With its twin-rotor Wankel engine, semi-automatic gearbox, front-wheel drive and sophisticated independent-wheel suspension, the NSU Ro 80 was one of the most innovative cars to appear in the late 1960s.
Among its contemporaries, this ultra-advanced German saloon really did seem to come from another planet. NSU, its inexperienced carmaker, had bravely created a car brimming with technology that outclassed all competition.
Even today, the Ro 80's flowing aerodynamic shape looks modern. Innovation was everywhere: the multifunctional synchronized gearbox and a truly unique automatic clutch model.
It was voted European Car of the Year for 1968, but unfortunately the high cost and high fuel consumption did not help sales. The rotary engines initially proved to be fragile and in need of frequent maintenance, giving the Ro 80 a reputation as an unreliable car.
Production was suddenly stopped in 1977, with only 37,000 units. Poor sales results drove NSU into the arms of Audi, which in 1982 brought the Ro 80's legacy into the design of the first Audi 100.
This volume, dated 1993, is the most comprehensive publication on this innovative model to date.
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