The Audi Makeover We Didn't Know We Needed: The NSU Prinz 4 Goes Electric
In a move that redefines the phrase "like a phoenix from the ashes'', Audi has turned their time machine dial back to the '60s, reviving the little-known NSU Prinz 4 in a way that Elon Musk might twitch an envious eyebrow at. The once humble two-door tyke is reborn, swapped from its original peppy two-cylinder engine to a powerful 240 hp electric motor, courtesy of the Audi e-tron.
Let’s put this into perspective. The original Prinz 4 had a two-cylinder engine that put out 30hp. Now, we're looking at 240hp, and if your jaw isn't dropping, it’s because you’re as good at math as my grandma. The two don't even belong in the same conversation. It's like comparing a happy puppy to a full-grown grizzly bear.
For the uninitiated, NSU was a motorcycle and car manufacturer that turned heads back in the day, eventually merging with Auto Union (now known as Audi) under Volkswagen's keen-eyed supervision. The byproduct of this matrimony, this resuscitated Prinz, is an anniversary gift to the 105-year-old Neckarsulm factory, where the original Prinz first saw daylight.
The transformation doesn't stop at the powertrain. The Audi apprentices at Neckarsulm managed to stuff the same battery pack used in the hybrid Audi Q7 TFSI e quattro under the Prinz’s hood, an area once reserved for the fuel tank. The original car has been respectfully tweaked, adding a modified and broadened body from an Audi A1 that sits on a redesigned floor pan.
The reborn Prinz maintains its iconic shoulder and roof lines, while its new aerodynamic disc wheels and 3D-printed fender flares give it a trendy rally car vibe. Splashed in a two-tone combination of Suzuka Grey and Brilliant Black, this spruced-up classic is ready to turn heads once more.
On the inside, although Audi hasn’t released pictures yet, we’ve been promised a sleek interior featuring a Signal Yellow roll cage and Recaro Podium bucket seats. A single display takes center stage, merging all instruments and gauges into one digital hub.
As Audi's head of training vehicle technology/logistics, Timo Engler, proudly announced, the project enabled their apprentices to experiment with different technologies and materials, including the use of 3D printing and carbon fiber.
This one-off Prinz 4 study is a charming collision of the past, present, and future. It pays homage to a simpler time in automotive history while charging forward (literally) into a new era of electric transportation. It's not just a car—it's a time-traveling marvel on wheels!
And if you need more reason to fall in love with the NSU Prinz 4, did you know that NSU originally started as a knitting machine manufacturer before shifting to bicycles and then cars? Talk about a versatile entity!
Yours truly,
Captain Electro
