1929 Fiat Neckar
We have already reported on connections with France and Poland, so it is probably time to look at the extensive roots of the cooperation with Germany.
It probably started with the Deutsche Fiat Automobil-Verkaufs AG Berlin in 1922 with a small contribution from Turin and a high from Austro Fiat. In 1927 it took an equity stake in NSU AG.
One had your first contact with cars, so to speak, built the steel wheel car designed by Maybach from 1889. They had also been building cars themselves for a long time, e.g. the NSU Type 5/15 HP from 1913 or the Type
8/24 HP from 1914.
That's why the company also traded as 'Neckarsulmer Fahrzeugwerke AG' from 1913 onwards. But the strongest pillar, alongside bicycles, remained motorcycle production. After all, in 1925 it was decided to build a new
plant for the automobile production in Heilbronn.
But they had obviously made a mistake with takeovers too. In addition, the global economic crisis cast its shadow ahead. Initially, vehicles were designed and built together with Fiat, such as the NSU 7/34 HP shown above
being assembled in the new factory.
If you compare with Fiat bodies from the time, you can see the lag behind the NSU ones fitted here. By the way, the engine came from Fiat. Because of the space available, the vehicle was ideally suited as a taxi.
The first Fiat built under license was the 521, built by Fiat in 1928. It had six cylinders, a good 2.5 liter displacement and 37 kW (50 hp). From 1932 the Fiat Ballila was available as the NSU/Fiat 1100 with a modified body,
later even with its own creations such as the convertible sedan and Spyder (video below).
The special bodies were made by the Weinsberg bodyworks, which was also taken over by Fiat in 1937. Nevertheless, even after the war, they still retained a certain degree of independence. We will hear more from this
company.
However, there were also special bodies that were commissioned to the Gläser company in Dresden, e.g. for the NSU/Fiat 1500 (video below). Both products from NSU/Fiat went into the export, as well as Fiats made in Italy
were sold.
The 'NSU' part of the name was retained for a long time after the war, as was the addition 'Neckar'.
| 
