NSU RO 80

With its technology and extravagant design, the NSU Ro 80 was considered a pioneer and became many people’s dream car – after all, the Ro 80 was the world’s first saloon to feature a Wankel engine and the first passenger car with a twin-disc Wankel engine. Claus Luthe’s pioneering body design was also particularly popular, impressing with its outstanding drag coefficient and first-ever use of a wedge-shaped design.

The NSU Ro 80 celebrated its premiere at the 1967 Frankfurt IAA, meaning it belongs to the era of NSU AG. In the same year, it was voted “Car of the Year”: It impressed with modern engine technology and a futuristic shape. Two years after the appearance of the Ro 80, Audi and NSU merged to form Audi NSU Auto Union AG. That year also saw the equipment package expanded to include a thyristor ignition and one (instead of two) spark plugs per combustion chamber, followed by the introduction of more wear-resistant sealing strips in 1970. Another year later, the Ro 80 was updated to include an exhaust gas purification system with air injection and an afterburner.