It never became a cult, nor was it economical or inexpensive. But when the NSU Ro 80 was presented to the world in the fall of 1967, it was the star of the IAA motor show. The wedge-shaped newcomer from Neckarsulm combined state-of-the-art design and pioneering technology.

The NSU Ro 80 was an upper mid-range sedan produced by NSU Motorenwerke AG (from 1969: Audi NSU Auto Union AG) from summer 1967 to mid 1977. It was one of the few production cars to have a Wankel engine with an output of 115 hp (85 kW). The Ro 80 has a consistently aerodynamically designed body and is considered a pioneer of the wedge shape. The model was officially unveiled at the 43rd IAA in Frankfurt in September 1967.

The Ro 80 appeared with a streamlined body, which seemed unusual for its time and which, in relation to the time of the model’s appearance, had several features of passive safety that were not yet self-evident, which was positively evaluated, among others, by the designer Bela Barenyi (Daimler-Benz), one of the founders of passive safety in automotive engineering. The Ro 80 model had no predecessor in the same vehicle class at NSU, and the manufacturer thus entered a market segment that was new to it. In 1968, the Ro 80 received the Car of the Year award.

Otl Aicher, founder of the Hochschule für Gestaltung in Ulm, described the design qualities of this model: “The Ro 80 was the pioneer of the wedge shape. With this car, a new era of automotive design was opened and at the same time an old one was buried. … [The vehicle] made the wedge shape presentable and also made technical progress appear aesthetically.” For the internationally renowned Design Museum in London, the NSU Ro 80 is one of “Fifty cars that changed the world” (book title).

The flat front was made possible by the Ro 80’s second special feature – its engine. After all, the abbreviation Ro stands for rotary piston engine, also known as a Wankel engine. (The “80” goes back to the original, NSU-internal development order to design a “Type 80” vehicle with the targets of 80 hp, 800 kg weight and a purchase price of 8000 D-Mark). Felix Wankel was the name of the man who was not really convinced by the conventional gasoline and diesel engines and wanted to create something new. He considered the principle of pistons repeatedly racing from top to bottom to be anything but perfect. By 1954, he had already implemented his idea of an engine with a rotating piston. NSU soon recognized the importance of the new rotation and used such an engine in small series in the so-called Wankel Spider.

However, it was not until the Ro 80 that the Wankel engine was able to really show off many of its advantages. For example, the Wankel engine required fewer components than conventional engines. It also weighs less and does not require as much space – which is why the front end of the Ro 80 could be so low. The driver enjoys low-vibration turbine-style engine operation that is not disturbed by pistons rumbling up and down.

The Ro 80 even got the next evolutionary stage of the engine under the hood, the twin-disc rotary piston engine. Two so-called chambers, each with a displacement of 497.5 cubic centimeters, produced an engine output of 115 hp. This enabled the NSU to accelerate from a standstill to 100 km/h in 12.8 seconds and to reach highway speeds of up to 180 km/h. The Wanker was considered to be economical. However, the Wankel engine is still not considered economical today. The fuel consumption of the NSU Ro 80 was quoted at 15 liters, but contemporary tests report 17.4 liters. The fact that regular gasoline was sufficient is probably a small consolation.

In addition to the standard extravagance, NSU buyers also received a rich and modern equipment. Power steering and a semi-automatic transmission were available ex-works. Disc brakes were fitted to all wheels for deceleration. Safety had also been considered: the fuel tank was moved to the front of the rear axle, so it was no longer in the area at risk of collision. Comfort was also taken care of – the heated rear window was included in the scope of delivery, as was a center armrest at the rear or the electric windshield washer system.