It’s 1966 and you’re in the market for a brand new car. The trouble is though your budget is restricted to less than £600 all-in. And for your family’s needs, BMC’s evergreen Mini is simply too small. So what do you do? One solution is to generate some controversy by not only buying a foreign car, but choosing one from Eastern Europe.
To do such a thing 48 years ago, you’d have been considered either very brave or totally eccentric. But for those buyers who did go for this alternative route, there were various advantages. Just over £589, for example, would have got you behind the wheel of the brand new Wartburg 1000 Deluxe shown here, the family saloon from East Germany that gave you a lot of car for your money.
The latest Wartburg was powered by a 991cc three-cylinder, two-stroke engine, linked to a four-speed gearbox and with drive to the front wheels. It also boasted independent rear suspension and a relatively generous list of fixtures and fittings, explained this ad: “At last there’s a car that puts luxury on a level everyone can afford.”
