NSU Wankel Spider

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NSU
NSU Wankel Spider
NSU Wankel Spider
Wankel Spider
Production period: 1964-1967
Class : Small car
Body versions : Cabriolet
Engines: Wankel engine :
0.50 liters (37 kW)
Length: 3580 mm
Width: 1520 mm
Height: 1260 mm
Wheelbase : 2018 mm
Empty weight : 700 kg
Rear view
View into the engine compartment of the Spider. The engine compartment is located under the storage space in the rear of the car
View into the cockpit
Logo on the front hood

The NSU Wankel-Spider is a two-seater convertible from NSU Motorenwerke AG and in 1964 it was the world's first production vehicle with a Wankel engine . Its development with the single-disc Wankel engine was the forerunner for the NSU Ro 80 with a two-disc Wankel engine.

General

The body of the Spider is only based on the basics of the NSU Sport-Prinz . Despite the external similarity, the differences are serious. Hardly any body part is identical in the Spider and Sport-Prinz. The car has a rear engine and the water cooler is located at the front of the car in order to achieve the most even weight distribution possible; the tank (35 liters) is also placed at the front. Since the Wankel engine is lower than a conventional in-line engine, there is space in the stern or above the drive unit for flat storage space, in addition to the trunk in the bow. The Wankel engine also has the advantage of a comparatively low mass, the engine weighs only 125 kg with all additional units.

The engine achieves a rather moderate torque of 72 Nm, but is very easy to turn and runs smoothly at high speeds compared to other small engines. However, speeds of more than 6000 rpm should be avoided. When accelerating without taking this recommendation into account (briefly over 7000 rpm in the lower gears), the rotary engine accelerates the small sports car from 0 to 100 km / h in 14.5 seconds.

The car cost 8,500 DM (1964) and 7,000 DM (1966). The 3,000–5,000 copies announced at the IAA in Frankfurt in 1963 could not even begin to be realized for 1964 alone. In fact, 2375 copies were made between 1964 and 1967. The Wankel Spider is a very popular classic car these days .

Technical specifications

Vehicle type NSU Wankel Spider
Engine: Single-disc rotary piston engine installed in the rear of the car
Chamber volume: 497.5 cc
Compression: 9.3: 1
Power: 37 kW (50 PS) at 6000 rpm, for sports drivers there were around 10 vehicles with 48 kW (65 PS)
Max. Torque : 72 Nm at 2500 rpm (50 PS version)
Cooling: Water cooling with pump and thermostat
(cooler volume early models 11.5 l, later models 9.5 l)
Lubrication: Pressure circulating lubrication with additional oil metering pump and oil cooler
Carburetor: 1 Solex flat current 18/32 HHD
Transmission: 4-speed gearbox, fully synchronized, center shift, hydraulic clutch actuation
Front suspension: Wishbone with coil springs and anti-roll bar
Rear suspension: Semi-trailing arm with coil springs
Body: self-supporting all-steel body
Steering: Rack and pinion steering
Wheelbase : 2020 mm
Track width front / rear: 1246/1227 mm
Wheel size: 5.00-12 r
Dimensions L × W × H: 3580 × 1520 × 1260 mm
Empty weight (without driver): 700 kg
Maximum weight allowed: 950 kg
Top speed:  155 km / h (factory specification)

Sports use

In 1966 Karl-Heinz Panowitz became German rally champion of all classes with the NSU Wankel-Spider. In 1967 and 1968 Siegfried Spieß was German mountain champion of all classes with the NSU Wankel-Spider.

Literature and Sources

Web links

Commons : NSU Wankel Spider  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e f Werner Oswald: German cars 1945–1990 . Volume 4. 1st edition. Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart 2001. ISBN 3-613-02131-5 . Pp. 394-397
  2. ^ Another report from the Frankfurt IAA. In: Automotive Technology . 11/1963, pp. 421-423.
  3. ^ Another report from the Frankfurt IAA. In: Automotive Technology . 11/1963, pp. 421-423.