Vintage! The NSU Wankel Spider | Drive it!

NSU debuted the Spider at the 1963 Frankfurt Motor Show, and it caused a something of a commotion. NSU announced it would start production within a year with up to 5000 units annually. But once the initial uproar had died down, the two-seater convertible was largely ignored by the German market.In 1964, the first year of production, NSU sold only 151 units. 1965 was a relatively good year with 923 sales. But by the time production was halted in 1967, only 2375 Spiders had been sold. Today it’s a rarity, and the fact that it's the world's first series-produced car with a Wankel engine makes the Spider a highly sought-after collector's item. A Spider in good condition has a steep price tag. Drive It! took one of these rarities for a spin.
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