Volkswagen may buy coachbuilder and open-roof specialist Karmann, according to reports.
Reports suggest Karmann is running out of funds and will have to shut down in early November if it does not find a buyer.
However, the sale to VW is far from certain, with the car maker reported to be offering substantially less than the £55 million that the three families that own Karmann - Battenfeld, Boll and Karmann - are seeking.
Karmann is best known for the Karmann Ghia and developing the retractable hardtop roof first introduced with the Mercedes-Benz SLK.
George Chapman
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Re: VW bids for Karmann
Autocar: 'Karmann is best known for the Karmann Ghia and developing the retractable hardtop roof first introduced with the Mercedes-Benz SLK.'
And there was me thinking Peugeot had a retractable hardtop in around 1934...
(sorry, pedantry is a terrible affliction...)