Company overview
NSU Motorenwerke AG, or NSU, was a German manufacturer established in 1873 as the ‘Mechanische Werkstätte zur Herstellung von Strickmaschinen’. Initially producing knitting machines, NSU transitioned to bicycle production in 1886 and subsequently manufactured motorcycles and automobiles. In 1905, NSU began producing its first cars under license from the Belgian firm Pipe. Following World War I, the company resumed bicycle and motor-bicycle production in 1946. In 1969, NSU was acquired by Volkswagen Group and merged with Auto Union, creating Audi. NSU’s last production motorcycle was the Quick 50 in 1968, and the NSU Ro 80 was the last car produced under the NSU brand in 1977. The company is most known for pioneering the Wankel rotary engine, which was used in vehicles such as the NSU Spider and Prinz 1000. NSU also produced military vehicles, including the Kettenkrad halftracked motorcycle. The Deutsches Zweirad- und NSU-Museum in Neckarsulm displays many of NSU’s products. Notable riders included John Surtees and several Grand Prix motorcycle racers.
