Volkswagen: topless with cloth cap 🎥
COMEBACK After the end of the Golf Cabrio and the Beetle Cabrio, things have been a little quieter at the former Karmann and now VW site in Osnabrück. Now the VW T-Roc Cabriolet will roll off the production line there. The soft top can be opened or closed in nine seconds at speeds of up to 30 km/h. As early as 1913, Wilhelm Karmann registered his first [...]
The soft top can be opened or closed in nine seconds up to 30 km/h.
As early as 1913, Wilhelm Karmann registered his first patent, which would later turn his fledgling company in Osnabrück into a global player. The "mechanism for the folding top" revolutionized automotive engineering for "topless" models.
Synonym of the economic miracle
When Wilhelm Karmann - now Senior and Junior - entered into their first liaison with the Wolfsburg Volkswagen plant shortly after the Second World War, a legend was born that still rolls today.
The Beetle Cabriolet, which was developed by Karmann in Osnabrück and then built on behalf of Volkswagen from 1949 to 1980, is - like the closed version - synonymous with the German economic miracle. By January 10, 1980, a total of 331,847 Beetles with "cloth caps" had left the factory halls. Followed by a total of four generations - starting with the legendary "strawberry basket - until 2016 and numerous other models.
Production end came in 2009
The years 2001 to 2009 marked the end of Karmann GmbH's independence. Too many customers withdrew development and production capacities. Liquidity dwindled. On June 23, 2009, the last real "Karmann" finally left the production halls.
Only open model of the brand
With the founding of Volkswagen Osnabrück GmbH in December 2009 and the takeover of the most important production resources, the Wolfsburg Group secured the legendary expertise of the Karmänner in the field of convertible and small-series production. And now, after the last Beetle with a cloth cap rolled off the production line last year, this is benefiting the VW brand's only open-top model at present: the T-Roc Cabriolet.
Longitudinal seams serve as gutters
The soft top of the new model can be opened completely within nine seconds. This is also possible while driving at up to 30 km/h. The soft top of the T-Roc consists of a fully upholstered mat, the black outer cover, interior headliner and linkage.
Clever detail: longitudinal seams of the outer cover serve as additional rain gutters on the center panel and the two side panels. Sounds complicated, and it is. But thanks to more than 100 years of experience in convertible construction at the Osnabrück site, such small mechanical marvels are no problem.
50 cars are built per shift
The open T-Roc is currently in production ramp-up. Currently, 50 units are being built per shift. In the coming weeks, productivity will then be slowly increased with the aim of producing more than twice as many vehicles per shift.
Prices for Switzerland are expected to start at a good 35,000 Swiss francs.
