UK’s rarest cars: 1971 NSU 1200TT, one of only nine left
In 1967, the German manufacturer NSU unveiled two new models. One was the renowned Ro 80, the front-wheel-drive, rotary-engined executive saloon that became Car of the Year for 1968. The other was a small, rear-engined four-seater that is now a far rarer sight in the UK; this 1200TT from 1971 is one of only nine believed to remain on the road in the UK.
By 1955, NSU was the world’s largest motorcycle builder, but sales declined as the decade progressed. In response, the company launched the Prinz, its first postwar car, in 1957. The replacement Prinz 4 of 1961 resembled a scaled-down Chevrolet Corvair, while the larger 1000 of 1963 moved the range even further from its microcar origins.
The 1000-based 1200TT – the TT designation standing for Tourist Trophy, in honour of NSU’s racing victories – featured a single overhead camshaft, four-cylinder, air-cooled 1,177cc engine with twin Solex 34PCI carburettors. The TT could accelerate from 0-60mph in 12.9 seconds and its maximum speed was 96mph. Driving enthusiasts noted its rack and pinion steering and all-independent suspension, with a front anti-roll bar and rear semi-trailing arms. For competition use, NSU also offered the even more potent 1000TTS.
The British market brochure promised the prospective buyer “four headlamps, five seats”. The former was a significant sales feature for late-1960s small cars, while the latter was a somewhat ambitious claim given the car’s dimensions. NSU further boasted that the automotive press acclaimed the 1200TT, the German magazine Auto, Motor Und Sport praising the handling and manoeuvrability. It further noted: “Right from the start, you find yourself cornering the NSU TT quickly and smoothly.”
Motor Sport complained about “one or two irksome points”, including the pedals and the fuel gauge, “which wagged its finger like a metronome”. Its testers also remarked about “the plastic-smelling heater which almost asphyxiated the occupants, no doubt because of its newness”. But the testers concluded: “One could get to live with all of these things, just for the delights of the engine and gearbox.”
In 1967, the 1200TT cost £847, compared with such rear-engined European rivals as the Fiat-Abarth OT 850 for £696 and the Renault 8 Gordini for £1,231. British competitors included the Hillman Imp-based Singer Chamois Sport for £665 or the Mini Cooper for just £631. In addition, for a mere £2 more than the price of the NSU, the keen motorist could buy a Mini Cooper S.
When Autocar evaluated the 1200TT opposite the Cooper’s replacement, the 1275GT, in 1969, the prices were more comparable: £858 and £834 respectively. The test approved the German car’s cigarette lighter, steering column lock and two-speed wipers, all of which the Mini lacked. However, one reviewer concluded: “For me, the NSU wins almost every round. Yet, a lot of people now thinking in terms of the 1275GT as a purchase haven’t even heard of the NSU.”
When the last of 49,327 1200TTs departed the Neckarsulm works in 1972, the British market cars were primarily the province of the cognoscenti. The typical NSU driver may have regarded Ford products out of the Halewood and Dagenham factories festooned with stripes and vinyl roofs as utterly naff, but was probably too well-mannered to say so.
By then, the TT belonged to the last generation of rear-engined NSUs. In 1969, the costs involved with the Ro 80’s troublesome Wankel rotary engine resulted in Volkswagen’s acquisition of the company. VW merged the brand with another of its subsidiaries to form the Audi-NSU division, which began work on the Type 86, a front-wheel-drive, transverse-engined hatchback, in 1971. It debuted three years later as the Audi 50, followed by its VW Polo sister model in 1975.
The demise of the NSU badge came in April 1977 with the last Ro 80. Today, any of its rear-engined models is an unusual sight. This Targa Orange 1200TT offered for sale by Fairmont Sports and Classics Ltd is a reminder of the car that its manufacturer once described as “A quick fellow”. For many owners, this was an understatement.
