Beautiful K70 – Volkswagen's very first model with a water-cooled engine and front-wheel drive. How could it fail?
NSU's very last project
The K70 was not developed at Volkswagen. It was created by NSU and was to be produced in Neckarsulm. Originally, it was considered to equip it with a Wankel engine, but the plans were changed when NSU was unable to get the technology ready for production. Instead, they developed a new 1,6 liter 75 hp water-cooled petrol engine based on the air-cooled engine from the NSU 1200/TT. Ahead of the Geneva exhibition in 1969, NSU was ready to present a forward-looking, modern, beautiful and economical world first which they called the K70.
RO-70?
Originally, NSU considered including the model in its Wankel programme. In retrospect, one can speculate whether NSU intended to call the model the RO-70 ("Ro" for Rotary). "70" because it was to be launched as a smaller model than the RO-80. But since the Wankel engine had been replaced by a regular piston engine, the name became the K70 - "K" for "kolben" (German: piston). Perhaps the plan was to relaunch the RO-70 once the Wankel option was finished? But the situation changed drastically. RO-80 owners experienced a series of engine failures. Massive warranty claims sent the factory into financial crisis. The K70 was never to be launched by NSU.
Did not fit well into the model program
When Volkswagen bought NSU, they got the K70 in their lap. A fully developed, modern family car ready for production. It was a car completely different from Volkswagen's existing model range. The Volkswagen Group could have put 4 rings in the grill and sent it out as an Audi, but then it would compete with the Audi 100. At Volkswagen, they instead chose to launch the K70 as a successor to the Type 4 - better known as the 411/412 series. Both models were to be produced and sold in parallel.
New brand in the grill – voilà!
It is known in retrospect that Volkswagen did nothing else with the K70 than replace the NSU badge in the grill. The hitherto unknown NSU K70 was overnight incorporated into Volkswagen as the Type 48 and launched as the Volkswagen K70 without anyone knowing what "K70" stood for.
What was it like to own a K70?
Comfortable, slightly soft in the suspension. Smooth driving, but heavy on the steering. It was all front wheel drive cars at the time. A lot of weight in front of the front axle, safe driving characteristics with a lot of understeer. Early models were known to be a bit slow to shift, but the gear transmission was changed during production. Operational reliability was initially good - with the exception of the water pump, which had to be changed quite often. The 1,6 engine was originally air-cooled. Beyond the 70s, however, the K70 began to get a bad reputation for reliability - not because the cars were bad, but because the aftermarket failed.
What went wrong?
The introduction of the K70 took place without the sales force and the aftermarket being sufficiently prepared. The model was literally trampled over the heads of the organization. The sellers, who for decades had argued for air-cooled, rear-engined cars with round body shapes, suddenly got a model that broke with all that. The workshops were also not sufficiently prepared. You can say that many K70 customers experienced being treated like a stepmother.
Before its time
Those who already drove Volkswagen's air-cooled family models were not ready for a model that was at least two car generations newer than the 411 and 412. If the K70 was to catch on, it would have to steal customers from other brands - preferably customers who preferred front-wheel drive. At the beginning of the 70s, the family car class was dominated by cars with rear-wheel drive. Customers who chose front-wheel drive were already loyal to brands such as Citroen, Renault and Saab.
Should have been given a different name
It was not just unknown design and technology that meant that the K70 was treated like a stepmother within Volkswagen. It was the name. It had no affiliation with Volkswagen, nor did it create any loyalty. "K" for flask. Seriously? "70" - for what? Number of horses? Hardly! Imagine if Volkswagen had chosen to call NSU's great innovation "Passat" or "Golf"?
A K70 story from reality
I know someone who has owned and driven a K70 in his younger days. He tells of a special episode with his K70 - or "Key-Seven-Zero" as it was called at the air station where he served in his younger days. The K70 was equipped with inboard front brakes - just like its "big brother" NSU Ro80. This means that the disc brakes were not mounted outside the wheels, but at the other end of the driveshafts. The brake caliper was attached to the gearbox/differential. After changing the engine, he had problems attaching the driveshafts to the differential due to "loosened" bolts. One evening on his way to a date, he drove at full speed down a hill where he had to apply the brakes. Then both driveshafts came loose! The result could have been fatal. With loose driveshafts, he lost the front brakes - because the discs are located at the innermost part of the axles and rotate with them. Without driveshafts, he could not brake on the engine either. The situation did not improve that the rear brakes were worn out and that the handbrake was currently dismantled. Fortunately, the journey ended in some bushes. The unfortunate car owner got a hitchhiker - and the date was saved - even though the K70 had to be left in the bushes. This story is perhaps one reason why inboard brakes never became widespread on modern cars.
Facts about the Volkswagen K70
Internal name: Type 48
Place of auction: Salzgitter, Germany. The facility there is currently being expanded to produce batteries for VAG's electric cars. Read more
Start of production: October 1970 (50th anniversary this year)
Model year: 1971-1975
Motorisation: NSU 1,6-litre 75 HP (std and L) or 90 HP (LS 1971-1972). NSU 1,8-litre 100 HP (LS 1973-1975). All engines mounted longitudinally with front wheel drive. Production of the engines ended with the K70 - and was never continued in subsequent models.
Chassis: Independent suspension on all wheels. McPherson struts at the front, longitudinal wishbones with coil springs at the rear.
Brakes: Front disc brakes (inboard mounted towards the center of the car), rear drum brakes.
Length, width and height: 442 / 169 / 145 cm
Wheelbase: 269 cm
Own weight: 1050 kg
Facelifted from 1973 model: Double headlights for all models. The LS version got a larger engine of 1,8 litres. New steering wheel with 4 spokes and more padding.
Sources
Volkswagens of the World – Simon Glen
Quotation: …, the innovative engineers at NSU also started developmental work on a smaller, medium-sized version of this car, the "Ro70", but because of teething problems with the RO80's rotary engine (…)
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