The NSU RO 80, a Car Ahead of its Time

Filed in archive Rare Europeans on November 5, 2008

The New York Times Wheels section has an excellent story on its Web site about the Wankel rotary engine. This revolutionary power plant was lighter, smaller, smoother, and delivered more power for its size than any conventional automobile engine. In 1963 the world's first rotary-powered car, the Wankel Spider, was introduced by NSU, a mid-size German company with a car-making history dating back to1906. Over a lengthy period several other automakers bought licenses to develop the Wankel, including GM, Mercedes-Benz, American Motors, and Mazda. Convinced it was the engine of the future, NSU then built a car around it: the revolutionary RO 80, a radical front-wheel-drive sedan with excellent aerodynamics and several advanced features. Unfortunately the RO 80 was rushed into production before enough real world testing had been done. A lengthy series of technical problems cost the company a small fortune as many of the first year's Wankel engines were replaced at no charge to their owners; even so, it continued production of the handsome sedan until 1977. Though not quite the sales success NSU had hoped for, the RO 80 was clearly a car ahead of its time.