ZWICKAU, GERMANY- AUGUST 31: The Iconic East German Trabant at the Trabant Club Zwickau annual gathering of Trabi owners in 2018. The first Trabant rolled out of the VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke Zwickau factory in Saxony, Eastern Germany, on 7 November 1957. All the various models of Trabant were built in Zwickau, totalling 3,096,999 completed cars. This iconic car is often seen as symbolic for the GDR. The production finally stopped 1990 following German re-unification. Often referred to as "a spark plug with a roof" Trabants were constructed from a hard plastic body mounted on a one-piece steel chassis and not from compressed cardboard as is often rumoured. It had front-wheel drive, a transverse engine, and independent suspension which were unusual and innovative production features for the time. In the early '90s it was possible to buy a Trabi for a few Deutschmarks. Prices later recovered as the Trabi gained cult status. Today Trabants are starting to fetch prices equivalent with other classic cars. (Photo by Craig Stennett/Getty Images)
ZWICKAU, GERMANY- AUGUST 31: Iconic symbol of a Trabant. The first Trabant rolled out of the VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke Zwickau factory in Saxony, Eastern Germany, on 7 November 1957. All the various models of Trabant were built in Zwickau, totalling 3,096,999 completed cars. This iconic car is often seen as symbolic for the GDR. The production finally stopped 1990 following German re-unification. Often referred to as "a spark plug with a roof" Trabants were constructed from a hard plastic body mounted on a one-piece steel chassis and not from compressed cardboard as is often rumoured. It had front-wheel drive, a transverse engine, and independent suspension which were unusual and innovative production features for the time. In the early '90s it was possible to buy a Trabi for a few Deutschmarks. Prices later recovered as the Trabi gained cult status. Today Trabants are starting to fetch prices equivalent with other classic cars. (Photo by Craig Stennett/Getty Images)
ZWICKAU, GERMANY- AUGUST 31: DDR nostalgia at Trabant Club Zwickau's car rally in Zwickau, Saxony, Germany in 2018 . Erich Honecker the last leader of the DDR before unification and his portrait is on display on a participants tent. The first Trabant rolled out of the VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke Zwickau factory in Saxony, Eastern Germany, on 7 November 1957. All the various models of Trabant were built in Zwickau, totalling 3,096,999 completed cars. This iconic car is often seen as symbolic for the GDR. The production finally stopped 1990 following German re-unification. Often referred to as "a spark plug with a roof" Trabants were constructed from a hard plastic body mounted on a one-piece steel chassis and not from compressed cardboard as is often rumoured. It had front-wheel drive, a transverse engine, and independent suspension which were unusual and innovative production features for the time. In the early '90s it was possible to buy a Trabi for a few Deutschmarks. Prices later recovered as the Trabi gained cult status. Today Trabants are starting to fetch prices equivalent with other classic cars. (Photo by Craig Stennett/Getty Images)
ZWICKAU, GERMANY- NOVEMBER 07: Roland Schulze, a former production line worker for the Trabant in the time of the GDR stands by the last Trabant to come off the production line at the August Horch Museum in Zwickau, Saxony, Germany in 2019. Often referred to as "a spark plug with a roof" Trabants were constructed from a hard plastic body mounted on a one-piece steel chassis and not from compressed cardboard as is often rumoured. It had front-wheel drive, a transverse engine, and independent suspension which were unusual and innovative production features for the time. The first Trabant rolled out of the "VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke Zwickau" factory in Saxony, Eastern Germany on 7 November 1957. All the various models of Trabant were built in Zwickau, totalling 3,096,999 completed cars. This iconic car is often seen as symbolic for the GDR. The production finally stopped 1990 following German re-unification. In the early '90s it was possible to buy a Trabi for a few Deutschmarks. Prices later recovered as the Trabi gained cult status. Today Trabants are starting to fetch prices equivalent with other classic cars. (Photo by Craig Stennett/Getty Images)
ZWICKAU, GERMANY- SEPTEMBER 01: Maintenance work under way on a 'Trabi' at the Trabant Club Zwickau annual gathering of Trabi owners in 2018. The engine for the 500, 600 and the original 601 was a small two-stroke engine with two cylinders, accounting for the vehicle's modest performance. Its curb weight was about 600 kilograms (1,323 lb). When it ceased production in 1989, the Trabant delivered 19 kilowatts (25 hp) from a 600 cc (37 cu in) displacement. It took 21 seconds to accelerate from zero to its top speed of 100 km/h (62 mph). The engine produced a very smoky exhaust and was a significant source of air pollution: nine times the hydrocarbons and five times the carbon-monoxide emissions of the average 2007 European car. Its fuel consumption was 7 l/100 km (40 mpg‑imp; 34 mpg‑US). Since the engine did not have an oil pump, two-stroke oil had to be added to the 24-liter (6.3 U.S. gal; 5.3 imp gal) fuel tank[13] at a 50:1 (or 33:1) ratio of fuel to oil at each fill-up. Contemporary gas stations in countries where two-stroke engines were common sold a premixed gas-oil mixture at the pump. Because the Trabant had no fuel pump, its fuel tank was above the motor so fuel could reach the carburetor by gravity; this increased the risk of fire in front-end accidents. Earlier models had no fuel gauge, and a dipstick was inserted into the tank to determine how much fuel remained. Best known for its dull color scheme and cramped, uncomfortable ride, the Trabant is an object of ridicule for many Germans and is regarded as symbolic of the fall of the Eastern Bloc. Known as a "spark plug with a roof" because of its small size, the car did gain public affection. Its design remained essentially unchanged from its introduction in the late 1950s, and the last model was introduced in 1964. In contrast, the West German Volkswagen Beetle received a number of updates (including improvements in efficiency) over a similar period. (Photo by Craig Stennett/Getty Images)
ZWICKAU, GERMANY- SEPTEMBER 01: Andreas Liebezeit at the Trabant Club Zwickau annual gathering of Trabi owners in Zwickau, Saxony in 2018. The German national now working in Switzerland, drove his Trabant P601, made in 1986, from his home in Zurich to Moscow, travelling through Poland and Lithuania. The return trip took him through the Ukraine and Czechoslovakia, a total of 6300 kilometers in 2 weeks: "The beauty of the Trabant is its mechanical simplicity. You can repair it at the side of the road yourself." He also sleeps in the original roof tent designed in the DDR (Deutsch Democratic Republic) for the Trabant. The top and sides of the tent fold down onto a solid wood flooring bolted to the car‘s frame. The first Trabant rolled out of the VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke Zwickau factory in Saxony, Eastern Germany, on 7 November 1957. All the various models of Trabant were built in Zwickau, totalling 3,096,999 completed cars. This iconic car is often seen as symbolic for the GDR. The production finally stopped 1990 following German re-unification. Often referred to as "a spark plug with a roof" Trabants were constructed from a hard plastic body mounted on a one-piece steel chassis and not from compressed cardboard as is often rumoured. It had front-wheel drive, a transverse engine, and independent suspension which were unusual and innovative production features for the time. In the early '90s it was possible to buy a Trabi for a few Deutschmarks. Prices later recovered as the Trabi gained cult status. Today Trabants are starting to fetch prices equivalent with other classic cars. (Photo by Craig Stennett/Getty Images)
ZWICKAU, GERMANY- AUGUST 31: DDR nostalgia with a portrait of the Deutch Democratic Republic's last leader Erich Honecke on display at a memorabilia stall at Trabant Club Zwickau's car rally in Zwickau, Saxony, Germany in 2018. The first Trabant rolled out of the VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke Zwickau factory in Saxony, Eastern Germany, on 7 November 1957. All the various models of Trabant were built in Zwickau, totalling 3,096,999 completed cars. This iconic car is often seen as symbolic for the GDR. The production finally stopped 1990 following German re-unification. Often referred to as "a spark plug with a roof" Trabants were constructed from a hard plastic body mounted on a one-piece steel chassis and not from compressed cardboard as is often rumoured. It had front-wheel drive, a transverse engine, and independent suspension which were unusual and innovative production features for the time. In the early '90s it was possible to buy a Trabi for a few Deutschmarks. Prices later recovered as the Trabi gained cult status. Today Trabants are starting to fetch prices equivalent with other classic cars. (Photo by Craig Stennett/Getty Images)
ZWICKAU, GERMANY- AUGUST 31: The Iconic East German Trabant at the Trabant Club Zwickau annual gathering of Trabi owners in 2018. The first Trabant rolled out of the VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke Zwickau factory in Saxony, Eastern Germany, on 7 November 1957. All the various models of Trabant were built in Zwickau, totalling 3,096,999 completed cars. This iconic car is often seen as symbolic for the GDR. The production finally stopped 1990 following German re-unification. Often referred to as "a spark plug with a roof" Trabants were constructed from a hard plastic body mounted on a one-piece steel chassis and not from compressed cardboard as is often rumoured. It had front-wheel drive, a transverse engine, and independent suspension which were unusual and innovative production features for the time. In the early '90s it was possible to buy a Trabi for a few Deutschmarks. Prices later recovered as the Trabi gained cult status. Today Trabants are starting to fetch prices equivalent with other classic cars. (Photo by Craig Stennett/Getty Images)
ZWICKAU, GERMANY- AUGUST 31: The Iconic East German Trabant at the Trabant Club Zwickau annual gathering of Trabi owners in 2018. The first Trabant rolled out of the VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke Zwickau factory in Saxony, Eastern Germany, on 7 November 1957. All the various models of Trabant were built in Zwickau, totalling 3,096,999 completed cars. This iconic car is often seen as symbolic for the GDR. The production finally stopped 1990 following German re-unification. Often referred to as "a spark plug with a roof" Trabants were constructed from a hard plastic body mounted on a one-piece steel chassis and not from compressed cardboard as is often rumoured. It had front-wheel drive, a transverse engine, and independent suspension which were unusual and innovative production features for the time. In the early '90s it was possible to buy a Trabi for a few Deutschmarks. Prices later recovered as the Trabi gained cult status. Today Trabants are starting to fetch prices equivalent with other classic cars. (Photo by Craig Stennett/Getty Images)
ZWICKAU, GERMANY- AUGUST 31: A Trabi driver uses an old customized DDR Simpson to get around the rally of the Trabant Club Zwickau annual gathering of Trabi owners in Zwickau, Saxony in 2018. The first Trabant rolled out of the VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke Zwickau factory in Saxony, Eastern Germany, on 7 November 1957. All the various models of Trabant were built in Zwickau, totalling 3,096,999 completed cars. This iconic car is often seen as symbolic for the GDR. The production finally stopped 1990 following German re-unification. Often referred to as "a spark plug with a roof" Trabants were constructed from a hard plastic body mounted on a one-piece steel chassis and not from compressed cardboard as is often rumoured. It had front-wheel drive, a transverse engine, and independent suspension which were unusual and innovative production features for the time. In the early '90s it was possible to buy a Trabi for a few Deutschmarks. Prices later recovered as the Trabi gained cult status. Today Trabants are starting to fetch prices equivalent with other classic cars. (Photo by Craig Stennett/Getty Images)
ZWICKAU, GERMANY- AUGUST 31: DDR nostalgia with a portrait of the Deutch Democratic Republic's last leader Erich Honecke on display at a memorabilia stall at Trabant Club Zwickau's car rally in Zwickau, Saxony, Germany in 2018. The first Trabant rolled out of the VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke Zwickau factory in Saxony, Eastern Germany, on 7 November 1957. All the various models of Trabant were built in Zwickau, totalling 3,096,999 completed cars. This iconic car is often seen as symbolic for the GDR. The production finally stopped 1990 following German re-unification. Often referred to as "a spark plug with a roof" Trabants were constructed from a hard plastic body mounted on a one-piece steel chassis and not from compressed cardboard as is often rumoured. It had front-wheel drive, a transverse engine, and independent suspension which were unusual and innovative production features for the time. In the early '90s it was possible to buy a Trabi for a few Deutschmarks. Prices later recovered as the Trabi gained cult status. Today Trabants are starting to fetch prices equivalent with other classic cars. (Photo by Craig Stennett/Getty Images)
ZWICKAU, GERMANY-AUGUST 31: The Trabant P601 with DDR markings at the Trabant Club Zwickau annual gathering of Trabi owners in 2018. The first Trabant rolled out of the VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke Zwickau factory in Saxony, Eastern Germany, on 7 November 1957. All the various models of Trabant were built in Zwickau, totalling 3,096,999 completed cars. This iconic car is often seen as symbolic for the GDR. The production finally stopped 1990 following German re-unification. Often referred to as "a spark plug with a roof" Trabants were constructed from a hard plastic body mounted on a one-piece steel chassis and not from compressed cardboard as is often rumoured. It had front-wheel drive, a transverse engine, and independent suspension which were unusual and innovative production features for the time. In the early '90s it was possible to buy a Trabi for a few Deutschmarks. Prices later recovered as the Trabi gained cult status. Today Trabants are starting to fetch prices equivalent with other classic cars. (Photo by Craig Stennett/Getty Images)
ZWICKAU, GERMANY- AUGUST 31: The inner workings of the Iconic East German Trabant propped open with a beer bottle at the Trabant Club Zwickau annual gathering of Trabi owners in 2018. The engine for the 500, 600 and the original 601 was a small two-stroke engine with two cylinders, accounting for the vehicle's modest performance. Its curb weight was about 600 kilograms (1,323 lb). When it ceased production in 1989, the Trabant delivered 19 kilowatts (25 hp) from a 600 cc (37 cu in) displacement. It took 21 seconds to accelerate from zero to its top speed of 100 km/h (62 mph). The engine produced a very smoky exhaust and was a significant source of air pollution: nine times the hydrocarbons and five times the carbon-monoxide emissions of the average 2007 European car. Its fuel consumption was 7 l/100 km (40 mpg‑imp; 34 mpg‑US). Since the engine did not have an oil pump, two-stroke oil had to be added to the 24-liter (6.3 U.S. gal; 5.3 imp gal) fuel tank[13] at a 50:1 (or 33:1) ratio of fuel to oil at each fill-up. Contemporary gas stations in countries where two-stroke engines were common sold a premixed gas-oil mixture at the pump. Because the Trabant had no fuel pump, its fuel tank was above the motor so fuel could reach the carburetor by gravity; this increased the risk of fire in front-end accidents. Earlier models had no fuel gauge, and a dipstick was inserted into the tank to determine how much fuel remained. Best known for its dull color scheme and cramped, uncomfortable ride, the Trabant is an object of ridicule for many Germans and is regarded as symbolic of the fall of the Eastern Bloc. Known as a "spark plug with a roof" because of its small size, the car did gain public affection. Its design remained essentially unchanged from its introduction in the late 1950s, and the last model was introduced in 1964. In contrast, the West German Volkswagen Beetle received a number of updates (including improvements in efficiency) over a similar period. (Photo by
ZWICKAU, GERMANY- AUGUST 2018: Plenty of East German DDR nostalgia at the Trabant Club Zwickau rally in 2018. The first Trabant rolled out of the VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke Zwickau factory in Saxony, Eastern Germany, on 7 November 1957. All the various models of Trabant were built in Zwickau, totalling 3,096,999 completed cars. This iconic car is often seen as symbolic for the GDR. The production finally stopped 1990 following German re-unification. Often referred to as "a spark plug with a roof" Trabants were constructed from a hard plastic body mounted on a one-piece steel chassis and not from compressed cardboard as is often rumoured. It had front-wheel drive, a transverse engine, and independent suspension which were unusual and innovative production features for the time. In the early '90s it was possible to buy a Trabi for a few Deutschmarks. Prices later recovered as the Trabi gained cult status. Today Trabants are starting to fetch prices equivalent with other classic cars. (Photo by Craig Stennett/Getty Images)
ZWICKAU, GERMANY- NOVEMBER 07: Roland Schulze a former production line worker for the East German Trabant in the time of the DDR stands by an example of Duroplast used in the bodywork of East German cars at the August Horch Museum in Zwickau, Saxony, Germany in 2019. Often referred to as "a spark plug with a roof" Trabant’s were constructed from a hard plastic body mounted on a one-piece steel chassis and, not from compressed cardboard as is often rumoured. It had front-wheel drive, a transverse engine, and independent suspension which was an unusual and innovative production features for the time. Trabant‘s rolled out of the VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke Zwickau factory in Saxony , Eastern Germany on 7 November 1957. Zwickau was the East German town that built all the various models of Trabant for its entire production life totalling 3,096,999 completed cars.. This iconic car is often seen as symbolic of the former East Germany and the disintegration of the Eastern Bloc in general finally stopping production in 1991 following German re-unification. In the early ‘90s it was possible to buy a Trabi for a few Deutschmarks. Prices later recovered as the Trabi gained ‘cult’ status. Today Trabant’s are starting to fetch prices equivalent with other classic cars. (Photo by Craig Stennett/Getty Images)
ZWICKAU, GERMANY-AUGUST 31: The Trabant P601 with DDR markings at the Trabant Club Zwickau annual gathering of Trabi owners in 2018. The first Trabant rolled out of the VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke Zwickau factory in Saxony, Eastern Germany, on 7 November 1957. All the various models of Trabant were built in Zwickau, totalling 3,096,999 completed cars. This iconic car is often seen as symbolic for the GDR. The production finally stopped 1990 following German re-unification. Often referred to as "a spark plug with a roof" Trabants were constructed from a hard plastic body mounted on a one-piece steel chassis and not from compressed cardboard as is often rumoured. It had front-wheel drive, a transverse engine, and independent suspension which were unusual and innovative production features for the time. In the early '90s it was possible to buy a Trabi for a few Deutschmarks. Prices later recovered as the Trabi gained cult status. Today Trabants are starting to fetch prices equivalent with other classic cars. (Photo by Craig Stennett/Getty Images)
ZWICKAU, GERMANY- AUGUST 31: The inner workings of the Iconic East German Trabant at the Trabant Club Zwickau annual gathering of Trabi owners in 2018. The engine for the 500, 600 and the original 601 was a small two-stroke engine with two cylinders, accounting for the vehicle's modest performance. Its curb weight was about 600 kilograms (1,323 lb). When it ceased production in 1989, the Trabant delivered 19 kilowatts (25 hp) from a 600 cc (37 cu in) displacement. It took 21 seconds to accelerate from zero to its top speed of 100 km/h (62 mph). The engine produced a very smoky exhaust and was a significant source of air pollution: nine times the hydrocarbons and five times the carbon-monoxide emissions of the average 2007 European car. Its fuel consumption was 7 l/100 km (40 mpg‑imp; 34 mpg‑US). Since the engine did not have an oil pump, two-stroke oil had to be added to the 24-liter (6.3 U.S. gal; 5.3 imp gal) fuel tank[13] at a 50:1 (or 33:1) ratio of fuel to oil at each fill-up. Contemporary gas stations in countries where two-stroke engines were common sold a premixed gas-oil mixture at the pump. Because the Trabant had no fuel pump, its fuel tank was above the motor so fuel could reach the carburetor by gravity; this increased the risk of fire in front-end accidents. Earlier models had no fuel gauge, and a dipstick was inserted into the tank to determine how much fuel remained. Best known for its dull color scheme and cramped, uncomfortable ride, the Trabant is an object of ridicule for many Germans and is regarded as symbolic of the fall of the Eastern Bloc. Known as a "spark plug with a roof" because of its small size, the car did gain public affection. Its design remained essentially unchanged from its introduction in the late 1950s, and the last model was introduced in 1964. In contrast, the West German Volkswagen Beetle received a number of updates (including improvements in efficiency) over a similar period. (Photo by Craig Stennett/Getty Images)
ZWICKAU, GERMANY- AUGUST 31: The Iconic East German Trabant at the Trabant Club Zwickau annual gathering of Trabi owners in 2018. The first Trabant rolled out of the VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke Zwickau factory in Saxony, Eastern Germany, on 7 November 1957. All the various models of Trabant were built in Zwickau, totalling 3,096,999 completed cars. This iconic car is often seen as symbolic for the GDR. The production finally stopped 1990 following German re-unification. Often referred to as "a spark plug with a roof" Trabants were constructed from a hard plastic body mounted on a one-piece steel chassis and not from compressed cardboard as is often rumoured. It had front-wheel drive, a transverse engine, and independent suspension which were unusual and innovative production features for the time. In the early '90s it was possible to buy a Trabi for a few Deutschmarks. Prices later recovered as the Trabi gained cult status. Today Trabants are starting to fetch prices equivalent with other classic cars. (Photo by Craig Stennett/Getty Images)
ZWICKAU, GERMANY- AUGUST 2018: Plenty of East German DDR nostalgia at the Trabant Club Zwickau rally in 2018. The first Trabant rolled out of the VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke Zwickau factory in Saxony, Eastern Germany, on 7 November 1957. All the various models of Trabant were built in Zwickau, totalling 3,096,999 completed cars. This iconic car is often seen as symbolic for the GDR. The production finally stopped 1990 following German re-unification. Often referred to as "a spark plug with a roof" Trabants were constructed from a hard plastic body mounted on a one-piece steel chassis and not from compressed cardboard as is often rumoured. It had front-wheel drive, a transverse engine, and independent suspension which were unusual and innovative production features for the time. In the early '90s it was possible to buy a Trabi for a few Deutschmarks. Prices later recovered as the Trabi gained cult status. Today Trabants are starting to fetch prices equivalent with other classic cars. (Photo by Craig Stennett/Getty Images)
ZWICKAU, GERMANY- AUGUST 31: The Iconic East German Trabant at the Trabant Club Zwickau annual gathering of Trabi owners in 2018. The first Trabant rolled out of the VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke Zwickau factory in Saxony, Eastern Germany, on 7 November 1957. All the various models of Trabant were built in Zwickau, totalling 3,096,999 completed cars. This iconic car is often seen as symbolic for the GDR. The production finally stopped 1990 following German re-unification. Often referred to as "a spark plug with a roof" Trabants were constructed from a hard plastic body mounted on a one-piece steel chassis and not from compressed cardboard as is often rumoured. It had front-wheel drive, a transverse engine, and independent suspension which were unusual and innovative production features for the time. In the early '90s it was possible to buy a Trabi for a few Deutschmarks. Prices later recovered as the Trabi gained cult status. Today Trabants are starting to fetch prices equivalent with other classic cars. (Photo by Craig Stennett/Getty Images)
ZWICKAU, GERMANY- NOVEMBER 07: The former Trabant factory in Zwickau, now fallen into disrepair since its closure in 1991. The first Trabant rolled out of the VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke Zwickau factory in Saxony, Eastern Germany, on 7 November 1957. All the various models of Trabant were built in Zwickau, totalling 3,096,999 completed cars. This iconic car is often seen as symbolic for the GDR. The production finally stopped 1990 following German re-unification. Often referred to as "a spark plug with a roof" Trabants were constructed from a hard plastic body mounted on a one-piece steel chassis and not from compressed cardboard as is often rumoured. It had front-wheel drive, a transverse engine, and independent suspension which were unusual and innovative production features for the time. In the early '90s it was possible to buy a Trabi for a few Deutschmarks. Prices later recovered as the Trabi gained cult status. Today Trabants are starting to fetch prices equivalent with other classic cars.
ZWICKAU, GERMANY- AUGUST 31: The Iconic East German Trabant at the Trabant Club Zwickau annual gathering of Trabi owners in 2018. The first Trabant rolled out of the VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke Zwickau factory in Saxony, Eastern Germany, on 7 November 1957. All the various models of Trabant were built in Zwickau, totalling 3,096,999 completed cars. This iconic car is often seen as symbolic for the GDR. The production finally stopped 1990 following German re-unification. Often referred to as "a spark plug with a roof" Trabants were constructed from a hard plastic body mounted on a one-piece steel chassis and not from compressed cardboard as is often rumoured. It had front-wheel drive, a transverse engine, and independent suspension which were unusual and innovative production features for the time. In the early '90s it was possible to buy a Trabi for a few Deutschmarks. Prices later recovered as the Trabi gained cult status. Today Trabants are starting to fetch prices equivalent with other classic cars. (Photo by Craig Stennett/Getty Images)
ZWICKAU, GERMANY- NOVEMBER 07: The former Trabant factory in Zwickau, now fallen into disrepair since its closure in 1991. The first Trabant rolled out of the VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke Zwickau factory in Saxony, Eastern Germany, on 7 November 1957. All the various models of Trabant were built in Zwickau, totalling 3,096,999 completed cars. This iconic car is often seen as symbolic for the GDR. The production finally stopped 1990 following German re-unification. Often referred to as "a spark plug with a roof" Trabants were constructed from a hard plastic body mounted on a one-piece steel chassis and not from compressed cardboard as is often rumoured. It had front-wheel drive, a transverse engine, and independent suspension which were unusual and innovative production features for the time. In the early '90s it was possible to buy a Trabi for a few Deutschmarks. Prices later recovered as the Trabi gained cult status. Today Trabants are starting to fetch prices equivalent with other classic cars.
ZWICKAU, GERMANY- AUGUST 31: Spare parts for old Trabants. At the Trabant Club Zwickau Rally in Zwickau, Germany in 2018. The Trabant P601 with DDR markings at the Trabant Club Zwickau annual gathering of Trabi owners in 2018. The first Trabant rolled out of the VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke Zwickau factory in Saxony, Eastern Germany, on 7 November 1957. All the various models of Trabant were built in Zwickau, totalling 3,096,999 completed cars. This iconic car is often seen as symbolic for the GDR. The production finally stopped 1990 following German re-unification. Often referred to as "a spark plug with a roof" Trabants were constructed from a hard plastic body mounted on a one-piece steel chassis and not from compressed cardboard as is often rumoured. It had front-wheel drive, a transverse engine, and independent suspension which were unusual and innovative production features for the time. In the early '90s it was possible to buy a Trabi for a few Deutschmarks. Prices later recovered as the Trabi gained cult status. Today Trabants are starting to fetch prices equivalent with other classic cars. (Photo by Craig Stennett/Getty Images)
Craig Stennett Photojournalist
Craig Stennett is a photojournalist based in Eastern Germany with a particular interest in the Middle East.