Dream Machine

Q - How do you double the value of a Trabant?
A - Fill up the tank.


Q - What do you call a Trabant with twin exhausts?
A - A wheelbarrow.

These mean quips by jealous West German Audi, BMW & Mercedes owners were doing the rounds in 1989 when I first came to Germany and witnessed the Trabants hit the West German autobahns. The 26hp, two stroke motorised Trabant 601, left every Porsche way behind it. No sane West German motorist would want to be less than 2km behind these evil stinking and smoking cars. They probably were not as environmentally as bad as a modern VW diesel - they didn't produce any fine particle emissions, the dirt was heavier than lead.

However in the days of the East German DDR, they were the dream of many and subject to decade long waiting lists. Strangely the East Germans didn't export to their brothers in arms in Cuba who had to rely on old US technology. Perhaps now the leader has gone, the people can start to live more normal lives. While good education and health services are very laudable, I don't believe they justify the Castro regime.

This Trabant with personalised plate, seems to have broken down just before getting in to the village. Perhaps it was due to the horrible damp weather. Not a pleasant 1st Advent Sunday but it didn't deter Angie putting up the first decorations. I still haven't heard a Christmas song on the radio, not even from Wham.

PS After posting this got a comment from Paullapalmyre about a BBC Radio 4 series starting today (28th) about a trip in an identical Trabbi from London to East ´Germany. Thanks Paul!.

PPS See also Blip from 1992