Anyone who has spent any time in Eastern Europe will recognize the Trabant, which at one time was by far the most popular car there. These were the East German equivalent to the Volkswagen Beetle, philosophically anyway. They were basic transportation whose only criteria was to get from point A to point B and be relatively affordable for the average working family. As such they spread throughout the Eastern Bloc with demand far outnumbering supply, despite nearly three million built altogether. At the height of the Soviet era, the waiting list for a Trabant was as long as that of a Ferrari 458 today. Their bodies were made of a lightweight plastic similar to Formica, powered by a two-cylinder, two-stroke 600 cc motor. It was reliable and economical. It was an appliance. That said, weighing only a few hundred pounds more than a Triumph Bonneville with a similar engine, as well as a low center-of-gravity, four-wheel independent suspension and front wheel drive, some weren’t content with an appliance and made these quite capable weekend rally cars. The activity was popular enough to inspire Trabant to make a factory rally car near the end of production, with a bored-out 800cc motor and 5-speed transmission. Production of the Trabant ended shortly after the Wall came down. The West was adopting strict emission and safety standards while the East now had access to more modern cars. There are still some on the road today and those that remain have a rather passionate following. Several “Trabi” clubs exist worldwide, including in the US, where some have been imported and titled in states with less stringent emission standards. This 1980 Trabant P601 is US-legal with a Maryland title. It appears to be in good unrestored condition and has travelled only 55,000 km (~35K mi.). Paint is described as presentable with all original trim. Reliability was always one of the Trabi’s endearing qualities and what the two-stroke motor lacks in sheer horsepower, it makes up for in being very simple for even the least mechanically-inclined to work on, with parts available and help available through online community groups. It’s hard to say if we’ll ever see a Trabant 601 at a Bonham’s, Gooding or RM Auction, but there is enough nostalgia and fervor to keep interest, if not values, growing. Find it here on Craigslist in White Hall, MD for a very proletarian $3,500.
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