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Premature birth - Autonova GT in (historical) retrospect

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Created on October 20, 2022

Reading time 8min

Written by:

hobby

Photos:

Bruno von Rotz

7

hobby

2

Archiv

15

Bruno von Rotz

7

hobby

2

Archiv

15

Autonova GT (1965) - sportlich lange Schnauze und kurzes Heck

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Autonova Fam (1965) – Seitenprofil, links

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Autonova Fam (1965) – Skizze; Platzoptimierung im Innenraum

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Autonova Fam (1965) – Skizze; Seitenansicht, rechts

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Autonova GT (1965) – ausgestellt in einem Autohaus

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Autonova GT - knackiges Heck - Retro Classics Stuttgart 2015

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Autonova GT - auf dem Recaro-Stand - Retro Classics Stuttgart 2015

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Autonova GT - mit aufgesetzten Frontscheinwerfern - Retro Classics Stuttgart 2015

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Autonova GT - unrestauriertes Einzelstück - Retro Classics Stuttgart 2015

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Autonova GT - das Design stammte von Michael Contrad - Retro Classics Stuttgart 2015

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Autonova GT - Michael Conrad zeichnete ein freundliches Gesicht - Retro Classics Stuttgart 2015

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Autonova GT - Blick ins Innere des Prototyps - Retro Classics Stuttgart 2015

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Autonova GT (1965) - Internationale Automobilausstellung (IAA) in Frankfurt 1965 - Heck des praktischen Experimentalfahrzeuges auf dem NSU-Stand

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Autonova fam (1965) - Internationale Automobilausstellung (IAA) in Frankfurt 1965 - Interieur eines auf Praxisnutzen ausgelegten Experimentalfahrzeuges

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Autonova GT (1964) – "hobby" erklärt, welche Merkmale es bis 1974 in den Serienautomobilbau geschafft haben

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Autonova GT (1964) – bei Fahrversuchen der Zeitschrift "hobby" im Sommer 1974

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Delta-Design-Mitarbeiter Pio Manzù schuf später auch den Fiat 127.

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Delta-Design-Mitarbeiter Pio Manzù schuf später auch den Fiat 127.

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Der Renault 5 übernahm Delta-Designs Idee der bündig integrierten Stossfänger.

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Der Renault 5 übernahm Delta-Designs Idee der bündig integrierten Stossfänger.

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Der NSU Ro 80 gehört nach Ansicht von Delta-Design zu den besten Entwürfen der Sechzigerjahre.

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Der NSU Ro 80 gehört nach Ansicht von Delta-Design zu den besten Entwürfen der Sechzigerjahre.

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Der MGB GT erschien im Oktober 1965 und war eines der ersten kompakten Sportcoupés mit praktischer Heckklappe.

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Der MGB GT erschien im Oktober 1965 und war eines der ersten kompakten Sportcoupés mit praktischer Heckklappe.

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Summary

In 10 years, this sports racer barely clocked up more than 360 kilometers. After a glittering debut at the IAA1965, it disappeared into cellars, barns and storage sheds. Before it was moved from these inglorious accommodations to the car museum in Wolfegg, "hobby" grabbed the two-seater once again to present it to you. Read this historical article to find out why the Autonova GT was years ahead of its time!

This article contains the following chapters

A lot of foresight
An (almost) production-ready prototype
Interview with Delta-Design

Estimated reading time: 8min

Preview (beginning of the article)

All those Bavarians from Ismaning, Aschheim and the surrounding area who went for a Sunday stroll along the BMW test site just outside Munich were left feeling very much on the wrong side of the law. The reason: they had indeed imagined the much-praised new small car from BMW differently. However, the little runabout that they spotted there and that we were battling with on our home test track was by no means a new 'blue and white', but a now ten-year-old model study, the Autonova GT. In 1964, a group of designers from Ulm, now known as the Delta team, started to build not necessarily the ideal car, but at least a very sensible one. A body was placed on the chassis of the NSU 1000 that contained so many stylistic elements that even today a whole series of automobile companies benefit from a sideways glance at the Autonova. After all, not all of the carmakers' strokes of genius are created on the factory's own drawing boards, but much of what design offices and styling studios present to the board has already caused a bit of a sensation elsewhere.

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