The NSU Ro 80 it was a special car in itself, built on innovation and bold technical solutions. One of the most characteristic features of the Ro 80 is the Wankel engine with planetary pistons, which was introduced as a world-changing innovation, but it turned out to be the main catalyst of its downfall, a wrong move that led to the death of the entire company.
The life and reliability of the engine was already legendary during the initial application, among several minor problems, a design flaw stood out, due to which many models had increasingly serious problems after 24,000 km, and with the early versions, it was not uncommon to have problems after 50,000 km complete engine overhaul.
However, the design and aerodynamics of the Ro 80 were truly forward-looking at the time and are still one of the iconic creations of the automotive industry.
A total of around 37,000 NSU Ro 80s were produced, and Pininfarina chose this model as the basis for a bold concept. The Pininfarina 2 Porte + 2 study car was presented at the Turin Motor Show in 1971 and at the Brussels Motor Show in 1972, then in 1995 it entered Rudi Klein’s collection in California. This car is not just a simple conversion: the team at Pininfarina has rethought almost every element to create a completely unique vehicle.
The study raises the Ro 80’s original elegance and avant-garde character to an even higher level. Pininfarina restrained creativity: every single body element of the car was replaced, giving the car a completely unique, specific character.
The design was ahead of its time, there are no handles on the side line, so the overall image is clean, which is enhanced by the use of glass surfaces brought into the plane of the aerodynamic body. At that time, all cars still had a frame around the glass, which broke the view, but this concept showed something that became a hit in car construction roughly two decades later.
Its front doors open traditionally, and the reverse is the case at the back, a solution known as “suicide doors” in automotive slang. These still live on in some modern models, such as Rolls-Royce limousines
In some places, the design is self-serving, in others it is functional. Because of the latter, there is an indentation on the trunk lid, because the Pininfarina NSU Ro80 has a huge opening roof panel, which needed the space. Pulling this away, the special concept almost turns into a convertible.
The NSU is slowed down by four disc brakes, state-of-the-art for its time, which were placed on the inside of the half-axle, thus reducing the unsprung mass. Its three-speed gearbox moved in a traditional scheme, but without a clutch pedal: the clutch was operated by a vacuum system.
The car has been appreciated throughout its history, it spent recent years in the Audi museum, but now it will find a new owner in the United States at the RM Sotheby’s auction. According to estimates, the rarity represents HUF 20-30 million.
Source: www.vezess.hu
