Do Americans know Trabants?
Trabant Car is a product of East Germany known in America as GDR. The German Democratic Republic (GDR; German: Deutsche Demokratische Republik or DDR) was called East Germany by the West. This country existed from 1949 to 1990 and it was the socialist state established in the Soviet zone of occupied Germany and in the East Berlin portion of the Allied-occupied capital city.
There are some Trabants in the US and Canada as well but they are more popular in the Europe then in the North America. While speaking to Americans a lot of people do not know much about those best cars ever made. People who travelled to Europe especially east block are very familiar with them though.
Here is couple of comments about Trabants from US car forums:
Marc from Texas, USA
That car looks so funny. I think Minis are the best. I live in America where there were trade sanctions against the GDR so nothing from the Eastern bloc except for the Yugo and a plastic toy-train I own ever crossed the line. But I think it would be hilarious to pimp on out and go driving on the street.
Mike Annen, unknown location, USA
Trabis are very misunderstood. People only know what they are told and are afraid to make their own judgment about those cars. They draw conclusions from confusing information and half truths but mostly just agree with everyone else. For instance, most people don't know that Trabants don't smoke after warm up. I drive one in the USA and can also tell you they are very dependable mostly due to simplicity. For instance, they have no pumps to fail. There are no water, fuel, or oil pumps on a Trabi. That along eliminates a large number of breakdowns.
John Short, Colorado, USA
Trabants were ahead of their time, at least in the early years, in many respects (agreed, the appearance wasn't updated much in the later years, although they received many more improvements than most people realize)! I drive a '72 one here in Colorado and a '63 one in the UK when I'm back there, and I swear by them! They're my only cars, and daily drivers. The UK one's been round Europe on several occasions, and I take the one here in CO through the Rockies and all around Colorado, Wyoming et al. regularly. They accelerate really rather well, handle VERY well, and cruise comfortably at 65-70, with a max speed of about 80. Yes, mph. Smooth and refreshingly fun to drive, extremely comfortable, high quality throughout (seriously), very economical and easy and cheap to maintain even in a country where spare parts don't exactly grow on trees. I'm the one that's always towing back dead Volvos, Hondas, Saturns etc. with my Trabi up the hill to our place, and then spending my time fixing everything but the Trabi which keeps running great with minimal maintenance.
Jim Jamieson, unknown location
I've been driving Trabants for about ten or eleven years now. They are absolutely great little cars, simple to work on. Why state they are "Commie" cars - surely the fear is not still that prevalent in the US? Trabants are European cars and if it were not for the Communist regime then the VW Golf would not have been born - yes it was a prototype Trabant!
