Ddr car statistics for 1988. Interesting reading.

The following data is my interpretation from two books. One book listed the number of cars on Ddr roads.

The other listed the prices in 1988. When you consider the Trabant ( which was by far the cheapest new car option) , cost on average, a years salary, the imported cars cost an absolute fortune and were way beyond the reach of ordinary citizens.

PRIVATE CARS ON DDR ROADS,1988.                          COST NEW IN 1988.

Trabant : 1.9 million. Cost 5,240-7,240 Deutsch Marks.

Wartburg : 353. 606,000.   Cost 8,900-11,154. DM.

Lada. : 329,000. Cost 14-18,500. DM

Skoda : 303,000. Cost unknown.

Moskvitch: 127,000. Cost unknown.

IMPORTED CARS AVAILABLE TO DDR CITIZENS:

Volkswagen Golf. 22,000 Cost 19,500- 24,500 DM

Volkswagen Passat: Numbers unknown.  Cost 31,500-32,500 DM

BMW 3 series: Numbers unknown( very few):   Cost 32,000 + dependent on model and spec.

Peugeot 309 GR: Numbers unknown(very few).  Cost 22,500 DM.

Ford Orion 1.3. Numbers unknown (very few) Cost 20,500 DM

Fiat Uno60 was available for special order, but no prices were given.

Prices for the Barkas and Volkswagen Transporter vehicles are listed, but no numbers given.


Barkas B1000 Van type Commercial. Cost 15,200 DM.

Barkas B1000 Flat bed Truck. Cost 14,100 DM.

Barkas B1000 Minibus.  Cost 17,200 DM.

Volkswagen Transporter kombi:   Cost 29,000 DM  ALMOST TWICE THE PRICE OF THE 'BARKAS'.

ANALYSIS:


You could buy 4 Trabants for the price of a medium specification Volkswagen Golf.
The Lada was a  pretty expensive, Communist car, compared to East German offerings.
Almost 3 times the price of a Trabant and 50% dearer than a Wartburg.
The Russians clearly didn't do their 'Socialist' brothers any favours when it came to Imports!


No mention is made of the expected waiting time for an Imported car to be delivered.
Typical waiting times for a new 'Trabi' were 12-14 years, longer for Wartburgs.
Perhaps someone reading this can shed some light??


The most popular imported Limousine type car for Government ministers and similar echelons of East German society was the 'Volvo'.


the above figures have been rounded up or down