While the Western German's had their Volkswagon (people's car), the Eastern Germans had the Trabant, a car the Westerners poked so much fun at. It looked a bit silly, a little bit Mr. Bean, and very, very basic. Some even failed to have lights on them.
"Its image become a symbol of the reunited Germany because when the Berlin wall came down, Trabants flooded through," the Daily Mail reported. "Many of them were abandoned by their owners."
The brand only seemed to disappear, however. Herpa, a toy company, bought the rights to the Trabant name and launched a range of tiny models that sold at phenomenal rates. After that type of success, they sent out a survey and discovered 94 per cent of people wanted to see the car recreated.
After those numbers were revealed, they got to work on building them again, with plans to have the 24 HP cars back on the roads by 2011.
"They will be four door family cars and will be trendy," said Herpa's Daniel Stiegler. "The design and technology will be completely new, but they will be recognisable as Trabants."
The makers suspect it will be in the same market as the new Mini and the new VW Beetle.
Retro Jalopy Revival
East German Trabant Car
Trend Themes
1. Retro Car Revival - Take old car models and rejuvenate them with a modern twist for a trendy look.
2. Nostalgia Marketing - Use retro products that appeal to feelings of nostalgia to attract consumers and generate profits.
3. Upcycling - Revamp old, classic car models for modern use, giving them a new lease of life and reducing waste in the process.
Industry Implications
1. Automotive Industry - Revamp classic cars by incorporating modern technology and design for a retro, yet contemporary vehicle.
2. Toy Industry - Create miniature car replicas of popular old car models to generate interest and profit while incorporating current design trends into the packaging and presentation.
3. Fashion Industry - Incorporate retro car design elements into clothing and accessories, giving consumers a sense of nostalgia and style while capitalizing on current design trends.