[1] NSU originated as the "Mechanische Werkstätte zur Herstellung von Strickmaschinen",[2] a knitting machine manufacturer established in 1873 by Christian Schmidt, a technically astute entrepreneur, in the town of Riedlingen on the Danube.

[3] There followed a period of rapid growth and in 1886, the company began to produce bicycles, the first of them a 'high wheeler' or 'Penny-farthing' branded as the "Germania".

In 1932, under pressure from their bank (Dresdner Bank), NSU recognised the failure of their attempt to break into volume automobile production, and their recently built car factory in Heilbronn was sold to Fiat,[6] who used the plant to assemble Fiat models for the German market.

[8] For Germany, this was a time of new beginnings, and in July 1946, a new board was appointed, headed by General Director Walter Egon Niegtsch, who earlier in his career had spent 17 years with Opel.

In 1953, the NSU Max followed, a 250 cc motorbike with a unique overhead camdrive driven by reciprocating rods.

Albert Roder, the chief engineer behind the success story, made it possible that in 1955, NSU became the biggest motorcycle producer in the world.

In August 1956, Wilhelm Herz at the Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah, became the first man to ride a motorcycle faster than 200 mph (322 km/h).

In development of the project, NSU built the Sport Prinz, with a 129 hp (96 kW) 995 cc (60.7 cu in) 2-rotor.

Weighing 1,200 kg (2,600 lb), it had a Cd of 0.36, disc brakes, independent suspension, and front wheel drive by Fichtel & Sachs Saxomatic three-speed transmission.

[11] Virtually all the world's major motor manufacturers purchased licenses from NSU to develop and produce the rotary-piston engine, with the notable exception of BMW.

[11] Competitor automakers, apart from Mazda, held back from taking a lead in developing and marketing the Wankel technology, and anticipated income associated with those royalty deals failed to materialize.

In 1969, the company was taken over by Volkswagenwerk AG, which merged NSU with Auto Union, the owners of the Audi brand which Volkswagen had acquired five years earlier.

It is also the home of the "Aluminium- und Leichtbauzentrum" where Audi's aluminium-made space frame bodies are designed and engineered.

NSU is primarily remembered today as the first licensee and one of only four automobile companies to produce cars for sale with rotary-piston "Wankel engines".

In the early 1970s, NSU manufactured a vertical-crankshaft small engine for use as a lawn mower power unit.

John Surtees remains the only champion of the world in both motorcycle racing and Formula 1. pilots: The first NSU cars were the single cylinder 3-wheeled Sulmobil, first produced in 1905.

The first "Neckarsulmer Motorrad" motorcycle was produced in 1901, using a Swiss 1+3⁄4 hp (1.8 PS; 1.3 kW) Zedel single-cylinder AIV (automatic inlet valve) motor with battery/coil ignition, clamped at the underside of a heavy-duty bicycle frame (of NSU manufacture), with the crankcase slightly below and in front of the pedal crank.

In 1907, British manager Martin Geiger rode an NSU in the inaugural Isle of Man TT, placing fifth.

In 1908, an NSU v-twin took part in the Ormonde-Daytona beach speed record races for cars and motorcycles, ridden by Eugene Gaestral, who returned with an improved machine the following year.

In 1956, NSU brought a team of six motorcycles of different engine capacities to Bonneville, Utah, to set World Land Speed Records.