FOUR MORE EASTERN EUROPEAN ’80S DELIGHTS

Skoda Favorit

1987-1995

With a body styled by Bertone and engineering done in-house, this was the Czech manufacturer’s first front-engined, front-drive car, and its last before VW took over and co-developed its successor, the Felicia.

Lada Samara

1984-2013

The first Lada developed by the Soviets without any input from Fiat. Lada is now owned by Renault as a kind of subDacia budget brand that’s huge in Russia.

Wartburg 1.3

1988-1991

The East Germany company had used rear-engined twostroke triples since the ’50s. The 1.3 kept the same look but actually used a frontmounted four-stroke engine driving the front wheels. Cue collapse of Berlin Wall.

Trabant 601

1963-1990

The symbol of East Berlin when the Wall came down. By all accounts a terrible car, with a 500cc two-stroke twin-cylinder engine that would occasionally work.