NSU Lambretta and Prima

Make Model	NSU Lambretta / Prima (specifications for the Prima)
Year	1950-57
Production	Lambretta 189 000 units / Prima 76 911
Engine	Single cylinder, 2 stroke
Capacity	150 cc / 7.6 cub in
Bore x Stroke	57 x 57.6 mm
Cooling	Air cooled with blower
Lubrication	Oil bath
Ignition	Battery, 12 V, carburetor
Starting	Electric
Spark plug	E3.32
Exhaust System	Single exhaust
Max Power	4.6 kW / 6.2 hp @ 4500 rpm
Clutch	Multi plate
Transmission	Three speed gearbox, with twist grip gear selection
Final Drive	Shaft
Font Suspension	Bottom link suspension
Rear Suspension	Swinging arm with dual coil springs and hydraulic telescopic shock absorber
Frame	Rigid tubular steel frame, rubber mounted noise-isolated body
Dimensions	Length 1905 mm / 75 in Width 686 mm / 27 in
Ground Clearance	140 mm / 5.5 in
Wheels	4.00 x 8 in
Rear Brake	Drum
Tank Capacity	7.6/ 2 US gal
Dry Weight	123 kg / 271 lbs
Average Consumption	2.7 l/100 km / 37 km/l / 87 US mpg
Top Speed	85 km/h / 52.8 mph

The motor scooter started to gain a foothold in post-war Germany. NSU responded fastest and presented the NSU Lambretta for the first time at the Frankfurt Trade Fair in 1950, built under licence from the Italian company Innocenti. The new NSU target group: women. With standard fuel consumption of 2 litres/100 km, the Lambretta enjoyed superb commercial success in Germany. 1100 scooters rolled off the production line in August 1951 alone.

The NSU Lambretta started life in 1950's, being made under license in Neckarsulm, and between then and the time the production stopped in 1957, some 189,000 examples were turned out of the factory. Based on the 125cc engine unit, early example were as Innocenti had designed, but soon the NSU works modified the scooters with there own "extras".
The first model to receive this treatment was the NSU Luxury Lambretta, which gained two tone paint, highly polished bits of ally on the rear side panels (supposed to protect the side panels), a front bumper bar, and a parking light that could be switched on directly on the "motor scooter dashboard".

NSU carried out studies of there owners, and tried to convince manual workers that the NSU was not just a "rich daughters" or "white collar worker" mode of transport. The PR department regularly brought out statements relating to the NSU as car like in its controls and creature comforts, in an effort to push up sales.

August 1954 saw a new "worked on" (by Neckarsulm) engine of 150cc displacement, with the improved hp of 6.2ps, not just available at high revs, but across the range. The new engine could manage, two up journeys in first gear of inclines up to 31.5%, which made it manage most of the pass's in he Alps.

The NSU Lambretta's name switched to NSU Prima in 1956, for no other reason then the license with Innocenti expired, this was due to Innocenti's strict control on export (NSU were the first to export Lambretta to the USA!). Production of the NSU ceased in 1957, as the NSU works supposedly got bored with scooters and switched slowly to other four wheeled products. Perhaps it was the lack of factory support that persuaded the Germans to switch!