The Iconic Trabant Turns 60

This week marks 60 years since the first of 3.7 million Trabants rolled off the production line in East Germany. The rattling and smoke belching little car with the round headlights went on to become one of the major symbols of the German Democratic Republic and the vehicle still has a legion of fans. Back in the Communist-era, hopeful owners had to spend nearly a year's salary on a Trabant and waiting times for delivery could last over a decade. Even though western cars made considerable techological leaps during the 1970s and 1980s, the quintessential Trabi remained practically unchanged. It's enduring popularity can be seen by the fact there are still around 34,000 of the brightly colored cars chugging their way around Germany today.