NSU stands for Neckarsulmer Fahrradwerke AG and began manufacturing cars in Neckarsulm in 1905.  The company was a successful manufacturer of automobiles, motorbikes and cycles but financial problems in the 1920’s ended car production, which did not start again until the 1950’s.  The company specialised in building small cars and later, used the Wankel rotary engine in the 1964 Spider and 1967 Ro80.  In 1969 NSU were taken over by Volkswagen.