Trabant facts for kids

A parking lot in East Berlin, in 1983. You can see many Trabants, a white Wartburg, and a dark green Lada.

The Trabant (often called Trabi) was a type of car made in East Germany. When these cars first came out, people thought they were very new and clever. They also used very little fuel, which was good for drivers.

Trabants had a special kind of engine called a two-stroke engine. The outside of the car was not made from metal like steel or iron. This was because East Germany didn't want to buy expensive steel from other countries. Instead, the Trabant was made from a special kind of plastic called Duroplast. This plastic was made by mixing materials like formica and bakelite, and it was made stronger with cotton fibers. Some steel was used for the engine and the car's floor, and to make the plastic parts even stronger.

After the Berlin Wall was opened in 1989, people in East Germany could buy cars from other countries. They often wanted bigger, more modern cars. Because of this, the Trabant didn't sell as well anymore. However, you can still find Trabants in some parts of Eastern Europe, like Hungary.

What Was Good and Bad About the Trabant?

The Trabant was a small car, which made it good for driving in cities. Its two-stroke engine did create a lot of air pollution. But because its body was made of plastic, it was actually quite strong and safe in a crash. Many people were surprised that it did better in crash tests than some Western cars, like the Volkswagen Polo.

Different Types of Trabants

Between 1957 and 1990, about 3 million Trabant cars were built. By January 2005, around 67,000 of these cars were still being used. Here are some of the main versions:

Trabant Pictures

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  A blue Trabant

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  The Trabant two-stroke engine

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  The Trabant 1.1 model, which had a VW Polo four-stroke engine

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  A Trabant made for volunteer fire fighting

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  A Trabant painted like a police car (but not a real one)

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  A painting of a Trabant on the Berlin Wall

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  An easy parking spot for a Trabi in Dobrich, Bulgaria

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  A Trabi in London in 2007

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  A Trabant used as a racing car

Images for kids

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  Trabant 601 limousine

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  Interior of a 601

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  A 1959 P50

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  A 1963 Trabant 601

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  A blue P1100 prototype

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  Many Trabants like this one were left behind in Leipzig after 1989.

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  A Trabant during the first Parade of Trabants in 2007

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  A Trabant P50 Universal in Dresden in 1961

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  Trabant P 50

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  Trabant P 1.1 Kubelwagen

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  Trabant P 601 WE II

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  Trabant 500 Pickup

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  Trabant P50 Kombi

See also

In Spanish: Trabant para niños