Wartburg 353 Sedan
Produced for an incredible 23 years with minimal changes, the Wartburg 353 represented East German automotive industry's isolation from Western developments. Its two-stroke three-cylinder engine required oil-fuel mixture and produced characteristic blue exhaust smoke that announced its presence. Despite archaic technology, the car featured surprisingly sophisticated double-wishbone front suspension and was ruggedly built. The 353 was widely exported to developing countries and even sold in limited numbers in Western Europe as a budget curiosity. Today these cars are collectible as symbols of Cold War history and Ostalgie (nostalgia for East Germany).
Plentiful in former East Germany but rare in the West. Two-stroke engine maintenance is straightforward but requires oil premix. Build quality is crude but cars are mechanically simple. Rust is common but panels are thick steel. Parts available through specialist suppliers. Later models with disc brakes preferred. Tourist models exported to West had better trim.
Over 1.18 million units produced from 1965-1988, making it relatively common in former Eastern Bloc countries. A four-stroke VW engine was finally offered from 1988-1991. Station wagon and coupe variants were also produced. Production quality improved slowly over the decades but basic design remained frozen.