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1957 Rometsch Beeskow


This beautiful three-seat convertible was hand-crafted by Rometsch Karosserie in Berlin and is named after its designer, Johannes Beeskow. These cars were produced between 1950 and 1957, and were considered the 'Volkswagen for high society.' The very first one was sold to the King of Sweden, and others were driven by celebrities such as Victor de Kowa, Gregory Peck, and Audrey Hepburn. The aluminum-bodied sports car was never officially blessed by Wolfsburg, and, in fact, Volkswagen refused to supply the long-established coachbuilders with the rolling chassis and other parts needed, so they were forced to buy complete Volkswagens through their 50 employees. This example has had three owners since new, in Great Britain, Canada, and the United States. It was restored in 2000 in Great Britain.

These were not kit cars, competing with Porsche who used independents like Beutler, Reutter and Tatra to build their cars. The Rometsch Beeskow production would match Porsche quality, or better it, but after nearly 200 cars over seven years, the doors were closed. Regrettably, Volkswagen cut off the supply of engines and chassis wishing to make its life, and Porsche's easier.



Friedrich Rometsch, a coachbuilder, started in Berlin in 1924 supplying elaborate taxi bodies for the likes of Opel. Johannes Beeskow began working for the coachbuilder Josef Neuss in 1924 at the age of 14. After graduating Citizens of Berlin Institute of Coachbuilding School, he designed bodies for Rolls-Royce, Horch, Bentley and Maybach chassis. In 1950, Karrosserie Friedrich Rometsch, with Beeskow on board, produced a run of Volkswagen-based Sport Cabriolets. Such was the quality of the design and build - in true coachbuilding tradition - the car won many awards.


Friedrich Rometsch founded the German-based metallurgical-coachbuilding company called Karosserie Friedrich Rometsch in 1924. In the 1950s they built the Rometsch Beeskow based on the Volkswagen Beetle platform. Named after its designer, Johannes Beeskow, it was put on display at the Geneva Automotive Show. The first example was purchased by actor Viktor de Kowa.

Prior to World War II, Johannes Beeskow had worked as the general manager of Joseph Neuss in Berlin-Halensee. Erdmann & Rossi took over Neuss in 1933 and Beeskow was retained. After World War II, he moved to Rometsch and later became the technical manager at Karmann.

The Rometsch Beeskow was available as a coupe and convertible, of which 175 examples were built, the majority of which were convertibles. These hand-built vehicles used a steel frame with wood pillars and were clothed in a lightweight aluminum body. They were intended as an affordable sport car alternative to many of the more expensive cars of the day. By using the Volkswagen Beetle chassis, there were hopes of keeping prices low.

by Dan Vaughan