A-Z Of Marques No 69: Wartburg

The marque: Evolved from a 19-century East German cannon maker into a mass produced stalwart of communist-era motoring.

The history: The first model to roll out of the factory in Eisenach was presented at the 1898 Dusseldorf Car Exhibition, where it was roundly ignored. Willi Seck, top designer of the day, joined the team in 1903, creating the 4hp, twin-cylinder Dixi. BMW took over the "Dixi" works in 1928 and began churning out Austin Sevens under licence, branding them BMW Wartburgs after the area's landmark castle. The 3/15 Roadster was a model for the fledgling BMW, winning races at the Nurburgring and public recognition.

During the Second World War, the Russian army seized the factory, calling it "Soviet Ltd, Awtowelo, BMW Works Eisenach". When the Russians left in 1952, BMW halted the misuse of its name and the Eisenach Motoren Werke (EMW) was born, adopting a red-and-white cross motif. The decision to discontinue all previous models in 1955 paved the way for the Wartburg 1000.

In 1966, it launched its most successful car. The 353 was produced for two decades and hit the million mark in 1985. Three years later, a brief dalliance with Volkswagen saw a 1.3-litre Golf engine matched with a new body shape, but as the Berlin Wall fell, so did the Wartburg's fortune.

In 1991 the factory was bought by General Motors Opel Division, updated and converted. Now producing Vauxhall/Opel Corsas.

Defining model: Wartburg 353

They say: Luxury alternative to the Trabant

We say: Warts and all