Trabant 601 (1972) – Enthusiast Wanted

Just as the Volkswagen Beetle became an icon of reconstruction after World War II, the Trabant became an icon of the subsequent division of Germany. However, the concept was quite similar: its creators wanted a car that was cheap to produce, maintain and sell for the people. Due to the long waiting times and private resale, the Trabant was not at all affordable for many East Germans in practice, but still came on the road in large numbers. After the fall of the wall, western cars quickly pushed the outdated ‘Trabbis’ out of the streets, although enough were still spared and cherished. Also on ‘our’ side of the wall, like this one.

This Trabant 601, unlike many of its kind, has had to compete with western cars from the outset. In 1972 this was simply delivered new in the Netherlands, to someone who apparently saw something in cheap transport from the GDR. He probably did not expect that the two-stroke would touch 50 years one day. Yet this year saw Abraham, and he did so in style. Somewhere in his life, someone decided to put classic Polizei stickers on him and even put real-time flashing lights and sirens on them. It should be your thing, but at least it looks neat.

This also applies to the car as a whole. Thanks to its Duroplast coach (consisting of compressed cotton and resin), the Trabant could get old quite easily, because the coach was not eaten by the rust ghost. The two-stroke engine was also easy to keep alive. Still, you must have treated it with a little love to keep it as neat as this one. In the interior, the years are more apparent, although that should not actually have a name. The provider apparently knows very well what he has in his hands: with €6,995, the asking price is not tender. Then you will get an original Dutch Trabant in an apparently neat condition and with nice external decoration.