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NSU Prinz 4 in the (historical) test - proud prince or staid dwarf?

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Created on November 5, 1961

Text:

Olaf von Fersen

Photos:

Audi Tradition / Konzernarchiv

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Audi Tradition / Konzernarchiv

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Shortly after the market launch of the NSU Prinz 4, the testers of the Automobil-Illustrierte determined whether the developers of the NSU Prinz 4 deserve a tip of the hat...

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NSU Prinz 4 (1964) - simply beautiful to look at

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NSU Prinz 4 (1964) - not 3.5 meters long

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NSU Prinz 4 (1961) - much shorter than a soccer goal, and much more interesting

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NSU Prinz 4 - the police officers in Baden-Württemberg drove this model on patrol; only one example still exists.

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Not a bargain, especially with the optional extras - but the Neckarsulm compact sedan does justice to the DM 4,686 price tag.

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The sporty relative on the left in the picture is a touch quicker on its feet, but the more spacious Prinz 4 is also able to hide its cylinder count with its driving performance.

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NSU Prinz 4 (1965) - practical and with an easily accessible trunk, not just for women - Model 4 L

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NSU Prinz 4 (1968) - no radiator grille at the front, the engine is at the back after all

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Despite its small exterior dimensions, the Prinz 4 fits four adults and plenty of luggage. The handling of the car is also impressive and poses no problems for anyone.

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The air-cooled two-cylinder develops 30 lively horsepower and thus enough power to drive the rear-engined vehicle forward in a manner befitting its status.

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NSU Prinz 4 (1961) - elegant styling, not dissimilar to the Chevrolet Corvair

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Ensuring that a car with such an unladen weight-to-maximum payload ratio always has comfortable and confidence-inspiring driving characteristics is no easy task. NSU has solved it in an exemplary manner.

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NSU Prinz 4 (1961) - also popular with women

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NSU Prinz 4 (1961) - did all this really fit in the trunk of the Prinz?

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NSU Prinz 4 (1963) - of course the passengers should not travel in the trunk, especially as the driver's view would be restricted ...

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NSU Prinz 4 (1961) - plenty of space in the easily usable trunk at the front

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NSU Prinz 4 (1966) - the 250-liter trunk can hold two milk crates as well as the spare wheel

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NSU Prinz 4 (1961) - two doors and rear engine

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Thanks to tests in the wind tunnel and a resulting cW value of 0.43, 120 kilometers per hour should be possible according to the advertising, but the test drive on the occasion of this test could not confirm this.

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NSU Prinz 4 (1961) - this is how much storage space a Prinz is said to have had

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NSU Prinz 4 (1964) - luggage compartment capacity demonstrated with suitcases

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NSU Prinz 4 (1961) - Shift handover during the test drives

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NSU Prinz 4 (1961) - Erkönig on a test drive

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NSU Prinz 4 (1963) - sporty dashboard design

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The illustration of the interior from a 1964 sales brochure reveals that there is plenty of space for rear passengers and that only very good-sized people need fear for their heads and knees.

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A well-designed compact car without any serious weaknesses - Automobil-Illustrierte gave the NSU Prinz 4 a good report.

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The spatial concept of the Prinz 4 works, but what effect does the high payload limit of 435 kilograms have on handling?

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NSU Prinz 4 (1963) - cross-sectional view drawing

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Its predecessor was smaller and cuddlier. Prince 4 has clearly outgrown it.

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NSU Prinz 4 (1961) - before the Sport Prinz and the Prinz III

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NSU Prinz 4 (1961) - the first production models await delivery

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NSU Prinz 4 (1961) - on the front page of "hobby" magazine

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Summary

In the fall of 1961, the first units of the new Prinz 4 were released from the NSU factories. Visually very similar to the Chevrolet Corvair and a good size larger, the trapezoidal nobleman stood out from its cuddly-round ancestor and amazed with a lively engine, unexpected space and an almost unreal payload capacity. This article reproduces an original test report from 1961 and shows the full-grown heir to the throne in extensive historical images and sales material.

This article contains the following chapters

Perspectives
435 kg payload and 30 hp
The bathtub solved the problem
Now let's take a seat
On the road with 30 horses
Specification with specifications
Technical data, measured values, prices

Estimated reading time: 12min

Preview (beginning of the article)

The term "small car" has changed so fundamentally in the last five years that it can even be said to have changed its actual meaning. With one single exception, "small cars" no longer exist today - only scooters and small cars. The previous NSU Prinz was a small car - the Prinz 4 is no longer. It is a "real car". It has room for four people, who don't need to be "custom-built" to sit comfortably, it allows you to carry a lot of luggage that could make some mid-range colleagues blush, it drives like a full-grown car, and it looks like a car - so you should be able to predict the kind of sales success that a decent car deserves: the Prinz 4 has honestly earned it!

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