Trabant Factory - production in Zwickau DDR

Trabant Factory, VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke Zwickau, Ostblock
The Trabant, a small, iconic car from East Germany, was indeed produced in Zwickau, Germany. Here's a detailed breakdown of its production timeline in Zwickau:

Birthplace and Initial Production (1950s):

The Zwickau factory wasn't initially producing Trabants. It was the birthplace of Horch and Audi vehicles before World War II.
In the mid-1950s, the VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke Zwickau factory shifted production to the AWZ P70, a car considered the predecessor to the Trabant. This car utilized recycled materials, a characteristic later adopted by the Trabant.
1957: The first official Trabant, the Trabant 500, rolled off the assembly line in Zwickau. It was a relatively advanced car for its time, featuring front-wheel drive, unitary construction, and independent suspension.
Peak Production and Model Evolution (1960s-1980s):

1963: Production of the most well-known Trabant model, the Trabant 601, began. It boasted updated bodywork and became the car most associated with the Trabant name globally.
1964: The Trabant 600, a slightly less powerful version of the 601, was introduced.
1988: The Trabant 1.1, the last major iteration, emerged with a more powerful 1.1L engine (licensed from Volkswagen) but retained the overall design of the 601.
Throughout this period, Zwickau remained the heart of Trabant production, churning out hundreds of thousands of these vehicles each year.
End of Production and Legacy (1990s):

1990: Following German reunification, demand for the Trabant plummeted as consumers gained access to a wider range of Western cars.
1991: Trabant production in Zwickau ceased after over 30 years. The factory was later acquired by Volkswagen and transformed into a production hub for other vehicles.
Overall, the Zwickau factory played a crucial role in the Trabant story, producing millions of these iconic cars that served as a symbol of East Germany for decades. The decision to manufacture the Trabant in Zwickau leveraged the existing automotive expertise and infrastructure present in the city.


Source: bundesarchiv, progress film

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