GDR classics in trend: This is how much the Trabant and Wartburg are worth today!

GDR classics in trend: This is how much the Trabant and Wartburg are worth today!

Times are changing, and this is especially true for the classic car landscape in Germany. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, the owners of many GDR cars at the time, such as the Trabant and Wartburg, quickly pushed them across the border with two-stroke engines in order to purchase modern western vehicles. But 35 years after the end of the GDR, the tide has turned: these former everyday cars are now very popular and are enjoying increasing popularity among collectors and enthusiasts. According to information from Northern Courier The prices for well-preserved models are sometimes significantly higher than in 2018. A Trabant 601 in its original condition can now cost up to 7,000 euros, which is more than twice as much as seven years ago.

The Wartburg 353 is also on the rise and achieves prices of up to 10,000 euros in top condition. The values ​​of rare models like the Wartburg 311 are even more impressive: This sedan can fetch almost 16,600 euros, while the rare coupé even reaches almost 35,000 euros - a real hit for collectors. Particularly noteworthy is the EMW 327, which was produced in small numbers and now achieves prices of over 100,000 euros for convertibles and coupés. Experts like Veit Kohl are surprised by the increase in value and point out that many of these vehicles have now achieved cult status.

A look at the collectors' plans

Interest in the classic car market, especially in GDR vehicles, is unbroken. Around 8,900 Wartburgs and over 40,800 Trabants were still on the roads in 2022. It turns out that more than half of Trabant owners are under 60 years old, and even 2,800 owners are under 30 years old and were therefore born after the last Trabant was produced. This development shows that not only the “old hands” but also a younger generation is interested in these vehicles and often holds up the flag for tradition and nostalgia.

Several events, such as the Zwickau Trabant and Eastern Vehicle Meeting and the International Eastern Bloc Vehicle Meeting in Pütnitz, strengthen the community of classic car lovers. These events attract large crowds, and many participants even present vehicles with old “GDR” country license plates – a living testimony to history and change.

Market development and its challenges

According to data from In Franconia The classic car market as a whole is on the upswing, with increases in value heavily dependent on the condition of the cars and their history. But despite this positive development, market observation is also viewed with skepticism. Kohl announced that the increase in value could stagnate for less popular and less rare models. And so it remains to be seen whether this trend will continue or whether a peak will soon be reached.

The general market situation is also confirmed in the German Classic Car Index (DOX), which reached a score of 2,985 on January 1, 2025, representing an increase of 1.85% compared to the previous year. OCC reports that despite an increase in the index, classic cars are generally not worthwhile investments, but rather the passion for historic driving should be the focus. Anyone interested in a classic car should, above all, enjoy driving and their own history.