Teutonic Charm.(Escape Roads)

Byline: JAN TEGLER

A measure of the esteem in which American cars were once held is the degree to which Detroit's designs were copied. The debut of the Chevrolet Corvair in 1960 caused quite the stir among European carmakers, particularly Neckarsulm, Germany's NSU.

Designers and engineers from NSU, founded in the 1860s as a bicycle and sewing machine manufacturer, were so impressed by the unconventional Chevy that they bought an example to study. NSU then designed a microcar that mimicked the Corvair in styling and layout.

In 1961, NSU introduced the Prinz IV. Often referred to as a mini Corvair, the two-door Prinz IV featured an air-cooled two-cylinder powerplant making 30 hp. In 1963 an I4 version, the 1000, hit the streets. The 1000's transverse, rear-mounted 996-cc put out 45 hp.

Both the Prinz IV and 1000 were good economy cars, but NSU was looking to attract enthusiast buyers as well. In 1965 the more powerful 1000 TT was offered. Pumping out 65 hp from its 1085-cc engine and offering improved handling and braking, the TT caught on.

Brisk sales of the Prinz IV-based models led NSU to create elongated, more luxurious versions including the 110, the 110 SC and in 1967, the 1200. Displacement of the 1000's four-cylinder was bumped to 1197 cc in the 1200. Meanwhile the 1000 TT and 1000 TTS (a homologated racing car) were proving popular on the street and at the track. Logic dictated a performance version of the 1200 would sell well too, and so the 1200 TT was born.

"Originally I was looking for a Mini Cooper,'' says this car's owner, Rudy Cincala of Pittsburgh. "Then I thought, why not go with the German equivalent?'' In 2004, Cincala bought a 1969 1200 TT with just 17,000 miles on the clock.