Thursday 12th September 1963

The first production car in the world to be powered by a Wankel rotary engine, the open two-seater NSU Wankel Spider, was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Apart from its water-cooled, 498-cc, single-rotor engine and front-disc brakes, the car was in most respects unremarkable. Also presented at the show was the 600 “Big Mercedes” (W 100). Generally, the short-wheel-base (SWB) 600 models were designed to be owner-driven; the long-wheel-base (LWB) 600, often incorporating a central divider with power window, were intended as chauffeur-driven.