NSU Prinz I - 1958

The NSU Prinz is an automobile produced in West

Germany by the NSU Motorenwerke AG. The car was built

from 1957 to 1973, and received a model change in 1961

(the old model was continued until 1962).

NSU Prinz 30

The first post war NSU car appeared at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 1957  accompanied by the advertising slogan "Fahre Prinz und Du bist König" ("Drive a Prince and  you're a king"). After a pilot run of 150 preproduction cars, volume production began in March 1958.  The first generation Prinz was available with a saloon body featuring an upright roof line and  seating for four people. The doors opened wide enough to permit reasonable access even to  the rear seats, although leg room was severely restricted if attempting to accommodate four  full sized adults. In addition to a luggage compartment accessed via a hatch at the front of  the car and shared with the spare wheel and fuel filler, there was a narrow but deep full  width space behind the rear seat sufficient to accommodate a holiday suitcase. The noisy two-cylinder 600 cc 20 PS (15 kW; 20 hp) engine was located at the back where it  drove the rear wheels, initially via a "crash" gearbox. Later versions gained a four-speed all-  synchromesh gearbox. Contemporaries were impressed by the brevity of the maintenance  schedule, with the engine, gear box and final drive operating as a single chamber and all  lubricated by means of oil, added through a filler in the rocker box cover. There were just  two grease nipples requiring attention, positioned on the steering kingpins. The engine was  also commended in contemporary reports for its fuel economy and longevity. Although noisy,  the engine offered impressive flexibility, recalling NSU's strengths as a motorcycle  manufacturer. In 1959, a little coupé was added, the Sport Prinz. NSU received government approval to  build the Prinz in Brazil in the late 1950s, but nothing came of the project. 

1958

Engine 583 cc 2 cylinders Power 20 HP Top speed 105 km/h Lenght/width 3,15 m/1,42 m Weight 496 kg