A new Trabant has been launched at the Frankfurt motor show. The electric prototype shown by German manufacturer Herpa Miniaturmodelle GmbH, in the hope of attracting investors willing to fund the car's launch in 2012.
See the updated Herpa Trabant picture gallery
Herpa's updated 'Trabi' retains the square, boxy look of the original car. "The New Trabi will be a stylish car with a history," said the company's Daniel Stiegler. "It will be electrically powered because that is the trend."
According to Herpa, the new Trabant will have a rooftop solar panel for recharging its battery, a range of about about 156 miles and a kerb weight of less than 1000kg. IAV Automotive Engineering, based in Berlin, is building the electric powertrain. No other technical details have been released.
Herpa is located in in Zwickau, the same German county where the original Trabant factory was based. The company, which makes model cars and airplanes, bought the Trabant copyright in 2007.
About three million original Trabants were built between 1957 and 1991.
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Re: New electric Trabant unveiled
I want one! How anti-brand is a Trabby. you can imaging it in some godforsaken Allbarone in banbury. What do you a drive? A Mini Cooper with custom roof [yawn]. What do you drive? A Trabby. A what?
It should have some East-bloc chic poverty spec too to really make it stand out. I'd buy one....Not sure about the choice of an electric motor? Surely a small petrol would do the job or even a hybrid?
Re: New electric Trabant unveiled
If you turn it upside down you'll find "Dinky" stamped on it.