NSU Spider
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| NSU Spider | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Manufacturer | NSU Motorenwerke AG |
| Production | 1964 – 1967 2,375 built |
| Assembly | Neckarsulm |
| Successor | NSU Ro80 |
| Body style(s) | 2 door cabriolet |
| Layout | RR layout |
| Engine(s) | 498 cc Single rotor Wankel |
| Transmission(s) | 4 speed all-synchromesh manual |
| Wheelbase | 2020 mm (79.5 in) |
| Length | 3580 mm (140.9 in) |
| Width | 1520 mm (59.8 in) |
| Height | 1260 mm (49.6 in) |
| Curb weight | 700 kg (1543 lb) (Measurements approximate) |
| Fuel capacity | 35 L (9.2 US gal/7.7 imp gal) |
| Designer | Claus Luthe |
The NSU Spider was the first production car in the world to be powered by a Rotary Wankel engine[1].
Apart from its water cooled single rotor engine, the car was in most respects unremarkable. However, standard equipment did include disc brakes on the front wheels.
Contents |
[edit] The Body
First appearing at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1964, the Spider featured a two door cabriolet body based on that of the NSU Sport Prinz coupé introduced back in 1959. In addition to the folding roof, the Spider was distinguishable from the hard top car by a grill at the front: in order to improve weight distribution, space was found for the Spider’s radiator and for its 35-litre (9 US gal/8 imp gal) fuel tank ahead of the driver. The front luggage locker was in consequence small.
[edit] The Rotary Engine
The Wankel engine, invented by Felix Wankel differed from a piston engine because the quasi-oval design of the combustion chamber, containing a rotor that ascribed within the chamber an Epitrochoid shaped trajectory, enabling the combustion pressure to be converted directly into a rotary motion. There was no need to lose energy converting reciprocating movement into rotational movement. The result was a remarkably compact free revving engine which in the 1960s was hailed by some as the next major step forward in automobile design. It later transpired that the characteristics of certain critical materials selected and applied by NSU to build production rotary engines were inappropriate to the stresses they would bear, and rotary engined cars acquired a reputation for unreliability. Warranty costs associated with installation of the engine in NSU’s second Wankel engined model destroyed the financial viability of NSU. The only large scale automaker to persist with the rotary engine – and then only for niche models – was Mazda: piston engines continued to dominate the world’s automobile engine bays. During the Spider’s production period, these disappointments were generally not foreseen, however.
Claimed output was initially 50 bhp at 5500 rpm, though in later models 54 bhp at 6000 rpm was advertised.
The rotary engine was installed above the rear axle. It was compact, light and very free revving in comparison with conventional engines of the time. By ignoring the manufacturers’ recommendations it was possible to rev the engine briefly above 7000 rpm in the lower gears and thereby to achieve a 0 – 100 km/h (0 – 62 mph) time of 14.5 seconds: other sources, presumably based on following the manufacturers' recommendations, give a time of 15.7 seconds.
[edit] Commerical
Large sales volumes were never envisaged for the car, and this was reflected in a relatively high retail price. 2,375 were built between 1964 and 1967. In 1967 the model was withdrawn and NSU’s second rotary engined production saloon was presented. The Ro80 would notch up 37,398 units during its ten year production run.
[edit] Sources and further reading
- This article is based on a translation of the article NSU Wankel Spider from the German Wikipedia.
- This article incorporates text translated from the corresponding Italian Wikipedia article as of 2008-02-21.
- ^ The Wankel Engine History. theautochannel.com. Retrieved on 2008-02-21.
- Eberhard Kittler: DDR Automobil - Klassiker, Band 1. Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart 2002, ISBN 3613022567
- Horst Ihling: Autorennsport in der DDR. Wartburg, EMW & Co. Verlag Delius Klasing, 2006, ISBN 3768857883
