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- Quirky and Interesting Eastern Bloc Cars — Part 1: (1950-1975)
- Quirky and Interesting Eastern Bloc Cars — Part 2: (1975-2000)
Differences between the East and the West were evident in all facets of life since the dawn of the two respective civilizations. However, when it comes to the 20th century, the focus inevitably shifts towards the communist Eastern Bloc and the capitalist West. Whether political, economic, sociological, or cultural, differences between these two seemingly incompatible worlds were practically irreconcilable.
One of the most intriguing byproducts of the communist economic model was the Eastern Bloc’s automotive industry. Built to transport a person or a group of people from point A to point B with as little fuss as possible, the Eastern Bloc cars often lacked most of the traits we’ve become accustomed to from a vehicle. Precious few of them offered any real luxury and were almost exclusively reserved for the ruling elite. At the same time, people’s cars often appeared underdeveloped and outdated, which is evident by their prolonged production runs without any significant improvements. Some would argue they were built perfectly from day one and didn’t need any, but that’s more of an antic rather than a rule.
Reasons for the underdevelopment of the Eastern Bloc’s auto industry are numerous. For starters, all carmakers were controlled by the state, and there was no competition among them. And where there’s no competition, there’s hardly any progress. Furthermore, the communist ideology implied that all men and women were equal regardless of their upbringing, vocation, and social status, and why should cars be any different?
While most communist-built cars trailed behind their western counterparts in more ways than one, no one can deny their quirkiness. Whether stubbornly durable, downright unreliable, or simply inherently odd, most of them came with more defining characteristics than meet the eye.
This time we’re covering some of the most quirky and interesting cars from the Eastern Bloc countries produced roughly between 1950 and 1975. We’ll also include cars from Yugoslavia, which was never a part of the bloc but still was a socialist country stuck between these two worlds.
Zastava 750 (1955-1985)
Yugoslavia
Although nothing more than a rebadged Fiat 600 at first glance, the Zastava 750 did introduce several changes over the years that were never part of the original.
Produced under license with parts shipped from Italy and named Zastava 600 at first, the supermini received its first substantial updates in 1960. A larger 25-hp 767 cc engine replaced the original 633 cc engine with 21 hp. At the same time, over 50 percent of supermini’s parts were sourced domestically.
The Zastava 750 made its debut in 1962 and sported an additional 3.3 inches in length compared to its Fiat sibling. The 750 SE models introduced in 1979 would produce 30 hp, while the Zastava 850 introduced in 1980 yielded 31 ponies thanks to a larger 843 cc 4-cylinder engine. The rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout, and a manual 4-speed remained constant throughout its run.
By 1985 and the end of production, Zastava had produced 923.487 units of the car known as the National Class of the country.
Tatra 603 (1956-1975)
Czechoslovakia
Produced between 1956 and 1975 across three very similar generations, the Tatra 603 was diametrically different from most eastern European cars of the time. Luxurious and forward-thinking in design and technology alike, the large sedan was more than capable of accommodating six passengers but usually only carried one – not counting the chauffeur.
Reserved for the high-ranking party officials and ruling elite in general, the 603 was a rare sight on the roads. Tatra produced only 20,422 of them during the two-decade run.
Powered by a rear-mounted air-cooled 2.5 L pushrod V8 engine weighing under 400 pounds, the 603 delivered 95 hp for respectable cruising speeds.
A futuristic aerodynamic design and advanced swing axles were joined by four-wheel discs in 1968 and contactless thyristor ignition in 1973.
But one of the most interesting facts about the car is its secret development stemming from the Eastern Bloc’s internal policies. The Czechoslovak economy was, at the time, subject to regulations by the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (COMECON) that required Tatra to focus on trucks and Czechoslovakia to import luxury cars from the USSR.
The third oldest carmaker in the world would take none of it and continue developing the next-gen luxury saloon in secrecy under the codename Valuta. When the Czechoslovak government finally had enough of the USSR’s failure to meet the export quotas, they gave the new Tatra the green light in 1953, and the rest is history.
Trabant 601 (1963-1989)
East Germany (DDR)
Arguably one of the quirkiest Eastern Bloc cars ever produced, the second-generation Trabant is an antithesis of the German car industry as we know it. East Germany’s answer to the Volkswagen Beetle (unified Nazi and West Germany’s people’s car) was painfully unreliable and relied on an obsolete two-stroke engine throughout its production. Despite its numerous flaws, however, the Trabi remained in production until shortly after the fall of the Berlin wall and has garnered a cult following throughout East Germany and especially the capital itself.
Powered by an already outdated for the 1960s 594.5 cc straight-twin two-stroke engine with only 23 hp, the Trabant 601 was extremely slow despite its low weight of 1,350 pounds. Speaking of weight, Trabant’s manufacturer VEB Sachsenring used a Duroplast body mounted on a unibody steel chassis to achieve it. This may have helped the car’s power to weight distribution somewhat but left it vulnerable to farm animals that developed a taste for it in rural areas of the country.
While the Trabant 601 remained largely unchanged until 1990, the manufacturer still implemented some improvements. The power grew to 26 hp in 1969, and a 2-stage carb was introduced in 1984. Aside from a 2-door sedan, the Trabant was also available as a 2-door estate wagon.
For the last two years of production between 1989 and 1991, the third-gen Trabant would feature a Volkswagen Polo-sourced 1.1 L 4-cylinder engine but would still find no place in the unified country’s economy. Trabant’s owners literally abandoned them on the streets when they got access to modern cars from the west.
Including the initial P50 Trabants produced between 1957 and 1962 and the 600 which preceded the Trabant 601, the beloved albeit unspectacular car reached a total production of around 3.7 million units.
Škoda 1000 MB (1964-1969)
Czechoslovakia
Unlike the expensive Tatra 603, the Škoda 1000 MB was attainable by the working class. Needless to say, it was also produced in larger quantities, as 443,141 of them left the company’s Mladá Boleslav assembly over five years. While most of them were 4-door sedans, Škoda also produced a meager 2,517 1000 MBX-badged 2-door coupes.
In the typical fashion of the era, the 1000 MB was built in a rear-engined rear-wheel-drive configuration—much like its numerous western counterparts.
Powered by a small 1.0 L 4-cylinder engine with 44 hp, the early 1000 MB’s weren’t the fastest cars on the market but still provided a lot of bang for the buck. They were even somewhat popular in the U.K.
In 1966, Škoda introduced a more upscale 1000 MB De Luxe model with 48 ponies and a top-of-the-line 1000 MBG De Luxe model with a dual-carb setup yielding 70 horses.
Finally, a larger 1.1 L 4-cylinder engine with 45 hp would be made available in 1967 and sold under the 1100 MB and MBX moniker.
ZAZ-966 (1964-1972)
USSR
ZAZ-966, popularly known as Zaporozhets, was vastly superior to the Fiat 600-resembling ZAZ-965 that it effectively replaced and ran alongside for a short while. The Corvair-like design itself allowed for a more comfy interior, while a larger engine somewhat rectified the predecessor’s severe lack of power.
Speaking of which, from 1968, the 966 featured a rather unconventional rear-mounted 1.2 L V4 engine rated at 40 hp. The initial models, however, still relied on an older 30-hp 887 cc V4.
In 1972, the 966 was supplanted by a redesigned ZAZ-968 that would remain in production until 1994, making it the last mass-production car to feature a V4 mill.
The Zapo attained some popularity in Scandinavia and France, and a total of 3,422,444 of them were produced between 1960 and 1994.
Wartburg 353 (1966-1988)
East Germany (DDR)
If you think that Trabant was the only East German state-manufactured car, you’ve got another thing coming. Meet the modern-looking yet antiquely powered Wartburg 353.
Much like Trabant, the Wartburg 353 relied on a two-stroke engine, leaving a trail of smoke longer than the car itself. However, its 993cc displacement, three cylinders, and 50 hp gave it a competitive edge in some foreign markets, making the Wartburg 353 one of only a handful of early Eastern Bloc successful automotive exports.
In 1986, the new Jikov 32 Sedr carb raised the output to 55 hp, but by 1988 the Wartburg 353 would already become history. The company replaced it with a VW-sourced 1.3L 4-cylinder mill in the new (but still largely the same) Wartburg 1.3 that didn’t survive the reunification.
Bulgaralpine GT4 (1967-1969)
Bulgaria
Although Bulgaria didn’t have a car industry of its own but rather assembled Soviet, French, and Italian cars, that didn’t stop them from producing one of the most exciting and mysterious Eastern Bloc cars.
The Bulgaralpine GT4, as its name suggests, is a rebadged version of the iconic Alpine A110 GT4. Although that fact itself doesn’t hold too much significance, Eastern Bloc sports cars were few and far between at the best of times. The fact that a country without prior automotive know-how had managed to produce a stellar example of a sports car was a source of national pride for the Bulgarian people.
Produced as a collaboration between Alpine, Bulgarian export trade organization Bulet, and SPC Metalhim (a Bulgarian defense firm) in a Bulgarrenault plant, the Bulgaralpine GT4 disappeared almost as quickly as it came to pass. Due to its unorthodox nature and corresponding production run, its exact production figures are unknown. It is believed that anywhere between 60 and 150 units were assembled, with around 50 intended for export.
ZIL 114 (1967-1978)
USSR
While most satellite Eastern Bloc countries produced cars with subdued but unmistakable European genes, the USSR went beyond the Pacific, searching for inspiration. Ironically, many of its models were influenced by already existing American cars, and one of the most shameless copies comes in the face of ZIL 114.
Although a copy of the 1960s Imperial and Lincoln Continental, it wasn’t a bad car. The ZIL 114 was exclusively intended for the heads of the state. Hence only 150 or so were produced in almost a decade-long run.
Powered by a 300-hp 7.0 L pushrod V8, the ZIL 114 ended up in the Guinness Book of Records as the widest car in production in 1971, measuring 81.4 inches. As if that wasn’t enough, it was also listed as the heaviest car in production between 1974 and 1976, weighing 6,801 pounds. It featured power steering, power windows, power door locks, air conditioning, and first-ever in-a-Soviet-car disc brakes at all four corners. Oh, and it also returned around 5 mpg, perhaps an unofficial record for inefficiency.
Melkus RS 1000 (1969-1986)
East Germany (DDR)
There’s precious little room for luxury and excess in a state-run economy, but we’re glad that Melkus RS 1000 was an exception. The proper sports car with everything from a mid-mounted engine to impeccable Ferrari 250 GTO-like styling and gullwing doors is a unicorn among Eastern Bloc econocars. Or was it?
Sadly, under the hood beat a two-stroke heart of our old smoke-bellowing acquaintance Wartburg 353. Supplied with three carbs and mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox; however, the 992 cc engine cranked up 68 hp, good enough for a 103 mph top speed.
Due to its ladder-frame chassis, integrated roll bar, and fiberglass construction, the Melkus RS 1000 weighed only 1,521 pounds which somewhat offset its mediocre powertrain setup. Later models were fitted with a more powerful 1.2 L engine, enabling a 109 mph top speed.
Melkus produced only 101 units during the initial run and additional 15 units in 2006. Sadly, instead of rising from the ashes of the old order, the company filed for bankruptcy in 2012, although it continues to participate in motorsport activities.
Škoda 110R (1970-1980)
Czechoslovakia
A successor to the aforementioned Škoda 1000 and 1100 MBX coupes, the 110R offered improvements across the board.
A 1.1 L 4-cylinder engine paired with a 4-speed stick provided a healthy 62 horsepower and a top speed of 90 mph. Although 0 to 60 mph took 18.5 seconds, the 110R was still one of the sportier cars from the eastern side of the iron curtain.
Even its production run of 56,902 units tells a different story than 1000/1100 MBX’s modest figures.
The Škoda 110R also went on to become one of the most legendary rally cars in the eastern portion of the east/west divide. The most powerful unit, dubbed the 130 RS A5 and fitted with a prototype 1.6L 4-cylinder engine, developed a whopping 184 hp and a top speed of 155 mph.
Last Words
The first quarter of a century after the Second World War saw a slow but steady advancement of the Eastern Bloc countries’ industries, including automotive. Although many of them were rather interesting, communist cars were still plagued by poor build quality and subpar performance compared to their western counterparts.
Due to the economic decline of the entire Eastern Bloc during the last quarter of the twentieth century, these issues were only compounded over the years, and outdated models were often forced to soldier on for decades. The story of quirky and interesting Eastern Bloc cars continues in another article.
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