Barkas
Among the manufacturers of East Germany, it is worth noting the company Barkas, specializing in the production of minibuses and vans of the B1000 brand. On the basis of this platform, from 1961 to 1991, light trucks were also produced.
The production was created on the basis of the Framo plant, nationalized by the government of the GDR.
The first birth of the B1000 came with a 3-cylinder two-stroke engine from an old Wartburg car. With such an engine, he was delivered almost until 1991. Shortly before being discontinued, this engine was replaced by a four-stroke, manufactured under license from Volkswagen. Engines for Barkas supplied to the USSR and the union republics were installed and more powerful - from a Zhiguli car. The car had a strange design of the front (and only) braking system with a disconnectable one-wheel drive. Instead of CV joints, the wheels used pencil hinges.
The total number of cars produced was 175,740 B1000 models and 1961 B1000 / 1S vehicles.