Mercury astronaut John Glenn skipped the free Corvette other astronauts took and drove an NSU Prinz instead — the fuel savings reportedly went toward his kids' college fund.
Median 72 hp across 34 similar cars
Lead trim: Prinz I 583 cc air-cooled twin (19.7 hp) · up to 29.6 hp
NSU Prinz I, II and IIIPrinz I-III · 1958–1962
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a NSU Prinz I, II and III yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactMercury astronaut John Glenn skipped the free Corvette other astronauts took and drove an NSU Prinz instead — the fuel savings reportedly went toward his kids' college fund.
NSU's first post-war car, the Prinz I, was launched at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 1957 with the slogan "Fahre Prinz und Du bist König", and after a pilot run of 150 preproduction cars volume production began in March 1958. A two-door saloon with an upright roof line seating four, it had a noisy air-cooled two-cylinder rear engine (583 cc in the infobox, described as 600 cc and 20 PS / 19.7 hp in the text) driving the rear wheels, initially via a "crash" gearbox and later a four-speed all-synchromesh one, with a single oil-lubricated chamber for engine, gearbox and final drive and just two grease nipples; luggage went in a front compartment shared with the spare wheel and fuel filler. The Prinz was exported to the United States but sold poorly and was dropped after 1960 (Mercury astronaut John Glenn used one as his daily driver). The Prinz II was a more luxurious version released in 1959 with better trim and an all-synchromesh gearbox, a 30E export version had a 30 PS (29.6 hp) engine, and the Prinz III was launched in October 1960 with a new stabilizer bar and the 30 hp motor. It was also built in Chile, Australia, Argentina (2,432 Prinz II and III/30 by Autoar, 1959–1963), Yugoslavia (about 15,000 by PRETIS) and, as the Ramses, in Egypt. Wheelbase 78.7 in (2,000 mm), length 124 in (3,150 mm), width 56 in (1,422 mm), height 53 in (1,346 mm).
Collectors Spotted in the NSU Prinz Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the NSU Prinz yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
2 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prinz 30E 30 PS air-cooled twin (29.6 hp) | 1959–1962 | Inline-2 | 29.6 hp | — | — | RWD | — | — |
| Prinz I 583 cc air-cooled twin (19.7 hp) | 1958–1962 | 0.6 L Inline-2 | 19.7 hp | — | — | RWD | — | — |
Owning one
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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