The Trabant small-engine cars were developed from a car called AWZ P70, produced at the Zwickau plant from 1955. In 1957, a new model entered production, called the Trabant P50 (the 500 designation was also used), manufactured at the VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke Zwickau plant. The word “trabant” is the German equivalent of the Russian “sputnik” and means traveling companion. The cars were produced in sedan (Limousine) and station wagon (Universal) versions. In the late 1950s, work began on the next generation of the Trabant, codenamed P601. The Trabant 601 debuted at the Leipzig International Fair in 1964. The car was distinguished by a more angular body than its predecessor, with “tails” on the rear fenders, which were already out of fashion at the time. Like its predecessors, this car featured bodywork made of a highly durable and flame-retardant material called Duroplast. The Trabant 601 also inherited its predecessors’ two-stroke, two-cylinder, air-cooled engine. In September 1965, a station wagon version (601 Universal) and a Hycomat version for drivers with disabilities, equipped with a semi-automatic gearbox, entered series production. From the spring of 1967, three trim levels were offered: Standard, S (Sonderwunsch), and de Luxe. At the end of 1968, the power of the 594.5 cm³ engine was increased from 23 to 26 hp. In 1980, a dual-circuit braking system was introduced, followed in 1982 by a new carburetor. In 1983, a 12-volt system with an alternator was introduced. Primarily for the needs of the troops guarding the GDR border, a version with an open body, devoid of doors and called a “kübelwagen” was produced. The last Trabant with a two-stroke engine rolled off the assembly line on July 25, 1990. A total of 2,818,547 units were produced throughout the production period. In 1990-1991, the Zwickau factory produced Trabants 1.1 equipped with a power unit adapted from the VW Polo.
Engine 594 cc P60-P66 Two-stroke L2
Gearbox 4-speed manual
Wheelbase 2020 mm
Length 3555 mm
Width 1505 mm
Height 1440 mm
Weight 615 kg
