Wankel Engine: NSU Spider - Jay Leno's Garage

[@captaccordion]

This is Jay Leno's Garage at it's best. An interesting and unmodified old car, and a bit of a history lesson. Also, the absence of another person keeps the focus on the car, and Jay doesn't feel the need to recycle all his anecdotes to a new guest!

[@KelikakuCoutin]

'Its' is a pronoun and "it's" is a contraction, actually the two words "it"+"is." When we add an apostrophe, we're implying that there are the two words "it" and "is." So your sentence "This is Jay Leno's Garage at it's best" would translate out to "This is Jay Leno's Garage at IT IS best." Which I'm certain you did not intend for it to say. In the future it may profit you to use the personal pronoun "ITS" instead of the contraction "IT'S." Hope this helped.

[@malcolmjcullen]

OK, who installed Clippy into KZbin?

[@JoeR203]

@@KelikakuCoutin Wow! You must have a seizure when you see people misuse "There", "They're" and "Their".

[@bucko1001]

Autocorrect strikes again 😊

[@jamesdellaneve9005]

Agreed. The USs auto docent.

[@docr59]

My grandfather was the head of NSU when this Spider and the Ro 80 were developed and built. My aunt had the hand-built pre-production model, a gorgeous azure-blue car with wooden steering wheel, which she took me into the Italian alps with. Great memories!

[@tulliogarzetti1806]

RO 80 è stata una delle più belle auto mai progettate!

[@dalewier9735]

What a great memory thank you

[@stijnbrowaeys8328]

Did you have a nsu ?

[@chuckfinley3542]

Jay’s NSU is just as exciting as some unobtainable 1200 hp monstrosity.

[@bigduphusaj162]

all production cars over 1000bhp are peaky as F@#£ The Bugatti might be an exception but its a lazy engine that w16.

[@btolley100]

I like it when Jay does his own cars. Best thing about COVID was Jay doing his own cars and filming it himself.

[@Mo-mc3mw]

I still despise him for the whole tonightshow-debacle

[@chadchadchadchadchad]

There were a ton of great things about COVID, but you're right, those episodes were the best.

[@chadchadchadchadchad]

​@@Mo-mc3mwDang. Hopefully he doesn't read your comment. He may burn his car collection to the ground when he finds out you're still pissed about that Tonight Show debacle.

[@danielt.8573]

@@Mo-mc3mw It was NBC's fault, not his. Conan overreacted based on bad assumptions and people went along with it.

[@donmoore481]

I have not seen one of these in years. In 79 - 82 I was stationed in Germany and had a 50 Km commute daily, half of which was on the autobahn, the other half through the Tanus mountains. I picked up a 1970 NSU Prinz 100 TT, which was a blast to drive, 1000 cc air cooled, 2 doors, and raced by a few local NSU clubs. It looked like a shrunken early Chevy Corvair. You could unbolt the engine and bring it downstairs to the basement and work on it. We would race the NSU Spiders, and could hold our own most of the time. The Spider handled the twists better, but the 100 TT had lots more power. A friend had a NSU RO Wankel which could easily eat our lunch on the autobahn, but we ruled the mountains. We took a trip to Neckarsucm to visit the old NSU factory and toured their assembly line and museum. By then Audi had taken over the brand.

[@AmericasChoice]

Good years to be in Germany.

[@dannyhilarious]

Sounds you made the best during your duty time. Congrats!

[@philipbanks6542]

In the 80s I always thought Mazda developed the rotary engine with the rx 7 I never knew until watching this video thanks

[@stijnbrowaeys8328]

🤩 nice story ! I think that the tt is a 1200cc not a 1000 cc 😁

[@seanhoward8025]

Jay, the AMC Pacer was designed to have the GM Wankel installed in it, which would’ve greatly improved the power-to-weight ratio. I believe the Mercedes you eluded to was the C111. And I remember as a kid, reading in MT or C&D or R&T around 1975, GM actually was considering making a Wankel-powered Corvette, long before Mazda’s RX-7.

[@Charlesb88]

AMC had designed the Pacer originally to accept a Wankel engine that would be designed by Curtis-Wright but then later decide to go with a upcoming Wankel engine that GM was planning to use in some of their own upcoming car designs. Unfortunately, GM canceled their Wankel project in ‘74 for various reasons including durability, tooling costs, and gas millage issues (the fuel crisis was in full swing at the time). This forced AMC, who had already put way to much money into the Pacer project to back out, to hastily redesign the Pacer to use their own straight-six engine which was dinged by car reviewers of the Pacer at the time of it’s introduction.

[@snowrocket]

There was a show car Corvette around 1973 that was a four rotor Wankel mid-engine car. So WAAAY before the Corvette became a mid-engine car just a few years ago, Chevrolet was considering it in the 1970s.

[@fishhuntadventure]

@@Charlesb88 Dinged? The 258 is a fantastic motor with plenty of horsepower

[@Charlesb88]

@@fishhuntadventure That engine wasn't dinged for it power output but rather it's low gas milage at a time when the fuel crisis was in full swing

[@panamafloyd1469]

From my '70s chlidhood memories, I could swear that the original GM H-body (Vega/Astre/Monza/Sunbird/Starfire/Skyhawk) was designed by engineers who also expected the GM rotary to show up as well. I actually owned a Sunbird for half a minute in high school, had the Buick 231 in it. As an import guy - loved that Jay mentioned that Mazda originally advertised the rotary as a NVH solution. In SCCA, we had a joke about those ads. "The little piston engine goes boing-boing-boing..but the Mazda rotary goes AAAAAAAHH!" I still think the reason my left ear is better than my right was that I was on a corner, and assigned to blue flag, when an RX-3 lost its muffler on a downshift (flame blast like a turbo on a bridge-port). We all bent over in pain, and the tower (Road Atlanta T1, the tower can see it from there) called to see if we were all OK.

[@NeueKlasseGuy]

My Dad was a dealer for NSU and I got to spend a lot of seat time in one of these. Great little car!

[@Jason.cbr1000rr]

You like bmws?? Me too! They're really the "ultimate driving machine" what model do you drive and like? 🙂

[@Gr8Layks]

In which city was your father’s dealership?

[@NeueKlasseGuy]

@@Gr8Layks Wayzata, MN

[@annahopp]

I grew up by the NSU plant in Neckarsulm Germany. There are still lots of NSU cars in the area. Now it is an ever-expanding Audi plant that fills the valley.

[@AndréFournier-k1w]

This is why I love “Jay Leno’s Garage”. So much GREAT information about odd modes of transportation and the restoration blog. New Super cars are interesting but the old ones take this channel over the top. Keep them coming!!

[@cjtr83]

What a fantastic little car. Jay, Thank you for sharing everything you do. You're an incredible custodian and educator in the automotive world. You keeping these old vehicles running so they can be seen, appreciated and enjoyed for many generations to come is hugely admirable. Your efforts in making these videos i believe is your finest work. A true natural passion. Thank you 🙏🏻

[@ronaldgreen5292]

Yes! He's the greatest!!!💯💯✌️✌️👍👍👍

[@reasonablespeculation3893]

Looks like it was pulled of the tracks of a 1960s amusement park ride ..... then, to everyone's amazement, it's driven down the road, with the real cars

[@dwayneclemans8853]

Great episode, It’s amazing how small the car looks when Jay is standing next to it.

[@ryanste1]

These are the best JLG! Just jay talking about his own cars doing his thing!

[@chartreux1532]

My Grandfather here in Germany had exactly one of those, even in the same Colour! Sadly he sold it a long time ago in the early 90s. Either way, thanks for reminding me of this Jay and as a German i'm always happy when i see any NSU Car being taken care of and driven in the USA. In Germany that's not too uncommon to see, especially with all the NSU Car Meetings and Touring Events but i bet it's a rather rare sight in the USA, especially in such a great Condition! Thanks for sharing this one with us, Jay! Prost & Cheers from Berchtesgaden in the Bavarian Alps

[@Fastvoice]

The (stock) ticker symbole for Audi in Germany is still NSU. 😉

[@mediocreman2]

That's interesting. I follow a German channel that restores modern BMWs, called M539 Restorations, and he didn't even know what an NSU is. But I know what they are and have known for a long time, and I'm in the US and have never even seen one in person!

[@tiki_trash]

Do you know who designed the body? I think it's a good looking car.

[@JoeC88]

Thanks for the information, cheers from down under 🦘

[@Fastvoice]

@@tiki_trash It's mentioned in the video: Bertone. It derivated from the former model NSU Sport Prinz Coupé - also styled by Bertone.

[@MagnetOnlyMotors]

My Dad had a 1965 NSU Wankel Spyder, in 1967, one of 15 imported into Canada.

[@burchardisbasement2671]

So much more interesting with these smaller cars, than with 600 hp. multi million dollar builds. Thank you so much for y’et another great video.

[@bertbinion7420]

Had an '86 RX7. Loved the dual rotor engine. Problems with the instrument cluster and ventilation controls was a downer. Scraped it when I had engine problems. Became a money pit.

[@heroesofthelandstrasse]

A friend of mine has three of them. One with two rotor, one with Prinz engine and one in parts. I testdrove the two rotor one with 130 hp. Nice ride with great Power to weight ratio and more spacious than I thought. It was also upgraded with Miata seats.

[@74Husky]

WOW Jay - that certainly brought back memories for me. One of my high school teachers had this exact same car! Even in that same color. This teacher was over 6 foot tall and it was always interesting watching him slide into it. I always thought it was a great looking car. You reminded me of the unique sound it had when it 1st started up. Yes, it did sound a bit like an outboard motor. Being taken for a ride, I was impressed how smooth it rode and accelerated. Being so low to the ground and small, I am sure it felt a lot faster then we were actually travelling. Little did I know years later one of my University roomates would have a brand new NSU 1200 TT. That was a great car, really rare in Boston. I have always loved unusual vehicles. Jay you neglected to mention that NSU made a lot of motorcycles.

[@geoffreymonk2843]

And that 1200 engine was used in munch mammoth motorcycle

[@carolynhotchkiss4760]

I remember back in the 70s my father had a fleeting interest in getting a car with a Wankel engine (not sure if it was a Mazda, probably was). The dealership had these little plastic models of the engine rotary system that they gave out, about the size of a coaster. That's what you needed, Jay, to demonstrate with! Much lighter than the actual assembly, lol! (I used to play with it for hours, turning it around and around, I was easily amused.)

[@BoostedAutoSpecs]

Love watching Jay Leno showing all these goodies...

[@aaronlopez492]

As i hear the tiny NSU Wenkel engine it reminds of the children's song and story of the The little red engine that said " I think, i think I know can". Great one Jay Thank you.

[@joseaugustosmfcruz1895]

My Father have a NSU TT since 1970, my birthday year. I went to university with him, it's a incredible car. We are sorry because in Portugal is very dificult to find some mechanic that realy now how to rebuild the NSU. Great video, amazing experience.

[@hammer-r]

The RO80 was a beautiful car, styling ahead of its time. But yea the engine would only last about 60,000 miles before a replacement was installed by the dealer under warranty. I saw them in Germany when I was a kid, decades ago. My last visit to Germany a couple years ago, I did see a RO80 so they are still around. But very rare. Tks Jay for keeping these cars in the minds of enthusiasts.

[@beyondmaintenance]

I’ve got a ‘59 NSU in storage (for 24 years now). Sliding door windows. Planning on bringing it into the main shop for the winter. Maybe it should get a wankle swap. ✌🏽😎

[@MrMezmerize]

Gotta love NSU. I picked up a 200cc NSU Lux bike right there in Neckarsulm a cpl weeks back and what shall I say, it still runs like a charm 70yrs after it was produced. Really fine engineering

[@hoodagooboy5981]

These are the best videos. Just me and Uncle Jay looking at one of his cars on a lazy afternoon.

[@theclocker7406]

The NSU Spider is an absolutely fabulous car, that most people have never heard of, so thanks for posting a great video about it! I'm a huge fan of all Wankel engined cars, and I love NSU's. Used to own an NSU 1000C, another great little german car, and belonged to the club. I've only ever seen two of the Spiders in the flesh, but was lucky enough to get a ride out in an NSU RO80, which is an fantastic car, years ahead of its time as the engine is so smooth - truly glorious. You should definitely get one!

[@UberLummox]

Is this not called a Prince Spyder? Or is it just based on the Prince?

[@theclocker7406]

I understand your confusion with this. The NSU Spider is the car featured in Jay's video. This was a cabriolet model, which was fitted with the awesome little single rotor Wankel engine. The NSU Sport Prince was a coupe only version of the same car, but unlike the Spider, it was only ever fitted with the 598cc twin cylinder air-cooled engine (also fitted to the NSU Prince - a saloon model). I hope that helps to answer your question.

[@UberLummox]

@@theclocker7406 Yes, thank you!

[@kentborges5114]

WOW...I had a '59 NSU Prinz III. I miss that car ! NSU was the first Beetle prototype before VW !

[@SteveTheFordGuy985]

Hello Jay, I have never heard of the NSU until now. I like it, nice little convertible . I purchased a 1983 Mazda RX-7 from the original owner way back in 1985. It was pamperd, Garage kept, just 32k on the clock. It was a twin rotor engine 12-A , had 4 spark plugs, two plugs per cylinder, or rotor , one plug was the lead, and the second plug was the trail. Fired within seconds of each other. I loved that car. It had great acceleration and fun to drive. Thanks, Jay, for sharing your NSU .

[@ChicAlorsTV]

This car shares a lot of caracteristics with my 72 Fiat 850 spider. Of course not the Wankel but about the same size, weight, hp, designer and rev line!

[@roelsiebrand7181]

Terrific car. I recently had a ride with a NSU Ro80 which is also rotary powered and it's only a three speed but you really don't notice that. The ride I had, the guy who drove it didn't get out of second gear. It's an extraordinary vehicle.

[@Tclans]

15:58 Jay, to be honest, I like the odd cars the most. Idiosyncrasies in cars are just so much fun!

[@domfer2540]

Thanks for showing the car. Many people have not heard of NSU or forgot about them. I had the pleasure to drive one in the early 70’s.

[@kevinm.n.5158]

I love Jay Leno, the truest car guy maybe and a living legend. God bless him

[@ulrichskaarsgard7848]

NSU was the predecessor to AUDI. They and DKW had incredible engineering for their time. I have a NSU Quickly moped from the 1950's that still gets 100+ MPG!

[@fidelcatsro6948]

Wow

[@johnbriggs3916]

Not really. It would be more accurate to say that Auto Union was the predecessor. Volkswagen merged Auto Union with NSU to form the present Audi. (Audi had been one of the four companies in Auto Union.)

[@ulrichskaarsgard7848]

@@johnbriggs3916 Yes, and I should have said NSU was ONE OF THE predecessors to AUDI....

[@sandervanderkammen9230]

NSU Motorenwerke GmbH. went completely bankrupt because of the Wankel engine and was acquired by Volkswagen who merged NSU with Audi. Audi still occupys several former NSU sites.

[@henrydegan6204]

There's more than that. NSU had 2 cars when they got bankrupt. One was the RO80 which was first sold as Audi RO80 but soon was discontinued. The shape and style of the RO80 though lives on in all modern Audi. The second car was called K70 and that was not yet on the market. The K70 was taken by Volkswagen and sold as VW K70, the first ever modern VW, first inline 4, first front engine, first front driven and first watercooled VW. VW would still build air-cooled boxer rearmounted cars if not for NSU.

[@charlesflint9048]

I remember in the early ‘70s having a ride in an NSU Ro 80 and It sounded and felt like sci fi future. So smooth and such a nice sound!.

[@mattpierce5009]

I like the oddball cars too, definitely ones with interesting engines and backstories. Thanks for preserving these funky gems Jay, not just by caring for them in your garage but also showing them to the world and educating us about their history.

[@robertliskey420]

Wow does this bring back memories! I had a job at the county fair and they had the dealer there with a red one like that. I had all the sales books and all. Quite nice for the time. Not quite old enough to drive but I sure wanted one! Yep I have a few years under my belt.! I saw the short about "best car" mine was anything I could repair. I do have one now I consider the most fun, CTS-V coupe. Just the thing to go to the grocery store in my old age!

[@richmeyer2064]

The sound of your NSU brought back fond memories of our Honda outboard cruising the lake.

[@kenrandall5680]

Wonder if Jay is familiar with the 1972 Mazda R100? I purchased a brand new model in September of 1971 and still have it. Never driven in rain or in muck, that’s why it’s in pristine condition. Mine has 58,000 miles on it now and does require steadfast eyes on watching the dipstick. It has twin ‘rotors’ and a large diameter 4 barrel carburetor from the factory … drinks fuel like a Chevrolet LS-6 in a 1970 Chevelle SS. I’m getting to an age where this automotive caretaker is going to find a responsible enthusiast to take over the wheel and keep this piece of history well into 2072. P.S I bought a case of plugs back in 1980 because my service chap at the dealership said they might become tough to find. Thought that was an odd remark. Back then they weren’t much different in price than reciprocating engine plugs. I’ll include them when I pass on the car to the future new deserving janitor.

[@scottimusgarrett15]

What a wonderful little car! I miss the days when a manufacturer could make a light small runabout and not have to worry about all the regulations and packaging of electronics, etc. Cars are big and heavy now just to fit all that crap in! Thanks, Jay and Crew, for another great episode! I love it when Jay shows off a piece of his collection!✌️❤️🙂🇨🇦

[@davelaneve2446]

I really like this vehicle. I found 5 of them with fairly low miles on them for sale currently in the US. Going for $41k to $45k. I contacted all 5 sellers. Might pick one up.

[@bennyhannover9361]

The engine was also used from Citroen for a coupe based on the Citroen Ami 8 only as a prototype called Citroen M 50

[@Tmrfe0962]

Love Jay, just when I think I know a lot about cars, he comes up with a zinger…beautiful Sir, thank you. As always yore a true enthusiast. And you speak direto we fellow enthusiasts. And I absolutely love how you ask, hey wanna go for a ride…like my uncle, after I express interest in his old car…thanks so much for all you do. Really great.

[@polaritDK]

i used to drive around in one of these - as a kid, my father had one of these and the RO80, while he was working for NSU as a engineer - good times They tested the DKM version to 55.000 RPM in a reinforced testcell

[@Vindoublediesel]

Its actually nice seeing jay drive a manual, Good on him at that age! I hope my health lasts as long as his bless this man and give him eternal life!

[@OsbornTramain]

Always loved these....the front end styling looks a lot like the Raymond Lowey Studebaker Coupe of 1953

[@andreguerin2461]

And a litle bit of Kalman Ghia design. 😊😊

[@robertschittler3255]

Oh, I miss the times!! Thank you, dear Jay, for explaining all details I hadn't know ever albeit having had a steering wheel for decennials and Lederhosen, of-course, too.

[@LaurentdOREY-h8i]

This is what we love Jay! A breath of fresh air in an electrifying world 👌

[@rockercover]

The vehicles you find are so unusual. Thanks. 👏🏼

[@bennyhannover9361]

Design is from Bertone. Sergio Sartorelli sketched it. It is a Cabrio version based on the Sport Prinz . A Little 600 cc 2 cylinder 30 bhp vehicle produced between 1959 and 1967

[@stevenluftman1971]

I’m pretty sure Franco Scaglione designed it at Bertone. Sarorelli was working at Ghia at the time.

[@rizzlerazzleuno4733]

Nothings better than watching a guy in a comfortable denim snap shirt with fluffy white hair demonstrate his toys. Makes each Monday a great day. Thanks Jay. 👍👍

[@donparker1823]

Thanks for sharing this with us Jay. Pretty cool.

[@philpots48]

My dad had a Mazda 1973 RX3, that car could punch and was so quiet. A windstorm finished it off a few years later.

[@mjrippe]

I have been a fan of the Wankel for some time and really appreciate seeing this car in action. However, I must admit that the first shot of Jay next to the vehicle made it look like a pedal car!

[@NenadTrajkovic]

I grew up surrounded by nsu, mostly with nsu 1000 and nsu 1200 and I love them. My favorite is NSU RO80

[@godfellas483]

I love that it has a shortwave radio receiver in the dash...the car sounds like a bubble machine tho....thanks Jay...!

[@wilco3588]

Sounds like an old Arctic Cat and Johnson snowmobile I had that were rotary powered. Finding spark plugs for them are they challenge as well. Adding a little two-stroke oil to your gas on the Rotary really helps extend seal life.

[@1SaG]

When I had an RX-8 in for review, the press car came with multiple warning labels (interior, engine compartment, fuel filler, IIRC) to *frequently* check the oil level - and with one or two containers of motor-oil in the trunk. :D So it doesn't seem to me that they ever truly perfected the rotary/Wankel. It's an interesting concept with lots of strong points - but asking folks to do oil-checks this frequently ..? Besides: When I check Mazda-enthusiast channels, it seems to me that even their latest iterations will still need plenty of in-depth maintenance and - every few years or so - a complete rebuild. Plus there's the whole thing about gas-mileage. That RX-8 was lots of fun, but it got pretty horrible mileage compared to non-rotary sporty cars - even ones with much more power. On public roads, I think I managed about the same MPG with it as I did with a 997.2 Carrera 4S.

[@Wild_Bill57]

Jay what I truly enjoy about your collection is that it’s such an eclectic mix of unique vehicles. “Everybody“ got super cars, but you’ve steam, electric, wood burning, and other incredibly unique vehicles. Please keep sharing them, otherwise we’ll never get to see them, ever.

[@barryandbonnievandergreft2265]

Always enjoy the "odd ball" cars, Jay! Engine placement reminds me of the V.W. Type 3s'. Remember the old t.v. add with Dustin Hoffman trying to find the engine in a type 3 Fastback? Would have been neat to see her up on the hoist for a look. Thanks, Jay for featuring this car, keep the good work.

[@stewartdallas464]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/onjHl2yblpeiorM Here's the TV commerical you mentioned.

[@markmeachen6927]

This is why I stop by Leno’s garage! Those fin-lettes are priceless!

[@toobalicious]

That NSU Wankel really brought a smile to my face. No, it's not the fastest, fanciest, or best handling car out there, but talk about a fun segment. Thanks for sharing this cool little car with us!

[@explorer914]

Yeah a lot of car enthusiasts do videos about the fast cars. But not many does the quirky cars. And that's the reason I like Jay's channel. 😊

[@BobSakamoto]

That's the beauty of this channel. I was enough of a car nut that each year I'd buy the Cars of the World volume so I was aware of this model. But this is the only time I've ever had the chance to listen to one or see it in motion. Side comment: years ago I went to an SCCA race at MidAmerica raceway. I'm pretty sure the RX7 had not even been made yet, and the wankels that were racing were the RX3 coupes. I learned that an unmuffled wankel exhaust note quickly produced the worst headache I've ever had.

[@CasperthefriendlyG10T]

The Geo Metro came with 55 horsepower, but it was 1750lbs. So you should be able to kick Metro butt in a race. Nice car Jay

[@HolbrookStark]

Metro had a sexy power curve reaching that 55hp tho believe it or not Plus you could get a 5 speed metro I think it would be a good fair race 🙏

[@rjnation5042]

What a wonderful little convertible, didn't know that one existed, knew of the Ro80 but didn't realise they made the Spyder, Rj in Oz

[@hesstwentyone]

I find cars / videos like this FAR more interesting than anything modern (i.e. hypercar, any new-ish Ferrari, etc.)

[@wdakota]

Thank you for sharing that beautiful little car, Jay! Love the color

[@martinda7446]

I used to love looking at that car in the Science Museum in Kensington London, when I was a kid... Hope they still have it, the last time I went the displays were atrocious compared to the 70s 80s...

[@paulomiranda1717]

A Very Italian looking teutonic rendering,she makes my old Spitfire look big,it sounds like a Vespa scooter,but how rare it is,huh?I guess the Wankel fell victm of its own shortcomings, but I still like it better than any modern electric luxury car...I praise you for preserving these cars and sharing with us.Cheers my friend,the best one who doesn't know me!

[@ronlynch7744]

Unique sounds, cool one Jay. Thanks. 😎👍😎

[@LegendsWorkshop]

There was a white one for sale up here in Ontario a few months ago, in #4 condition, but complete - I think it went for $6500/7500CAD. I stared at that ad a good long while but there just wasn't room in my collection for another car. Seeing what it looks like and drives like, I'm sure the new owner is going to be very happy with that car if they finish it.

[@paulvanobberghen]

My father had 2 NSUs, a 1000TT and a 1200TT. A family of 4 travelled 600 miles to holidays in South of France from Brussels, Belgium and back in these minuscule cars. He was dreaming of having a RO80 but could never afford one. Biggest issue with Wankel is lack of torque.

[@jimsykes4615]

0-60 the car is low on torque. From 60-120 it's hang on. Mine is the rare American version Ro80 with 24,704 miles on it.

[@paulgracey4697]

I own one of the rare electric cars from that era of automotive experimentation, the Henney Kilowatt, built on a Renault Dauphine chassis, also rear engine. I also once had a 1980 Renault Le Car (R5) a car that was supposedly designed to have a Wankel engine in the front wheel drive configuration much like that NSU has in the rear. But the deal never happened, so a four cylinder inline (not tranverse) was shoehorned into it taking up much of the front passenger leg room in the process. If that car had been built with the Wankel, It would have had lots more room, but that car was only 1800 lbs and also handled very well for its engine mass placement. Thanks Jay for letting me know how anemic sounding and accelerating that R5 would have been with the one rotor NSU in it. I had a lot of fun with that Renault off road. It had five inches of travel in its rear suspension, and floated through big potholes with elan. No wonder it placed well in Paris to Dakar.

[@davidhaywood8029]

The Henney Kilowatt -- wow that's a rare car indeed!

[@HarborLockRoad]

I had a 2cyl regular 2door saloon prinz, a 59 and 60. That engine was from the 500cc sportmax motorcycle, it was so modern with no belts or clutter, there was nothing wrong with it. The wankel killed this company it was supposed to save, just like the Avanti finished off Studebaker. Nsu got bought out by VW who didnt want in house competition for their small cars, and folded nsu in with porsche/ audi. So, if you drive one of those, it may be mfgd in the old neckarsulm plant , the last nsu prinz was made in 1976... The first postwar car was the prinz for 1958 made in the fall of 57. Prewar, theyd made motorcycles, mopeds, bicycles, and, originally in the 1890s, sewing machines. They also made the motorcycle and scooters postwar, but, like zundapp, it also faded away eventually. There was also a separate nsu/ fiat company for a while, making fiat/ nsu cars under license . The last NSU designed car eventually became the Audi fox . I still have the hood ornament from my last 1960 prinz 3, the 1962 corvair like rework didnt catch my eye. The original, and these sport prinzes by Bertone were the cream of the crop. The ro 80 was magnificent and modern, and many survivors have ford v4 engines as replacements. Pity such a great company was lost, but always in my heart. ❤️👍

[@jacksonfl]

I can't think of another celebrity that I admire and enjoy more than Jay. A national treasure, really. This channel is unadulterated joy.

[@heatherwhatever7714]

This looks fun. My my alarm is set.

[@stevenkelby2169]

Jay looks like he's having a fun wankel in the thumbnail!

[@dyanissimo1972]

Hi Jay. Instead of the NSU RO80 you can also go for the Citroen GS Birotor. Same twin rotor wankel engine. Really rare but a more interesting story. And as a big bonus you have the hydropneumatic suspension.

[@snowrocket]

It's not the same engine as far as I know. NSU built their own. Citroen's was by Comotor. Comotor was some sort of joint venture and I think their Wankel was different from the NSU engine. Citroen thought the Birotor was such a disaster that they tried to buy up all of those and crush them. A few still survive. While standing in front of several Citroen cars a few years ago at the Imports at Carlisle (Pennsylvania) car meet, I was talking with another Citroen enthusiast. We both simultaneously remembered the Citroën Birotor and had a good laugh. We realized we were probably the only two people in the USA having that conversation...and likely the only two who cared. It was one of my best memories of the car show!

[@FallGuyManiac]

Jay Leno- worth millions, sees used spark plug on eBay for $80, says “no thanks, I’ll look elsewhere.” Classic Jay- being frugal even when he doesn’t need to be! 😂

[@Saboda53]

Had my RX-8 for over 13 years. Properly maintained (easy to do; few Americans could be bothered), it was super reliable, fired up each and every time, maybe my favorite car (and I’ve owned a lot of cars). ❤️

[@woodyTM]

First time watching Jay's videos on KZbin. I appreciate the in-depth history and the way that everything is explained thoroughly. In retrospect, this car appears very small, but honestly it makes perfect sense. I love how slim the form factor of the power plant was, and it most certainly explains the appeal that Mazda took and ran with.

[@curbozerboomer1773]

An equivalent type of car, size-wise, would have been a 1966Karmann Ghia...with the 1300-50hp engine...Same size, similar performance--of course, VW had a tried and true, reliable product..Both small cars had a nice look to them!

[@woodyTM]

@@curbozerboomer1773 i very much agree with that comparison. You only needed do much to get you going forward

[@flatheadV8]

I am old enough to remember the when NSU Spider was around. I think from a size prospective the VW was a category larger than the NSU, at least in European eyes. @@curbozerboomer1773

[@DanHarbin]

It does remind me of the german boatcar but also reminds of of the little red alfa Romeo that Dustin Hoffmann drove in the Graduate lol

[@spinnetti]

Cool! My uncle had one - The original engines didn't last long due to poor apex seals; amazing this one runs. In the early 70's he made it into a hybrid with his own design rotary that ran purely as a generator.

[@martinda7446]

Seriously? any photos? He could have been the first....Well he sure would have been the first rotary hybrid in the world! That is something..

[@stevek8829]

The engine can't be the generator, it can only drive the generator. Where did he put the big generator and battery?

[@martinda7446]

@@stevek8829Well semantics, the engine/generator, package. Even in 1970 a suitable generator need only weigh a few pounds driven by a belt to deliver enough charge for what would be a bank of lead acid batteries. Would like to know the voltage he settled on, but there really isn't much space for more than ten batteries which would give a peak of 60KW. And of course he doesn't really need that many as he has the generator. I think it would have been absolutely doable in 1970. he would have been hampered by available motors probably a brushed DC motor..and power, available methods for engineering throttle (mechanical or electronic) and weight of what was a lightweight vehicle. People all over the world were experimenting and almost nothing under the sun is new. Most things have been tried and tested a hundred times before it becomes a 'new thing'. Remain cynical though, that is generally a wise thing.

[@toomanyhobbies2011]

Keep making stuff up. Someday you might find out what the real world is like.

[@stevek8829]

@@martinda7446 just generating 20 hp requires a 15,000 watt generator, what about 50 hp? That's a bit large to just add. Then add the batteries. And, wouldn't you also need the output electric motor? The OP was posting BS and he ain't going to try defending. Whats odd is, these fantasy posts always have one defender.

[@melvinburwell8202]

This is what I like Jay. You. Your garage.And your cars. Those other guests. OK sometimes. Meh. Cool little car. Piece of history. 🤑💙👍😎

[@gapcityracing6086]

Really 31+ hrs this premieres thing is getting outta hand

[@20alphabet]

That's what I thought.

[@DivineVegan]

Have a Wankel while you wait

[@SiR2Dean]

Yup, ridiculous isn't it. But yet here we are... 😆

[@jesuschrist2284]

Wait until we have premiers of premieres

[@HRM.H]

No one forces you to wait. Its just a notification. Get a grip

[@FunAtDisney]

My first car was a 1974 Mazda RX2, after that I had an RX4 small camper/pick-up, then a 1982 RX7. The rotary was the best! I do wish that they still has those engines now. SO smooth and as recall pretty good gas mileage. But yes, it drank up oil pretty fast. And I do remember trying not to over-rev the engine.

[@Shadow0fd3ath24]

Videos insanely quiet.........Your audio guy needs to watch a KZbin video at 50% volume on his PC while finishing editing to test this video vs his audio. Makes sure everyone can hear it...you can always turn it down but only can turn it up so high.

[@TomiTapio]

Audio level is fine compared to the youtube podcasts and lectures I listen to on my tablet.

[@hadtopicausername]

I'd only seen stills of this car before, so getting to see a video of it and get an impression of the sound it makes, is very cool indeed.

[@noberet]

Thank you for the great show! Sound level came through a little low on my system.

[@snowrocket]

Same here.

[@skateandfingerboard1]

Jay - you, your collection, your knowledge, and your videos are literally a national treasure. Thank you

[@elrobo3568]

Although not commonly known one of the first uses of wankels engine was in german torpedo's on u-boats. I had an RX-3 station wagon and loved it, really fast I got stopped in California (I have Arizona plates) and the HP officer did a auto pollution emissions test. I watched as he put two probes in the two pipes under the rear of the car. I told him that only one was an exhaust pipe and he got nasty and told be not to tell him how to do his job. I went quiet and let him do his test. He did the test three times and then called another officer over showing him the results.They pulled a police car over and did the test on it and it showed normal emissions. The first officer came to me and said you have the cleanest running car he has ever seen. I smiled and left with my wife and 3 kids laughing at the officer. The second pipe was an air pipe used to cool the exhaust system. I had good laugh at the officer that knew how to do his job.

[@hiha2108]

"Although not commonly known one of the first uses of wankels engine was in german torpedo's on u-boats." Sorry, but that's not true. Felix Wankel was working on disc-valve piston engines in WW2, one of them (V8 200HP)should once drive a torpedo. After war, when the Wankel engine was developped, there were no torpedo applications possible in germany.

[@sandervanderkammen9230]

The Wankel engine was developed after the war specifically for motorcycles

[@johndavey72]

Hello Jay. Recognised this immediately ! I was an avid reader of 'Car " magazine in the 1960's . And reading the same magazine (different issue ) l clearly recall a "world first " as they road tested a wankel engined Ford Mustang ! I also ,as a 17 year old , remember reversing into an RO80 in my 1963 Mini Countryman in 1971 and completely destroying the front end , with no visable damage to mine, (!) and only getting away with it as the owner was having an illicite affair with his sectretary ! Thankyou Jay

[@snowrocket]

The Wankel engine Ford Mustang prototype is in the Auburn Cord Museum in Auburn Indiana. I saw it a few years ago and drooled over it! I never knew such a car existed and was so pleased to see it!

[@LawyerCalhoun1]

I saw one in a SCCA sprint race at Lime Rock in the late 1960s. Wasn't very fast, but it wasn't the slowest car in its class.

[@macgvrs]

I actually drove a little Mazda pickup with a Wankel in it once. It was standard shift and because the rotary didn't wind down very quickly, it would bark the tires in second gear when you let out the clutch. Very interesting to drive.

[@HolbrookStark]

You know you were driving it wrong tho lol Glad you had fun, thanks for appreciating it and remembering it

[@macgvrs]

@@HolbrookStark Yeah, I only got to drive it once for a very short time. I guessed there needed to be a different technique but I didn't own it and was merely testing repair that had been done to it.

[@kittyparty6925]

Thanks for being who you are J.. Your like a kid that gets to live a Disneyland everyday and you share it with us all..

[@florianwolf9380]

This is in my view one of the nicest pieces of Jay's collection ! Very handy, practical, tons of luggage space, and it purrs along like a happy cat. And a Wankel engine can't be that bad - Mazda at least won Le Mans with it.

[@2140BlackCreek]

That is beautiful, right down to the Becker Europa radio. It brings me back to my "ute" in the mid '60's when I was working my way through college repairing foreign cars for Charlie Schmitt in STL. Charlie had me drive one of them down from Springfield, Ill to the shop. It was a fun drive. The space saving Wankel engine reminded me of the pancake engine in the VW 311 1500 series . Thank you Jay!

[@garyseaton4619]

That's a great design. Bertone made some truly beautiful cars... Thank you for sharing this with the world. It's a car I'd never have seen, most likely, if not for you...

[@KeithFinkFamilyFarm]

Thank you for this. I have been reading about Wankel engines since I was a kid (in the 1970s) reading old issues of Popular Mechanics. However, I have never seen or heard one run, until watching this video. Thanks for another show-and-tell history lesson.

[@snowrocket]

Me too. I have however owned a 1974 Mazda RX-3 wagon 4-speed, a 1973 RX-3 coupe 4-speed, and a 1986 RX-7 GXL 5-speed. The Wankel is my "Evil Mistress"; I love her, but she doesn't love me back. I loved all of these cars but had trouble with the engines on all of them. I'm still REALLY glad to have owned them.

[@albertseabra9226]

Fabulous looking car. I used to see them on this side of the Pond, in Europe -- a dream car for a kid. If the vehicle were a little bigger, featuring a regular 4 Cyl/, she would be very competitive vis-a-vis MGs, Triumphs, Fiat 124 Spyder, etc. One of our neighbours owned a NSU R 80 -- gorgeous and futuristic looking sedan. Even today the R 80 looks sleek and modern. Thank you Jay for another awsome video.