The Producers
 

For those that have seen the musical, please help me figure something out.

I simply don't get the joke of the characters name Carmen Ghia. I know that is a play off of something but don't know what.

Help?

Carmen Gia was an old sportscar. Basically a Volkwagen frame and engine with a special body by the Gia automotive studio of Italy. They haven't been made in a number of years.

Why they named the clearly gay character after the car I don't know.

I believe that a Kharmann Ghia was a fancy sort of foreign car in the 1960's - early 1970's.

This stylin' boy owns one.

Thank you very much! I had no idea it was a sportscar reference.