1969 NSU Ro80

NSU Ro80 (Saloon), 1967-1977

The NSU Ro80 was in production from 1967 to 1977. Styled in house by Claus Luthe, it is a front-engine, rear wheel drive saloon seating four adults.

UK imports began at the end of 1967, in left hand drive form only. It took until October 1968 for right hand drive imports to begin, by which time the twin round headlamps had been replaced by a single rectangular unit on either side. The Ro80 was part of a wider plan by NSU to branch into the executive sector, growing beyond the microcars for which it had become known. Ro80 stood for Rotary engine, and 80kW of power - or, more conventionally, 107bhp. It used a three speed semi automatic gearbox with a conventional manual shift but an automated vacuum operated clutch, which transmitted power from a 995cc twin-rotor engine of Wankel design. There were four disc brakes, inboard at the front to reduce unsprung weight, and using a power assisted rack and pinion steering system. Voted European Car of the Year for 1968, 37398 would be built in total.

Largely unchanged during production, a new grille in 1970 and new tail lights and bumper inserts in 1975 were about the sum total of the changes. That last facelift also saw the resiting of the number plate and boot latch. Reliability concerns and the contrasting success of parent company Audi's conventional 100 sealed the fate not only of the Ro80 but NSU as a whole. Its planned smaller internal combustion saloon, the K70, would be given to Volkswagen - and the Ro80 would be NSU's last production model. Arguably succeeded by the Audi 100 C2, Audi would close NSU in its entirety in 1977 when Ro80 production came to an end.

In Britain a Ro80 was more expensive than cars like the Granada, Audi 100 and even the Citroen DS23 Pallas EFi - it was targeted at buyers of the Jaguar XJ6 2.8. Today, it would appeal to enthusiasts of the European alternatives or perhaps those seeking something eccentric. With that in mind, the Citroen CX - which in C-matic form shared the gearbox and clutch setup - would be an admirable alternative.