NSU (Neckarsulmer Stricken Union) was not only one of the real pioneers of the German car, motorcycle, and bicycle industries, but also enjoyed more than a century of production, beginning in 1873 with knitting machines and ending in 1977, when the final NSU car (an Ro80) rolled off the Neckarsulm production line.

In 1955, NSU was the world's largest motorcycle producer. Much like Dutch truckmaker DAF, it saw an opportunity in 600 cc microcars. The first Prinz of 1957 drew a lukewarm reception, but the Corvair-inspired Prinz 4, launched in 1961, was little short of a jewel. Powered by air-cooled inline-2 and inline-4 engines, the car garnered a firm following on and off the track.