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Films: Revisit The Rotary Revolution With The NSU Ro 80
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Made To Drive | S10 E1
This C2 Corvette Stingray Is A Sacred Monster
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Made To Drive | S10 E01

Revisit The Rotary Revolution With The NSU Ro 80

Rotary-powered NSU Ro 80 is an odd commodity
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Made To Drive
When Outrageous Was Possible
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SEASON 01: EPISODE 03
When Outrageous Was Possible
There was a time when an art form known as coachbuilding existed.Back then, the coachbuilder did not have to answer to a CFO.Back then, the coachbuilder did not have to compromise his vision due to government regulations.Back then, the outrageous was possible.The Lamborghini Countach could only have been born then.
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Carl Loller
Carl Loller
6 years ago

Loved this film – a man after my own heart!!

2
bervas
bervas
6 years ago

I have the same experience as Mr Buckley. Put oil and fuel in the engine, and the Ro is as reliable as my hybrid Toyota in the 10000 kms I have driven with.

2
Biker Joe
Biker Joe
6 years ago

I see quite a bit of the Audi 80 in this car. Cool piece.

0
Matthew Lange
Matthew Lange
6 years ago

The car is interesting but not as interesting as Martin Buckley himself. His writings are the best thing in Classic & Sportscar magazine and his revolving door collection of classic cars that others run away from (Lancia Gammas especially) is quite something. Hopefully Petrolicious could get some more words for him on the site in the future.

3
carl H
carl H
6 years ago

The car doesn’t do much for me but the garage ….that’s another story. Just love it. Well done Petrolicious.

2
Rafael Lemos Sesta
Rafael Lemos Sesta
6 years ago

Here in Brazil there is none of this cars. Sadly. For me, is one of the most gorgeous cars of the 70’s. (altrough the engine noise is ugly).

0
GuitarSlinger
GuitarSlinger
6 years ago

Ahhh yes .. the much maligned wonky Wankel(y) gas guzzling , tail pipe smoking NSU . What was that formula for potential owners ? Oh yeah .. for every five gallons of gas add one quart of oil …. or more … usually …. more . Having said that though .. there is something remotely cool and appealing about the oil burning little beasts . Hmmm ….

😎

-4
Rafael Lemos Sesta
Rafael Lemos Sesta
6 years ago
Reply to  GuitarSlinger

I think the fatal mistake of NSU is produce this car only with wankel engines. Citroen try whankesl on GS, but when the troubles begin, re-buy everey car, to keep the image of the model.
The lines of this car are absolutely fantastics, especialy when you realise it was from the end of the 60’s.

1
Paul Thompson
Paul Thompson
6 years ago

Although I’m not convinced that Martin actually uses masses of cleaning products!

2
Paul Thompson
Paul Thompson
6 years ago

That’s excellent, I had an image of that garage in my mind after reading all of Martin’s rants, it’s even more fabulous than I imagined.

Now you’ve started you may as well go round all the Classic and Sports Car team. Julian next.

3
Erwan Brillot
Erwan Brillot
6 years ago

That garage! I guess I could spend hours in such a place.

Can anybody point me to the piano track used at the end?

Starskeye

0
ChasH
ChasH
6 years ago

I swapped a Mazda 13B engine into an Ro 80. Made a nice car even better.

2
Ivan
Ivan
5 years ago
Reply to  ChasH

I had a 13B-engined Ro80 for four years. Surprisingly quick; quicker than the standard one. Flat floor and loads of room to stretch the legs!

Always regret having to sell it.

0
Paul Duesler
Paul Duesler
6 years ago

Beautiful film that captures the magic of an amazing car and a very cool dude! When I was a kid an eccentric neighbor had a smaller NSU and a DKW 2 stroke. The both seemed so exotic. The Ro80 is a beautiful car too.

3
Andy Fern
Andy Fern
6 years ago

Fabulous….an old boy in my village had one of these, in bronze, when I was growing up. It looked like nothing else around….the usual Cortinas, Escorts and Vivas. My Dad had the NSU Prinz, but always wanted on of these!

2
Robert in LA
Robert in LA
6 years ago
Reply to  Andy Fern

There is something about the design of the coachwork that really stands up isn’t there? I wonder if this was done at NSU, or if they shopped it out.

0
Rick C
Rick C
6 years ago

Good memories of this car and my vacationing in Italy as a teenager. But too young to have a mechanical connection to it. My grandfather would be pleased.

2
Jim Levitt
Jim Levitt
6 years ago

Yeah, I can finally start one of these.
I actually drove one of these for three days.
I rented one in Europe in 1970 in Turin. Drove from Turin to Paris by way of the Swiss and Italian Alps. A slow but very interesting car!

3

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