What was Sprite's West German predecessor called?

Sprite’s West German predecessor was called Fanta Klare Zitrone.

The name translates roughly as “Fanta Clear Lemon,” describing a transparent lemon drink rather than the orange-colored Fanta most people associate with the brand today. Coca-Cola developed the beverage in West Germany in 1959, before introducing it in the United States as Sprite in 1961.

This origin can cause confusion because Sprite is often treated as an entirely American invention. The product’s U.S. branding was American, but the lemon-lime drink itself had already been developed in West Germany. Coca-Cola used the existing Sprite name after acquiring rights to it in 1960.

Fanta Klare Zitrone was not a later Sprite flavor or a diet version. It was the precursor to the original lemon-lime Sprite. Mezzo Mix, another Coca-Cola product, combines cola and orange flavors, while Sprite Zero is a later reduced-sugar variant. The predecessor’s German name therefore identifies a specific stage in Sprite’s product history, not an alternative name still used for the standard soda.