NSU Ro 80: The Rotary Pioneer
People often credit the Mazda RX-7 with being the most influential rotary car but that isn’t necessarily the case. It was the NSU Ro 80 that broke the mold for being a rotary-powered beast and the first car to ever feature a Wankel rotary motor. The design of the Ro 80 was instrumental and ahead of its time in automotive design. You have to remember that this car was released back when cars were still boxy, and yet the design is refreshingly crisp (via Dyler).
The car was often referred to as one of the best-looking cars of all time. Its production numbers were relatively low, with just over 37,000 units built during its 10-year production run. The car wasn’t very reliable and that affected the reputation and sales dramatically. The NSU Ro 80 is still an important car today but this is one that you’ll very seldom ever see rolling around anymore.