Karmann – the Osnabrueck, Germany-based coachbuilder best known for the Karmann Ghia – has officially closed its doors. Karmann was quietly put up for sale about a year ago after a dramatic drop in sales, but was forced to file for bankruptcy in April.
Although the German company is best known for the Karmann Ghia, it has actually produced 3.3 million convertibles and more than 1 million coupes for larger car companies since 1949. However, the recent economic downturn has greatly reduced demand for its services, forcing Karmann to close its doors for good.
“We could no longer avoid shutting down the vehicle assembly line because auto manufacturers’ strategies have changed,” Ottmar Hermann, a Karmann official, told The Local.
A rift between management and unions is also said to be responsible for the company’s ultimate downfall. Karmann closed shop on Monday with 2,240 workers, down from 5,000 employees a year earlier. Karmann’s dire financial situation has also forced the company to cancel all severance packages.
Karmann’s body of work includes the Porsche 914, Volkswagen Golf convertible, Audi A4 convertible, Chrysler Crossfire coupe and convertible, Chrysler Sebring convertible, Pontiac G6 convertible and the Mercedes-Benz CLK convertible – the latter the last to roll off Karmann’s production line.
