The symbol of an era.
It’s the legendary Trabant 601. It is still so well-known that it is sometimes referred to as the Trabant The Trabi.
What’s it all about?
The most popular vehicle on the streets East Germany is the state of the Soviet Bloc in the Cold War period. It is East Germany’s answer the Volkswagen Beetle.
When and where was it made?
The Trabant 601 actually represents the third generation of a model which was originally launched in 1958 under the name P50. The P60 followed in 1962, and the Trabant 601 was introduced in 1963. Nearly 28 years later, 2,818,547 Trabant-601s were produced at Zwickau, Germany’s assembly plant.
Technical details:
The P50 was initially powered by a 0.5-liter, air-cooled two-cylinder two stroke engine that produced only 18 horsepower (13 megawatts). The car was quite advanced at the time, with front wheel drive, composite bodywork and independent suspension. The engine was increased to 23 horsepower (17 kW) in 1962. In 1989, the last facelift brought about a completely new 1.05-liter four cylinder four-stroke motor from Volkswagen with 45 horsepower (33 kW).
What makes it so special?
It is just so beautiful. It’s there, it’s there. It’s even possible to smell it. With its gray exhaust gases and emotional engine buzz, it’s undoubtedly the most well-known vehicle in the world. It is loved by thousands of passionate collectors all over the globe, mostly from the Soviet Bloc regions. Even today, you can still drive a 601.
The car was quite modern for its time, as mentioned earlier. The only problem was the old engine that was based on a DKW prewar motor, which was obsolete by the 1960s. During the 601’s lifetime, however, many important improvements were made to it, including 12-volt electronics and coil springs on the rear axle.
The Zwickau assembly line was sold to Volkswagen after the production of the car ceased in 1991. This is, to put it mildly, an interesting move. Audi originally owned the factory, which was later bought by Volkswagen.
Many 601s were sold at a fraction of the price, while some were given away by their owners. It is a beloved car by car collectors all over the globe, but the prices for the car are still very low. You can find a running example in certain parts of Europe for as low as $500.
