Hqm Sachsenring · 1964–1990

Trabant 601

The Trabant 601 (or Trabant P601 series) is a Trabant model produced by VEB Sachsenring in Zwickau, Saxony. It was the third generation of the model, built for the longest production time, from 1964 to 1990. As a result, it is the best-known Trabant model and often referred to simply as the "Trabant" or "Trabi". During this long production run, 2,818,547 Trabant 601 units were produced overall, and it was the most common vehicle in East Germany.

Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Predecessor: Trabant 600 · Successor: Trabant 1.1

All Hqm Sachsenring Trabant 601 data: UK builds, safety, recalls, model years →

Overview

In hindsight, the Trabant 601 can be considered East Germany's answer to West Germany's "People's Car", the VW Beetle. Its purpose was to provide a cheap but still reliable car that was very affordable and also easy to repair and maintain. Still, it was at the time of its release rather modern in many ways, with front-wheel drive combined with transversely mounted motor, a low maintenance engine, unitary construction, rack and pinion steering, composite bodywork, and independent suspension all around. The car body was made of Duroplast. The main letdown was the engine, which was a two-stroke based on a pre-war DKW. It was competitive when launched, but from the late 1950s into the 1960s, small economy cars in Western countries that used two-stroke engines were replaced with cleaner and more efficient four-stroke engines, as employed from the start in the Volkswagen Beetle. Two-stroke engines of this sort, with crankcase scavenging and lubricating oil provided during fuel intake, burn their lubricating oil by design and produce smoky tailpipe emissions. However, two-stroke engines also powered cars such as the West German Auto Union 1000 that ended production in 1965, and the Swedish Saab 96 that only changed to four-stroke in 1967. It was planned to replace the two-stroke-motor with a Wankel engine; however, East Germany failed to develop a practical version of such a motor. Throughout the years the Trabant received minor visual and technical updates, such as front and rear bumpers with plastic ends, electronic ignition and a 12-volt electrical system, all in an attempt to modernise the line-up, but due to a lack of development funds in East Germany the upgrades were few and far between. The vehicle became outdated towards the end of the 1960s and it was fully obsolete

History

The Trabant 601 was a modern automobile when introduced in 1963, with 150 pre-production examples. The body was modified from the previous P50/P60 variants of the Trabant, with a heavy emphasis on the front and roof area. The back of the car was also modified with different taillights and a higher trunk loading height as compared to previous models. Overall, the design was praised, particularly on the then-modern double trapezoid design. Originally, production was only planned to run from 1967 to 1971, but instead continued until 1990. The original P 60 engine was only 23 PS (16.9 kW). In 1969 the new P62 version was offered with a 26 PS (19.1 kW) engine. In 1974, a needle roller bearing was added to the connecting rod, allowing for a 50/1 lubricant to be used. Through the addition of a two-stage carburetor in 1984, the fuel consumption was brought down by 1/100 L/km. With these additions, the top speed was measured to be 107 km/h. Even with these improvements, the fuel consumption could still rise rapidly with extended acceleration or when towing a trailer. The P601 also had an overrunning clutch when running in fourth gear. Over the course of decades, the design of the Trabant changed little. This caused the increasingly obsolete Trabant's reputation to worsen as time progressed. However, this had little effect on the sales figures — wait times of 10 years or longer for a new car were not uncommon. The price for a new Trabant in 1985 was 8,500 Mark for the 601 Standard, and 9,700 Mark for the most expensive model, the 601 Universal S de Luxe. Available options at this time included a shelf under the instrument panel and intermittent windshield wipers. With change to 12 V in 1984, options as hazard flashers and rear window heater became available. New models were consi

Variants

Trabant 601 Standard (as Limousine & Universal). Trabant 601 S (Sonderwunsch - Special Edition): with optional equipment such as fog lamps, rear white light, and an odometer (as Limousine & Universal). Trabant 601 DeLuxe: like the 601 S and additional twin-tone colouring and chrome bumper (as Limousine & Universal). Trabant 601 Kübel (added in 1966): Jeep version with no doors, folding roof, auxiliary heating system, the ignition system is shielded against electromagnetic interference. Trabant 601 Tramp (added in 1978): the civilian version of the Trabant Kübel, mainly exported to Greece. Trabant 601 Hycomat (P601 H): produced from 1965–1990 in limited numbers (as Limousine & Universal). Made only for users with missing or dysfunctional left leg. It had included an automatic clutching system. Trabant 800 RS: Rally version (1986–1988) with 771 cc engine and an available 5-speed manual transmission. Hycomat. Hycomat refers to an automatic clutch actuation system, available as a factory option. Developed in 1964, it entered series production in 1965 and continued to be available on both the sedan or station wagon until the end of the two-stroke 601 in 1990. Vehicles equipped with a Hycomat were designated Trabant 601 Hycomat and received the type designation Trabant 601 H. Initially, the automatic clutch actuation was hydraulic, later electro-hydraulic. The vehicle's operating manual explained: "The Hycomat is an automated device for engaging and disengaging the clutch, thus eliminating the need for the usual foot pedal operation. The clutch is hydraulically actuated depending on the engine speed or via contact release from the gearshift lever." A "parking lock" is located in place of the clutch pedal. The Trabant 601-H was available to order for people with and without di

Technical data

== Export countries == Eastern Europe. Soviet Union Czechoslovakia Poland Hungary Romania Bulgaria Yugoslavia Western Europe. Belgium Denmark Finland France West Germany Greece Iceland Ireland Netherlands Norway Switzerland Spain United Kingdom

The 601 today

Many former DDR citizens have mixed emotions toward their "Trabi". It is very loud and uncomfortable, and still a symbol for the demised DDR, as it was a part of the system. However, the Trabant was a robust, functional and repair-friendly car, so many people developed a strong relationship to their Trabant. Further, the Trabant never was a symbol of Communist bureaucrats (who tended to own a Lada, Polski Fiat or Volga). Finally, the Trabant also is a symbol for breaking through the wall in 1989. In recent years, the car has become collector's items, with growing popularity. Green Trabants are especially popular, as they are rumoured to bring good luck to their owners. Many Trabant owners' clubs exist throughout Europe and 601s have their fans all over the world. Also, many Trabant 601s are still used as rally racing cars. As a symbol of a bygone era, it has inspired movies such as Go Trabi Go which presented the Trabant as a kind of East German character and could make former DDR citizens laugh "not precisely at themselves, but at the absurdities of the system under which they lived until last year", symbolised by the three main aspects of the Trabant: slow, breaks down frequently and often ridiculed by Western society. It has also seduced people including the US actor David Hasselhoff to drive a Trabant, although he had trouble getting into it. Later he admitted he is a fan of the Trabant. Stephen Kinzer of The New York Times likens the Trabant as a symbol for the people who built it, who "survive[d] through difficult times and ultimately triumph[ed]." The car was also featured in the US film Everything Is Illuminated. The Trabant 601 is the subject of Jalopy, a 2016 roadtrip video game. Set in June 1990 East Germany, during the early months of German reunification, t

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Specifications

name: Trabant 601
Manufacturer: VEB Sachsenring
Production: June 1964 – July 1990, 2,818,547 built
Assembly: East Germany: Zwickau
Class: Supermini (B), Economy car
Body style: 2-door saloon (Limousine), 3-door estate (Universal), Doorless ATV (Tramp/Kübel)
Layout: FF layout
Platform: Trabant P601
Engine: 594 cc P60-P66 two-stroke I2
Transmission: 4-speed manual, 4-speed Hycomat semi-automatic
Wheelbase: 2020 mm
Length: 3555 mm
Width: 1505 mm
Height: 1440 mm
Kerb weight: 615 kg
Predecessor: Trabant 600
Successor: Trabant 1.1
sp: uk
Top speed: 100 km/h