Small, snub nosed, slow and the product of Stalinist central planning, the Trabant is the ugly duckling of East Germany's roadways. The ubiquitous "Trabi" has not had its flaky Duraplast body redesigned since the first mass-production models rolled off the assembly line in 1964. Its motorcycle- size two-stroke engine coughs out more pollution than almost any other auto. Often the motor's two cylinders come on line one at a time until they sputter in unison in a puff of blue smoke, sounding uncannily like an ancient sewing machine.
But last year the Trabi suddenly became a vessel for revolution and liberty....
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