For Czech families, this inexpensive automobile made the dream of car ownership a reality. Initially two car companies, Audi and Horch of Zwickau, later merged to become the largest car manufacturer in the German Democratic Republic In the early 1950s, manufacturers in Zwickau struggled to develop an alternative material to the conventional steel used for car bodies, which was in short supply at the time. Eventually the developers came up with a material called Duroplast, a combination of cotton waste and resin
. This material was first used in the Trabant\’s predecessor, the P70
. 1957 saw the start of production of the P50 Trabant, powered by a 500cc two-stroke, two-cylinder engine. Its top speed at the time was 90 km/h. Over time, the Trabant underwent minor and major improvements. For example, the Trabant Camping version had a sliding folding roof and front seats that could be folded horizontally for camping enthusiasts. The Trabant remained in production until 1991; over 3 million were produced in 30 years.
The Trabant is still a hit today. Enthusiasts come from far and wide to see this car. Some of you may be familiar with the original Trabant round-the-world trip led by Dan Przybanek. Recently, the last Trabant trip was aired on Czech television.
There is a group of trabants traveling around the world. And, strangely enough, these little four-wheeled wonders make it, although not without problems. Aside from some great shots of the scenery they pass through and the people they meet along the way, there are many moments in the documentary when the Trabant stops running again and something has to be repaired. As you watch, you get the impression that the crew can\’t imagine how lucky they were to find spare parts and a particularly skilled welder. The documentary is very engaging and hats off to them for undertaking such a thing.