Beschreibung
The Trabant P601 was produced by VEB Sachsenring in Saxony in a long production run from 1963 to 1991 and accordingly it was the most well known Trabant with over 2. 8M ‘Trabis’ finding homes, East Germany’s answer to West Germany’s VW Beetle ‘people’s car.’
Affordable and cheap to run (by Western standards) nevertheless the design displayed elements of foresight including the ‘modern’ front-wheel drive, all round independent suspension, a low maintenance engine and unitary construction. The main let down was the dated two-stroke engine that continued in production in the absence of any development budget well past its natural lifespan. Costing an eye-drying 8, 500 DEM (German Marks) or £3, 600 in later production years, there was often a 10-year wait to purchase a new one.
This fine 25bhp example of the marque is affectionately known as ‘Doris.’ She was declared manufactured in 1985 but first registered in the UK in 1992 and the odometer reading of 12, 932 km is believed to be correct but obviously not warranted (who knows where Doris has been). With only two previous UK keepers, Doris resided for many years in a Scottish motor museum before being acquired and lovingly recommissioned by the current owner who has replaced many of the hard-to-source parts direct from Germany and who, over the past decade of ownership, has fastidiously maintained Doris to a very high standard. Lightly used of recent times having covered less than 1, 000km in the last four years, she is reluctantly being offered for adoption.
Offered at 'No Reserve' and supplied with a long MOT, new battery, two sets of keys, previous MOTs, original book pack and a good amount of history, Doris is surely the best ‘Trabi’ available on the market today.
A rare opportunity to acquire a real 20thC East European-state, socio-economic ‘retro’ design icon that is fast becoming highly sought after and very desirable. This characterful little car is a real head turner wherever she goes so may no longer be appropriate for the Trabi's traditional roles of spying or defecting.
