World’s worst car made from wood chip and cotton is still going strong 28 years after The Sun gave it away in a competition
The East German Trabant, which was widely ridiculed, has resurfaced in Cheltenham and is being restored by its owner Matthew Adams, 25
THE World’s Worst Car is still going — 28 years after it was given away in a cheeky Sun competition.
With a body of wood chippings and recycled cotton, the East German Trabant was widely ridiculed, sparking our daft 1990 giveaway.
The prize eventually went to reader Maureen Malcolm, a 49-year-old mum from South Shields – who could not even drive.
Our winner sold it on and, only 12,000 miles later, it is being restored by its latest owner Matthew Adams.
Now almost thirty years later the car has resurfaced In a barn in Cheltenham and is being lovingly restored by its 25-year old owner – who was not even born when we ran the competition.
Matthew, 25, of Cheltenham, in the car, said: “People said they were the worst cars in the world but to be fair it is still on the road and going strong.”
Matthew, who has an interest in old cars, bought it from a pal for £650 about a month ago.
He said: “Other cars that age are being scrapped but because this is made of recycled cotton there is not a spot of rust on it.
“I like to think of it as an underdog.
“I have driven it a few times and it is like being in an armchair on top of a lawnmower.”
Prize winner Maureen flogged it to car-collector Peter Frost shortly after she won it in December 1990.
It then went on to feature in a BBC documentary about Trabants to coincide with the 1991 release of U2 Album Achtung Baby.
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