Wartburg 1.3 - how did the budget German differ from the VAZ-2105

In the Soviet Union, a car was considered a great value - it was difficult to buy it. The most expensive acquisition was the Zhiguli models. They were produced on the Fiat chassis, moreover, converted for Soviet realities.


Things were not much better with cars in the countries of the socialist camp. In Germany, divided into two states - the GDR and the FRG, a paradoxical situation has developed. Some Germans could buy Mercedes, BMW, Volkswagen and other modern cars. And the inhabitants of the GDR were disadvantaged.

Today we will try to find out which car is better - the Soviet-Russian VAZ-2105 or the GDR Wartburg 1.3. Both cars were produced for some time together, although they started making the Five earlier and outlived the German competitor by 19 years.

Appearance
The history of a car from the GDR can begin in 1965 - when the model 353 debuted. It was distinguished by a two-stroke engine atypical for Western Europe. Even in the USSR, four-stroke engines for cars have always been produced.



In 1988, the situation improved - the Volkswagen concern decided to help compatriots by offering the plant in Eisenach to organize the assembly of modern small engines. This is how Wartburg 1.3 was born.

However, the model did not become popular as its predecessor. In total, from 1988 to 1991, about 150 copies of these cars were produced. But after the reunification of Germany, the model became unclaimed - the inhabitants of the GDR got access to well-known world brands.



The last batches of Wartburg 1.3 in a total of 15 units were sold in the USSR. This became possible thanks to an enterprising Lithuanian company. After this deal, GDR cars appeared en masse in the Soviet Union and ceased to look like a curiosity.

With Zhiguli everything was much easier. VAZ-2105 appeared in 1979. It was a massive lineup update. Instead of the VAZ-2101/03, the 2104-07 family appeared.



In fact, the new generation of cars remained at about the same technical level, but outwardly it began to look more modern.

Car prices

Interestingly, the VAZ-2105 and Wartburg 1.3 were simultaneously offered to buyers in the GDR in 1988-89. Zhiguli were called stylishly - Lada Nova, and they asked for 9 Deutschmarks.

Wartburg 1.3 cost more - more than 13.

The manufacturer explained the price difference simply:

• ? Reliable Volkswagen engine
  
• ? Front wheel drive layout
  
• ? Frame chassis
  

But outwardly, the Soviet car looked more modern. Moreover, the front-wheel drive VAZ-2108 could be purchased for 11 marks, so the Germans even had a choice.

Wartburg 1.3 was not sold in the USSR for a long time. Only in 1991 a large batch of cars was delivered. They did not compete with the VAZ-2105 - they were simply dismantled instantly, because for Soviet citizens any four-door car was desirable, and even more so a foreign car.

External Comparisons

If you put two cars side by side, then most Russians will immediately say that the Five looks better. It is possible that this is a love for AvtoVAZ, but the engineers really managed to create a fairly modern model based on the outdated Fiat.



If we compare the "Five" with a car of the same class from Germany, then it seems hopelessly outdated. But next to the Wartburg 1.3, the domestic model looks better.

The two cars were almost identical in size. The copy from the GDR was 86 mm longer, but 49 mm lower and 40 mm narrower.



Structurally, the Wartburg was a more primitive vehicle than the VAZ-2105. His pedigree came from 1955 models.

What is inside?

Creating salons, designers from the GDR and the FRG tried to modernize their outdated models as much as possible. VAZ-2105 received new front seats, an angular dashboard and new door trim. But the plastic remained rigid, which did not give the model comfort in the cabin.

But the landing in the Zhiguli has not changed - it is “spread”, because the base was all from the same Fiat-124.



But the Wartburg is no better in terms of interior, rather, even worse. The driver behind the wheel here is even more uncomfortable than the Zhiguli. The design most of all resembled the Soviet Zaporozhets, especially if you pay attention to the internal handles and the bare metal on the doors.

The designers tried to refresh the design by installing a rounded front panel and large seats. Such innovations brought nothing but an imbalance.

Many already know about the equipment of the VAZ-2105 - there were no electric windows and other "bells and whistles" there in the late 1980s and early 1990s, just like in Wartburg. But there was a stove - what else could a Soviet person want?

Technical features of the "German"

The Wartburg 1.3 is a unique car that incorporates design solutions from different periods of the automotive industry. You need to start with the fact that this subcompact model is frame. That's right - these are design solutions from the pre-war period, which reached the end of the 1980s without any changes. The level of safety increased, but the dynamics could be immediately forgotten due to the increase in weight.

But at the same time, the car was front-wheel drive, and this was implemented on the Wartburg 353 model, where a primitive two-stroke engine was installed.



Since we touched on the engine, then the “German” had it more modern than the VAZ-2105 - from Volkswagen. This power unit was installed on such popular models as the Volkswagen Polo / Golf II. Only at Wartburg 1.3 it was always carbureted.

What can the VAZ-2105 offer in terms of technology?

"Five" is a classic rear-wheel drive Zhigul without a frame. Different engines were installed on the car, there were even rotary and diesel ones (experimental batches). But to compare with the Wartburg, you need a motor with an index of 2105 - it just has a working volume of 1,3 liters.

The power unit is four-stroke, carburetor, develops 64 hp. With. This is more than the Wartburg 1.3, which gave out only 58 hp. With. If we also take into account the presence of a German frame, it immediately becomes clear that the Soviet car "made" its GDR competitor both in the city and on the highway.

The timing drive for the VAZ-2105 was belt driven. By the way, such a design solution was first used on this Zhiguli model. On those "Fives" where they used the old 2101/03 engines, a timing drive with a chain.

What is the best car to buy now?

This question can be answered unequivocally and without hesitation - of course VAZ-2105! A huge number of these cars have been preserved in Russia and the CIS, spare parts are not a problem to get and they are cheap.



As for the purchase of Wartburg 1.3, this is a so-so decision. The car is now rare, it is difficult to get spare parts, except that there are no problems with the Volkswagen engine.

By the way, the German Wartburg 1.3 resist corrosion much better than the VAZ-2105 of the same model years. The manufacturer gave the car a service life of 25 years - this affects. For comparison, the VAZ-2105 has this resource of only 8 years.

Wartburg 1.3 is rather a collector's copy, although the car itself does not represent any value. But the VAZ-2105 is a full-fledged "workhorse" that will not retire soon.