DKW Auto-Union Project: The Ferrari of the East

Monday, 12 November 2018

The Ferrari of the East - Melkus RS1000

When you think of East German motor vehicles, high powered sportscars rarely come to mind. However, East Germany did manufacture a domestic sports sedan that could be purchased by those with the wherewithal to afford one - the Melkus RS1000.

Even as the rubble was still being cleared from the streets, motor sport enthusiasts across Germany began competing in local race meets. The return of local motorsport did much to uplift the people’s spirits and give confidence in a brighter future. This was an era of incredible ingenuity as cars were put together from whatever parts were available. The East German authorities originally frowned on this ‘indulgent’ waste of precious fuel and resources, but as the race meets grew in status and stature, so too did the prize money, making road racing a lucrative pastime for the more skilled drivers. There was also propaganda value in fielding a successful race team on the European race circuit.

Heinz Melkus was born in 1928 in Dresden. He commenced his racing careering in 1950, first as an independent driver racing a car cobbled together from various parts and powered by VW Kubelwagen engine, mounted in the front.

Heinz Melkus in his Kubelwagen custom racer in 1951. The car was assembled from a variety of parts salvaged from wrecked vehicles and powered by a Volkswagen Kubelwagen engine. The body was composed of aluminum.

In 1952 he was racing a modified Veritas racer on the European circuit. By the late 1950s he was competing in the Formula Junior class. He performed well enough to be taken aboard as works driver for IFA Eisenach in the 1960s. He raced highly tuned and modified Wartburg racecars on the East German and Communist Bloc racing circuit.

1954 and Heinz is competing in Formula Junior class. This monoposto racer was powered by a single cylinder JAP motorcycle engine.

In 1966 he began working on a competition sports saloon. The car was based on a modified Wartburg frame chassis with a mid-mounted 995cc three-cylinder two-stroke motor. Triple carburetors and a high compression head combined with lightweight fibreglass bodywork enabled the car to compete successfully in the sub-1 litre sports saloon class. There things may have remained were it not for the involvement of the East German motoring association, VEB.

1969 was the twentieth anniversary of the foundation of the German Socialist Republic and VEB wanted to showcase a new vehicle as part of the celebrations. Heinz Melkus was contracted to develop three prototypes for the exhibition. The original prototype was a competition car and modifications to the design were required to make it suitable for road use. The three cars were exhibited in April 1969 under the designation Melkus RS1000. With standard tuning they were rated at 51 bhp and had a top speed of 165 kph. The car was extremely low and flat requiring the use of distinctive gullwing doors.

Limited production began in 1970. At a price tag of 29,800 Ostmark it could only be purchased by the wealthy elite. Purchasers also needed to hold a motorsport license and obtain party approval before they could submit an order. Each car took under two years to complete, but this was still well under the timeline to obtain a Trabant or Wartburg. Given these constraints, production was slow with each car being custom built. 101 examples were built between 1970 and 1980, when production ceased.

Being a high priced, exotic vehicle, Melkus owners took extremely good care of their cars and at least 80 of the 101 made have survived.

Heinz’ children inherited their father’s motorsport passion, and all were involved in motor racing and the automobile business in some way. When Heinz passed away in 2005, his son Peter decided to build a limited edition Melkus RS1000 tribute. Heinz had bequeathed the fibreglass body panel moulds to his son, allowing the creation of an exact replica body. This was mounted on a donor Wartburg chassis with tuned and modified engine. At least 15 were built in 2006 as part of the tribute run.

The Melkus replica inspired grandson, Sepp Melkus, to attempt a revival of the Melkus brand with a new, modern vehicle. This was the Melkus RS2000, which was a modern sports supercar based on the Lotus Elise platform. Two variants were proposed, the GT and GTS, depending on the spec. The car was powered by a two litre four-cylinder turbo motor (several options were available) putting out more than 320 bhp – a long way from the RS1000’s meagre 51 bhp. The Melkus RS2000 went on sale in 2011 with a pricetag of 125,000 Euros. Sales however did not meet expectations and Melkus filed for bankruptcy in 2012.