according to choice.

Svelte and sweet

When confronted with a car of such charm there can only be one real rival to the Caravelle, in terms of a 2+2, rear engine, European coupé of equally svelte appearance – the VW Karmann Ghia Type 34. When Volkswagen was developing the Type 3 1500 saloon, they were simultaneously planning a coupé based on the same floor pan and aimed at very well-heeled motorists, for when the Type 34 debuted in 1961 it cost as much as two VW Beetles and more than a base model Porsche 356. The niche market for a sharply stylised but not especially brisk coupe was inevitably limited and the Karmann Ghia’s

The Type 34 is an utterly chic touring car and, as such, has a great deal to offer the discerning motorist

chances of success in the UK were further restricted by import duties that raised the price far above that of an MGB or TR4.

However, there are some who believed that the Type 34 was worth the money on the grounds of its appearance alone, for it is a devastatingly handsome machine. It may have had the Type 3’s running gear, but from the nose treatment to the swoop of the rear windshield, it is truly a car apart – individualist, uncompromising, but never flamboyant. In short, the VW looks like the sort of car that Don Draper would buy his secretary/ mistress, although ironically the Karmann Ghia was never officially sold in the USA.

Exclusivity guaranteed

Cost, a limited production run and an even more limited survival rate – 95 per cent of Type 34 parts are unique to the model and corrosion was a major problem – ensures that our test car is an exclusive machine indeed. As with the Renault, this is an utterly chic 2+2 touring car and, as such, the VW has a great deal to offer the discerning motorist. This 1969 Type 34 is fitted with the 1.6-litre engine, 12V electrical system and front disc brakes found in the post-1965 versions and also boasts a three-speed automatic gearbox, an option offered from 1967 onwards. This may rob the VW of some performance, but the Type 34 was never intended to be

an out-and-out sports car. The combination of a self-shifting transmission and twin carb’ power plant works very well, giving the VW an air of genuine refinement, augmented by the pleasantly rumbling engine note. Suspension gives a smooth ride over the worst of a pockmarked British road, the steering is light and quite direct and the overall impression of the Type 34 is one of elegant solidity.

As everyday, or least holiday transport, the VW provides a quite generous amount of luggage space and, as with the Renault, the front seats are very comfortable, with no sense of claustrophobia in the cabin. The dashboard is a delightful mixture of venerable (the accurate instruments and the ‘generator’ warning lamp) and the modern (the hazard warning light switch). At a time when MGB owners had to pay extra to have a heater and an ashtray fitted, the VW’s clock, two-speed wipers, steering column lock and cigarette lighter would have been welcome touches, while the cabin is filled with such practical fittings as the stout parcel shelf and a crude, but welcome, fresh air ventilation system. Unlike the Caravelle, the VW’s hardtop is integral, but there was the desirable option of an electric sliding roof and few coupés could offer boots fore and aft. All of such detailing helps to make my choice of car an exceptionally difficult one…

Thanks to

Stephanie Wiera at Bijou Weddings

www.bijouweddingvenues.co.uk

EMPI ‘GTV’ steering wheel is a desirable period accessory. Quirky gauges are all part of the appeal of the Type 34.

Mahle alloy wheels are taken from a Porsche 914

Sharp styling is the work of Italian engineer Sergio Sartorelli. ‘Pancake’ 1.6-litre engine is the same as appeared in the contemporary Type 3.

1108cc R8 engine was fitted to Caravelles from March 1962 onwards. Later models such as our test car had the sloping rear roofline squared off, to aid rear headroom.

Coupé versions were offered with a four-speed manual transmission.

The Floride/Caravelle was the first volume-produced French car to feature disc brakes all round.