NSU Prinz
The NSU Prinz is a car model of the NSU Werke AG and was built in various versions from 1958 to 1973.
Prinz I, Prinz II, Prinz Prinz 30 and 30E ( Type 40 )
NSU Prinz I
The NSU Motor Works, who had made after the Second World War only two-wheelers in the mid- 1950s with the development of a lightweight vehicle is employed. Initially it was thought a tricycle. At the IAA in Frankfurt am Main is set in September 1957 but the prototype of the new, four-wheeled " NSU Prinz " with a unibody construction and the public built in the rear two-cylinder inline engine.
In March 1958, the production began .. The little car was equipped with a 583 cc glass, transverse mounted in the rear, air-cooled parallel twin engine with a compression ratio of 6.8: 1 fitted, the 20 hp (15 kW) at 4600 / min. made and was able to accelerate the car up to 105 km / h. In a co-rotating parallel twin four-stroke engine, the two pistons move up and down simultaneously. A problem in the first motor was the suspension of the motor and the damper to the body, because transferred extreme vibrations. These vibrations you got with special rubber blocks under control. The engine had a Dynastart system, ie a combined starter - alternator from Bosch. A special feature of this parallel -twin was the drive of the overhead camshaft via pushrods and eccentric as in the single-cylinder engine of the NSU Max
The features of the car was kept particularly easy. For example, he had a non-synchronized mesh gearbox with four forward gears and neither the then usual, pivoting triangular windows in the front doors still reclining seats. For this he had sliding windows in the front doors. The vehicle was - in contrast to the products of most other German car manufacturers - already equipped with a 12 volt electrical system. It was only available in an exterior color - light green. This single version was later named Prince I and cost DM 3739, -.
As of February 1959, Prince II was offered in parallel. In body shape and engine the additional new model corresponded to the Prince I, however, was better equipped. The new car had a fully synchronized transmission, a better stocked dashboard, storage pockets in the doors, an ashtray, artificial leather applications inside and crank instead of sliding windows in the doors. For this model, there were four different exterior colors and at an additional cost two-tone paint, whitewall tires and soft top. The car cost compared to the Prince I DM 340, - surcharge.
As a sporty version of the Prince II was from April 1959, the Prince 30 offered, with no change of displacement, but to 7.6: 1 raised compression and a slightly larger carburetor 30 hp (22 kW) and made the little car - with considerable noise - 118 km / h made quickly. As of September 1959, there were variants Prince II and Prince 30E ( for export), which was equipped with the popular triangular vent windows in the doors and reclining seats. The front turn signals are no longer sitting on the fenders, but had wandered under the main headlights. Similarly, we had the Volkswagen Beetle, the " export model " and domestically available; there were only better equipped variants of the Prince II / Prince 30
Prince III and Prince 30 ( Type 40 )
NSU Prinz III (1960 )
In September 1960, the Prince II was replaced by the Prince III and in December the same year, the single model prince accounted I. With an unchanged body shape of the new car was equipped with a slightly more powerful engine, the 23 hp (19 kW) for a top speed of 111 km / h was sufficient. The front turn signals under the headlights, which previously had only the Prince 30, were now standard on all Prince III. The front wheels hanging with the predecessors already double wishbones, received an additional stabilizer, the rear swing axle an additional cushion of air. The Prince III initially cost DM 3986, -. By 1962, the price rose to DM 4016, -
The Prince 30E version was now called Prince 30 and was unchanged motor, but also came to enjoy the upgrades described above. He had a heat exchanger heating and longer travel suspension than the regular Prince III. His purchase price was DM 4154, -.
Overall originated from Prince versions I-III (including Prince and Prince 30 30 E ) in four years 94 549 copies.
Prince 4, Prince and Prince 4S 4L (type 47)
NSU Prinz 4
In June 1961, the production of the NSU Prinz, the successor of the prince I, II and III (including the Prince 30) began 4 was shown in September 1961 at the IAA in Frankfurt / Main. Compared to his predecessors, he had grown significantly and was a body in the style of the Chevrolet Corvair.
Chassis and transmission corresponded to those of Prince III. The engine now made 30 hp (22 kW) from 598 cc. This allowed a top speed of 116 km / h The Prince 4 only weighed 570 kg and had a gross weight of 1000 kg.
The rarely bought " Prince 4" was the single version (according to the former Prince I), while the " Prince 4S " the normal version represented ( according to the previous models Prince II and III). These two versions were offered unchanged until March 1969.
From September 1965, the version of "Prinz 4L " came with an even improved equipment to which was built almost unchanged until April 1973. There were only minor changes, such as the front panel trim.
The vast proportion of vehicles from the last years of production was sold to Italy, in the years 1968-1970, these were 123 338 of 170 080 copies made , ie 72.5%. Overall, in 12 years, about 570,000 NSU Prinz 4, 4S Prince and Prince 4L emerged.
Foreign production and descendants
In Cairo, Egypt, the NSU Prinz 4 was mounted for the local market from the Egyptian Light Transport Manufacturing Company as Ramses II. In Montevideo, he rolled at Nordex S. A. as P -1000 from the tape.
The Prince 4 applies as a stylistic model of the Soviet Saporoshez SAS 966, which was built from 1966.
Other models
In addition to the Prince I- III and the Prince 4 initially received the larger models of the manufacturer the additional name " Prince":
- Sport - Prince (1958-1967)
- Prince 1000 (1964-1967)
- Prinz 1000 TT ( 1965-1967 )
Successor
As the successor of the NSU Prinz, the project K 50 was provided. The merger with Audi but it was the Audi 50