About Trabant

Trabi to go - Pic: N. Krienke

The Trabant

The Sachsenring Trabant nowerdays is well known as a classic car and has become a rare oldtimer and collector's car. No German vehicle – except the Beatle – has been manufactured in higher numbers than the Trabant. More than three million samples were delivered by the manufacturer Sachsenring. When production commenced in 1957 the Trabant was state of the art in his class. The air cooled two stroke engine with only 8,2 litres (2.1 gallons) per 100 km (61 miles) was delivering 18, later 23 and 26 ehp with a maximal velocity of 100 kph (61 mph). As well the body work, made from a mixture of industrial cotton and polivenylchlorines, was widely admired for it's sustainability and light weight factor. Because of the strange cover material the Trabant later got funny names such as “Rennpappe” (paper racer), “Faltauto” (foldable car), “Papiertiger” (paper tiger) or “Brotdose” (lunch box). However, the Trabant was back then quite successful. He even competed in international races scoring a class win at the 1969 Rally Monte Carlo for instance.

But over the years very few changed in the production of the Trabant. After the 601 model had been established in 1964 only minor changes and adjustments to the model were made. When production seized in 1991 neighter a fuel tank indicator nor a 12 Volt electrical system could conceal that Trabant was a model, which had been in production after the same sketch for over 30 years. As an oldtimer the Trabant fascinates many Germans and visitors since it became one of the symbols of the peaceful revolution and German reunification in the years 1989/90. On the 1^st Jan 2011 32.167 Trabants were roadworthy and registered with the German traffic authorities; most of them second cars.