Trabant budget car set to return

German-based coachbuilder IndiKar has been chosen to develop the rebirth of the mythic GDR Trabant economy car as part of the latest initiative of another company, scale carmaker Herpa. A full-scale concept car is expected be unveiled at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show although no information has been released about when the production version will finally go on sale.

A 1:10 scale car shown at last year’s IAA caused a nostalgic fan avalanche that made Herpa give the green light to a production model. Dubbed the ‘New Trabi’, the concept car was a five-door hatchback with a sky blue body and white roof.

Quality standards of the final production model will be light years away from the original model. It will comply with European emission and safety standards, and interior quality should match similarly retro-styled cars such as the Mini, Fiat 500 and VW Beetle, reports Auto Motor und Sport.

IndiKar has its headquarters in Wilkau-Haßlau, close to Zwickau, where more than three million Trabis were built between 1957 and 1991. The company currently produces armored vehicles, car parts, and prototypes for the major carmakers.