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LOL! No kidding! That 2-stroke 2-cylinder engine was not very reliable. My uncle had one of those cars, and I remember it dying when we were driving to our vacation destination. As I recall, little spark plug electrode cleaning (using my aunt's nail file) got it running again. Fun times!
I've watched a couple videos of them and they always seem to mention the gas smell too. First time I read this I thought I saw "and I remember almost dying".
Yes, Trabant did have bluish looking exhaust with a distinctive odor. The closest you can experience it now is smelling exhaust of one of the gasoline-powered landscaping equipment (like a leaf blower?) where you mix oil into gas. There was also a Polish-made car called "Syrena" with a 2-stroke engine. It was nicknamed "skarpeta" (sock in English) do to its stinkin' exhaust.
The early Saab 96 had a 2-stroke engine as well (3 cylinders!). Growing up our neighbor had one - same distinctive smell and blue cloud (just like our 2-stroke lawn mower) - and it also generated enough RFI to screw up our TV reception.