GTP Cool Wall: 1964-1967 NSU Wankel Spider

[GranTurismo916]

1964-1967 NSU Wankel Spider nominated by @tarnheld

Engines: 0.5L 1-rotor Wankel
Power: 50 hp
Torque: 53 lb-ft.
Weight: 700 kg
Transmission: 4-speed manual
Drivetrain: Rear engine, rear wheel drive
Body Styles: 2-door roadster
Additional Info: "First production car with a wankel engine."​

Spoiler: Additional Pics

 

[Roger the Horse]

Happy car.

 

[Niku Driver HC]

Ah, the Wankel Roadster... I find these things delightful, even if they were not much more than mere test beds for the Wankel engine. It's not even that badly-designed in my eyes, it's a very cheerful set of lines. Of course, living with a Wankel engine is the hardest part of the ownership of a Wankel Roadster, but it's better to do it now that technology is more advanced (and more capable to deal with these sort of issues) than try to live it in a time where the Wankel technology was pretty much unheard of.

I'd love to have a simple trip with this, just taking it slowly and enjoying the drive. It's a cool car.

 

[JR98]

Wankel. Roadster.

Cool.

 

[Stotty]

What's up with the +ve camber on the front wheels?

Low cool for it's novelty value.

 

[TexRex]

Lovely little thing, right up my alley. High cool.

What's up with the +ve camber on the front wheels?

Anyway, the positive camber is probably due to the nature of it's suspension (note the aggressive negative camber under cornering load)

 

[Beeblebrox237]

I'm guessing that they've got it jacked up and supported by the chassis for museum display.

 

[Stotty]

If you took time to look at the pictures before posting you would see 'WUT' I meant..

 

[TexRex]

If you took time to look at the pictures before posting you would see 'WUT' I meant..

My 'LOLWUT' was in response to what I bolded (+ve) when quoting your comment, and under the image I posted I explained the likely reason for the positive camber in that image and the negative camber seen in the image of the white car. Sorry I didn't make that more apparent, my fault, I just got a kick out of your abbreviation.

 

[The87Dodge]

Two-rotor Wankel engines are cool. And the car itself is stylish.

Cool.

 

[SomePlayaDude]

Them thin tires, yo. That smells like trouble in the grip department.

 

[TexRex]

Or fun, as the case may be.

 

[Adamgp]

Wankel rotary. Engines supposedly lasted 10,000 miles before needing a rebuild/replacement.

SU.

 

[Cano]

One of the most awesome cars ever polled.

 

[Dagger311]

Uncool.

 

[Joey D]

To me, rotary powered anything is uncool.

 

[SagarisGTB]

You had me at rear-mounted rotary roadster. The fact that it was made by a now defunct quirky brand is just icing on the prinzregententorte.

Helium ice blocks level sub-zero.

 

[TexRex]

icing on the prinzregententorte

 

[Ettick]

Boring road car. Meh.

 

[ScottPuss20]

Let's just say that this car was hugely ambitious for the time. Cool

 

[AudiMan2011]

Ambitious but rubbish.

Uncool.

 

[TheCracker]

100hp per litre in 1964. Naturally aspirated. High cool.

 

[TexRex]

100hp per litre in 1964. Naturally aspirated. High cool.

Oldsmobile (Jetfire) needed a turbocharger to do that just two years prior. 👍

 

[Beeblebrox237]

Oldsmobile (Jetfire) needed a turbocharger to do that just two years prior. 👍

The Jetfire had 1 bhp per cid, since it was a 215 that made 215 bhp. It only made 61 bhp/litre.

 

[Zenith]

Rotary displacement cannot be compared to piston engine displacement. This conversation is nonsense.

 

[Mike458]

Solid cool. Rotary engine + Alfa-esque body shape + first production car with a rotary engine gives it a VERY high cool.

 

[niky]

Cool. If it runs.


If.

 

[TexRex]

The Jetfire had 1 bhp per cid, since it was a 215 that made 215 bhp. It only made 61 bhp/litre.

Good catch, I slipped up on the measurements. Blame the gin.

 

[High-Test]

Yucktastic in every way. Did the thing even work? Ever?

 

[SVT Cobra GT]

Not for me. Uncool.