Melkus RS 1000
As you probably know, the sports car market in communist countries was extremely limited. Apart from the Skoda 110 R, there were no sports cars available. However, in East Germany, automotive engineer Heinz Melkus designed a capable and interesting sports coupe. And soon, he convinced the Wartburg factory to produce a limited number of cars.
Using the Wartburg 353 as a basis, Melkus designed and fabricated an independent front and rear suspension. He added roll-bars and a close ratio five-speed gearbox, too. Then they tuned the 992 ccm engine to produce 68 HP. They mounted it behind the driver, sending its power to the rear wheels, instead of the front like the standard Wartburg 353. It looked cool but with only 68 HP, it was disappointing.