View source for NSU Spider

{{Infobox automobile
| image = NSU Spider (1964) Classic-Gala 2022 1X7A0088.jpg
| name = NSU Spider
| manufacturer = [[NSU Motorenwerke|NSU Motorenwerke AG]]
| assembly = West Germany: [[Neckarsulm]]
| production = 1963–1967<br/>2,375 built
| predecessor = 
| successor =
| body_style = [[Cabriolet (automobile)|2-door cabriolet]]
| engine = 1.0 L ''KKM 502'' ([[Wankel engine|Wankel]])
| layout = [[RR layout]]
| transmission = 4-speed all-synchromesh manual
| length = {{convert|3580|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}
| width = {{convert|1520|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}
| height = {{convert|1260|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}
| weight = {{convert|700|kg|lb||abbr=on}}<br />(Measurements approximate)
| wheelbase = {{convert|2020|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}
| track = 
| related = 
| designer = [[Gruppo Bertone|Bertone]]
}}
[[File:1967 NSU Spider engine.JPG|upright=1.14|thumb|right|The engine bay had originally been designed to take the four-stroke air-cooled two-cylinder engine from the NSU Prinz. The rotary unit was much more compact permitting a shallow luggage locker fitted above it. This compensated for a reduction in luggage space at the front of the car because of the front mounting of the cooling radiator.]]

The '''NSU Spider''' is an [[automobile]] which was produced by [[NSU Motorenwerke AG]] from 1963 to 1967.<ref>[http://www.audi.com/corporate/en/company/history/models/nsuwankel-spider-1964.html ''nsu wankel spider 1964'' at audi.com/corporate/en/company/history/models] Accessed 28 December 2016</ref>

The Spider was the first Western production car in the world to be powered by a [[Wankel engine|Wankel rotary]] engine.<ref name="theautochannel.com">{{Cite web|url=http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2004/07/04/202357.html|title=The Wankel Engine History|accessdate=2008-02-21|work=theautochannel.com}}</ref> The water-cooled single rotor engine and standard front disc brakes differentiated the car from other cars of similar type of the period. The body was designed by [[Gruppo Bertone|Bertone]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://autoweek.com/article/car-life/classic-drive-1966-nsu-spider|title=Classic drive - the 1966 NSU Spider|date=19 December 2013}}</ref>

== Body ==
[[File:MHV NSU Wankel-Spider 02.jpg|thumb|left|NSU Spider (rear view)]]
First appearing in 1963,<ref name="Bensinger 1973 p. 127-131">{{cite book |author-link=Wolf-Dieter Bensinger | last=Bensinger | first=Wolf-Dieter | title=Rotationskolben-Verbrennungsmotoren | publication-place=Berlin, Heidelberg, New York | date=1973 | isbn=978-3-540-05886-1 | oclc=251737493 | language=de | publisher=Springer | pages=127–131}}</ref> the Spider featured a two-door cabriolet body based on that of the [[NSU Sport Prinz]] coupé introduced in 1959. In addition to the folding roof, the Spider was distinguishable from the hard top car by a grill at the front.  As with all NSU cars at the time, the engine was rear-mounted: in order to improve weight distribution, space was found for the Spider’s radiator and for its {{Convert|35|L|usgal impgal|0|adj=on}} fuel tank ahead of the driver. The front luggage locker was, in consequence, small. There was a second luggage area in the rear of the car above the engine.

== Rotary engine ==

The NSU Spider is the first series production car powered by a Wankel rotary engine. In the Spider, a KKM&nbsp;502 single-rotor engine with a single spark plug was used; it has a chamber volume of {{convert|498|cm3|in3|0|abbr=on}}, and displaces {{convert|996|cm3|in3|0|abbr=on}} from a generating radius of 100&nbsp;mm, a width of 67&nbsp;mm, an eccentricity of 14&nbsp;mm and an equidistant of 2&nbsp;mm. Compression is 8.5, and the fuel required is petrol with an octane rating of 91&nbsp;RON. The Spider's engine had "teething troubles", but is a compact, smoothly running engine with a decent power output. Rated power was initially {{convert|37|kW|abbr=on}} at 5,500&nbsp;rpm. In later models, rated power was {{convert|40|kW|abbr=on}} at 6,000&nbsp;rpm. Maximum torque output is {{convert|79|Nm|lbfft|0|abbr=on}} at 3,500/min, equivalent to a BMEP of {{convert|1|MPa|lb/in2|0|abbr=on}}.<ref name="Bensinger 1973 p. 127-131" /> It was later found that the characteristics of critical materials selected and applied by NSU to build production rotary engines were inappropriate to the stresses they would bear, and rotary-engined cars earned a reputation for unreliability. Engines required frequent rebuilding to replace worn apex seals, and warranty costs associated with installation of the engine in [[NSU Ro 80|NSU’s second Wankel-engined model]] destroyed the financial viability of NSU, forcing a merger with [[Audi]] in 1969.<ref name="a"/> The rotary engine was installed above the rear axle, being compact, light and free revving in comparison with conventional piston engines of the time. By ignoring the manufacturer's recommendations it was possible to rev the engine briefly above 7,000&nbsp;rpm in the lower gears and thereby to achieve a 0 – 100&nbsp;km/h (0 – 62&nbsp;mph) time of 14.5 seconds: other sources, presumably based on following the manufacturer's recommendations, give a time of 15.7 seconds.

== Commercial ==
Large sales volumes were never envisaged for the car, and this was reflected in a relatively high retail price, USD$2,979.<ref name="a">"The Rotary Club", Don Sherman, ''[[Automobile Magazine]]'', February 2008, pp. 76–79</ref>  Between 1964 and 1967 2,375 were built.  In 1967, the model was withdrawn and NSU's second rotary-engined production saloon was presented. The [[NSU Ro 80|Ro 80]], totaled 37,398 units during its ten year production run.

In 1966, Al Auger of Richmond, California, became the first person to race a Wankel-powered production car in an officially sanctioned race. After only installing a  mandatory roll-bar and racing tires on an NSU Spider, Auger raced in 1966 and 1967 in Sports Car Club of America sanctioned road races throughout California finishing second overall in the championship both years in Class H Modified. Because SCCA had no technical information about the Wankel engine it was placed in H Modified racing against lighter, more powerful, 850&nbsp;cc highly modified pure racing cars.

== References ==
=== Notes ===
{{reflist}}

=== Bibliography ===
<!-- last updated October 2021 -->
{{refbegin}}
* {{Arth-NSUA}}
* {{Arth-NSUAA |author-mask=5}}
* {{Bruse-Storz-NSUP}}
* {{Geiling-NSUFPE}}
* {{Lintelmann-NSUP}}
* {{cite book |last1=Myhr |first1=Claus |title=NSU Ro 80 + Wankel Spider 1964–77 |series=Schrader-Motor-Chronik, no. 35 |date=1989 |publisher=Schrader Automobil-Bücher |location=München |isbn=3922617492 |language=de}}
* {{Deutsche Autos-4}}
* {{Schneider-NSU7384}}
* {{Schneider-NSUA |author-mask=8}}
* {{Schneider-NSUAM |author-mask=8}}
* {{Schneider-NSUS |author-mask=8}}
* {{Steidl-NSUP}}
* {{Walker-NSUTCS}}
{{refend}}

== External links ==
{{commons category-inline}}
* http://www.wankel-spider.de

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nsu Spider}}
[[Category:NSU vehicles|Spider]]
[[Category:Sports cars]]
[[Category:Rear-wheel-drive vehicles]]
[[Category:Rear-engined vehicles]]
[[Category:Cars powered by Wankel engines]]
[[Category:Cars introduced in 1964]]
[[Category:Cars discontinued in 1967]]