▁was ▁extremely ▁near - s ight ed . ▁ ▁He ▁was , ▁however , ▁the ▁owner ▁of ▁an ▁NS U ▁Ro ▁ 8 0 ▁with ▁a ▁W ank el ▁engine , ▁which ▁was ▁ch au ffe ured ▁for ▁him . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 9 , ▁W ank el ▁was ▁granted ▁an ▁honor ary ▁Doctor ate ▁of ▁Engineering ▁from ▁Techn ical ▁University ▁Mun ich . ▁He ▁was ▁known ▁for ▁his ▁champion ing ▁of ▁animal ▁rights ▁and ▁opposition ▁to ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁animals ▁in ▁testing . ▁ ▁W ank el ▁died ▁in ▁Heidel berg , ▁aged ▁ 8 6 . ▁His ▁grave ▁may ▁be ▁found ▁in ▁the ▁Berg fried hof ▁of ▁Heidel berg . ▁After ▁his ▁death , ▁the ▁Felix ▁W ank el ▁Foundation ▁sold ▁its ▁real ▁estate ▁property ▁to ▁Volks wagen ▁AG . ▁ ▁The ▁Heidel berg ▁Fire ▁Department ▁show cases ▁his ▁last ▁work shop . ▁ ▁W ank el ' s ▁papers ▁are ▁arch ived ▁in ▁the ▁Techn ose um ▁in ▁Mann heim . ▁ ▁Furthermore , ▁there ▁is ▁an ▁exhibition ▁" AUT O VIS ION ▁· ▁Trad ition ▁& ▁Forum " ▁in ▁Alt l uß heim , ▁a ▁permanent ▁showing ▁of ▁over ▁ 8 0 ▁rot ary ▁engines ▁and ▁many ▁cars ▁equ ipped ▁with ▁W ank el ▁mot ors . ▁ ▁Lic enses ▁ ▁Hon ors ▁and ▁awards ▁Honor ary ▁doctor ate ▁degree ▁from ▁Techn ische ▁Universität ▁München , ▁ 5 ▁December ▁ 1 9 6 9 . ▁The ▁Federation ▁of ▁German ▁Engine ers ▁( V DI ) ▁Gold