NSU Motorenwerke AG, normally just NSU, was a German manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles and pedal cycles, founded in 1873. It was acquired by Volkswagen Group in 1969. VW merged the company with Auto Union, to eventually evolve into Audi as it is known today.
NSU originated as a knitting machine manufacturer established in 1873 by Christian Schmidt, a technically astute entrepreneur, in the town of Riedlingen on the Danube. The business relocated in 1880 to Neckarsulm, where the river Sulm flows into the Neckar. There followed a period of rapid growth and in 1886 the company began to produce bicycles, the first of them branded as the "Germania", and by 1892, bicycle manufacturing had completely replaced knitting machine production. At about this time, the name NSU (from Neckar and Sulm) appeared as a brand name.
The first NSU motorcycle appeared in 1901,followed by the first NSU car in 1905. In 1932, the car factory in Heilbronn was sold to Fiat.
During World War II NSU designed and produced the Kettenkrad, the NSU HK101, a half-tracked motorcycle with the engine of the Opel Olympia.
- NSU Prinz I, II, 30 and III (1957–1962)
- NSU Sport Prinz (1959–1967)
- NSU Prinz 4, 4L (1961–1972)
- NSU Prinz 1000, NSU 1000 (1964–1972)
- NSU 1000 TT, NSU TT, NSU TTS (1965–1972)
- NSU Typ 110, NSU 1200 (1965–1972)
- NSU Spider (1964–1967)
- NSU Ro 80 (1967–1977)
- NSU K70, produced after VW/Audi takeover as the Volkswagen K70 (1970–1975)
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