NSU started in 1873 making sewing machines before making bicycles ten years later, followed by motorbikes at the turn of the century.

The first cars appeared in 1905 and were produced until 1930 when Fiat bought the factory in Heilbronn. Production of bikes and motorbikes continued and Scooters and the well known NSU Quickly were manufactured from the early 1950s. Production of two wheeled vehicles ceased in 1965.

1957 saw the return of NSU to the car business with the Prinz 1, a small aircooled rear engined car (583cc 2 cylinder). This was followed by the Prinz 2 and Prinz 3, then the restyled Prinz 4 with a larger 598cc engine. The Sport Prinz was procuced alongside the Prinz 4 with both the 583cc and 598cc engine.

A range of larger 4 cylinder cars were also made based on the same body shape as the Prinz 4. The first was the Prinz 1000 later badged as the NSU 1000 with a 996 cc engine.Two high performance models followed, the TT and the TTS. The TT had a 1085cc then 1177cc engine with twin carburetters. The more powerful TTS had a 995cc engine with two twin choke Solex carburetters.

The largest of these NSU saloons were the Type 110 and NSU 1200 with a 1085cc and 1177 cc engines respectively.

NSU also produced the first two Wankel Engined Cars, the Spyder and the RO80. Unfortunately the technology at the time did not match the concept of the Wankel engine and the resulting problems led to the end of NSU as a marque. The Company was absorbed by the Volkwagen-Audi Group.Their final design for a conventional watercooled front engine later appeared as the Volkswagen K70.

Production Figures

Prinz 4 (625,171)
Sport Pr (20,831)
NSU 1000 (207,628)
NSU TT (52,082)
NSU TTS (2,402)
Type 110 (62,502)
NSU 1200 (267,600)
RO80 (37,395)

NSU Owners Club
58 Tadorne Rd
Tadworth
Surrey
KT20 5TF

Tel 01737 81 24 12