Wasn't it the NSU that developed the Wankel rotary engine? Quite a few cars had the rotary engine fitted and they were very quick.
Developing the Wankel engine for the Ro80 cost a huge amount of money and resulted in them being taken over by VW and renamed Audi - the rest is history. Audi didn't continue the Wankel engine, leaving it to Mazda.
My equitation instructor had one in 1968 with leather seats and it was very modern for that era. Later a friend fo mine bought the Mazda with a rotary engine and accelaration was phenomenal. I am fairly sure that a brand of motorcycle also had the rotary engine. I think it was way ahead of its time, just a pity about engine issues.
As well as NSU, Mazda did a very nice sports coupe and also Norton a motor bike. But all suffered to one extent or another from the fundamental weaknesses of the design.
If I remember correctly it was the material used in the engine that could not take various stresses. I think technology these days have moved on and the engine could perform better, except we are moving away from fossil fuel engines.
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Despite being a great concept the Wankel had a number of inherent weaknesses. Rotor seals, poor heat transfer, poor combustion pattern leading to low fuel economy and high emission, and low compression ratio.
The design issues with Wankel engines are - the rotor tip seals as they wear relatively quickly when they cross the high point of the outer surface, twice per revolution - and the poor inlet/exhaust timings which are fixed. A clean sheet design now would struggle to overcome those.
Norton used the rotary engine very successfully and won BSB-funnily there's a one off designer maker who has just built another 500cc rotary-which if it were allowed would wipe the floor in BSB again but think current regs prevent it-200bhp plus! and very compact and light-this has ceramic rotor tips-the issue-if the Mazda RX7 /8 rotary is looked after it can be reliable but it's very dependent on a good starter motor and healthy ignition since excess fuel causes rotor tip wear-and they stipulate mineral oil rather than synthetic or did-they sound good but I chickened out of buying one-super cheap now!
The NSU was ahead of its time and they became Audi-or taken over by-I think and your NSU photo reminds me of a boat-am with you all the way -Mini anyday!
The NSU was ahead of its time and they became Audi-or taken over by-I think and your NSU photo reminds me of a boat-am with you all the way -Mini anyday!
NSU was bought by VW, merged with Auto-Union who built DKWs and then renamed as Audi - NSU's K70 was put into production as the VW K70 and became the Audi 80
True, I think I could overlook some vehicles appearance if it was the best one for my other requirements. I am possibly more practical than SWMBO and she might have the last word.
I remember the DKW with two stroke engine. I think the Russian Wartburg had the same engine? No engine braking on that vehicle.
Wartburgs were Soviet-owned but built in Eisenach, East Germany in an ex-BMW factory.
There’s one parks up near to us. Has a towbar too.
https://forums.practicalcaravan.com/threads/gdr-towcar-champion.62111/#post-509074
My boss in Mutare in Zimbabwe imported one from the UK. He had the mixture wrong and it used to really smoke. I had advised me that it did nto need so much oil. Coming from the UK which was not decimal in 1972 he used to add two litres instead of two pints. Every one knew when he was going to arrive as all you had to do is look out for the smoke trail!
Actually considering the abuse it went through it was a very reliable and rugged vehicle and went where only 4x4 normally drove.
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