Post-war, the Volkswagen ceased production of the Kübelwagen, at which point over 50,000 wagens had been built and the Kübelwagen’s reputation for reliability and doggedness was secure. In 1969, Volkswagen released the outwardly similar Type 181, known in the United States as the Thing, though the Thing and the Kübelwagen shared very few parts. Today, a Canadian firm offers reproduction Kübelwagens for sale. There are conflicting stories about what the Americans thought of the VW. According to wiki: “In November 1943, the U.S. military conducted a series of tests as well on several Type 82s they had captured in North Africa; they concluded that the vehicle was simpler, easier to manufacture and maintain, faster, and more comfortable for four passengers than the U.S. Jeeps”. This statement is at odds with U.S. War Department Technical Manual TM-E 30-451, Handbook on German Military Forces, dated 15 March 1945. In this manual (p. 416), it states “The Volkswagen, the German equivalent of the U.S. “Jeep”, is inferior in every way except in the comfort of its seating accommodations.” The Schwimmwagen’s story starts at the same place as the Kubelwagen. The name translates to “Swimming Car” which perfectly encapsulates the intent of the Type 166. The Wehrmacht needed a vehicle that could serve as a go-anywhere reconnaissance car and designer Erwin Komenda took that mission to heart. Taylor, Blaine (2004). Volkswagen Military Vehicles of the Third Reich. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Da Capo Press. ISBN 0-306-81313-0. OCLC 55534990. Light weight. While it was some 41cm (16in) longer than the Willys MB, it weighed more than 300kg (660lb) less.

In January 1938, Hitler’s chauffeur/bodyguard turned SS commander Sepp Dietrich gave Porsche the nod to develop a military version of the Volkswagen. Type 331: Prototype fitted for power by a "native fuel system" (acetylene gas) engine (also listed as Type 231)

He wrote: ‘Shortly after capturing the VW, I made a trip down to Syracuse in Sicily. The only disturbing thing about the car was the speedometer, which, of course, read in kilometres. It was amusing to see my batman’s face when, on a good straight stretch, I pointed to the speedometer, which was indicating a shade over 100. The Kübelwagen's rolling chassis and mechanics were built at what was then the Stadt des KdF-Wagens, ("City of the 'Strength through Joy'-Car") – renamed Wolfsburg after 1945 – and its body was built by U.S.-owned firm Ambi Budd Presswerke in Berlin. [7] The Kübelwagen's role as a light multi-purpose military vehicle made it the German equivalent to the Allied Willys MB "jeep" and the GAZ-67, after previous efforts to mass-produce standardized military four-wheel drives for the Wehrmacht had largely failed. On a personal note, I was basically born in this business, started working part-time with my father at age of 12. I started full-time the summer I turned 16, and took seven years to finish my BA in Political Science from University of BC while working at Intermeccanica. I took over as owner and president of Intermeccanica in 2001 when my father passed away. My mother Paula Reisner is my business partner to this day.)

It’s a 1944 model that served in Germany. People commonly think that its tan colour signifies that it saw service in North Africa with the Afrika Korps, but the truth is that the Wehrmacht decided in 1943 that all vehicles should be painted this colour, independent of which front they were deployed on.” The Kübelwagen, thanks to its geared hubs, could go as slow as marching troops 4km/h (2.5mph), yet reach a top speed of 80km/h (50mph). The Sherman was a poor tank, too high, gun not powerful enough, insufficient armour and ran on petrol. The Germans called them Ronsons or Tommy cookers. The T34 also had its faults. However both were produced cheaply in massive numbers thus overwhelming the opposition.Many other modifications were taken in account, resulting in a brand new model, renamed Type 82. Thanks to this the vehicle now corresponded to the Army's requests, production was setup and started in February 1940, so that thousands of Kübelwagens would be distributed to the divisions, ready for the Western campaign in May. Development did not stopped there however, as 36 variants were developed until 1945. hen compared with 4WD vehicles of the same era, the Kubelwagen’s the 2WD setup handily out-performed them in nearly every test. Most notably, thanks to its smooth, flat underbody, the Kubel would handle like a motorized sled, when its wheels were sinking into sand, snow, or mud. Der VW Kübelwagen Typ 82 im Zweiten Weltkrieg" by Janusz Piekalkiewicz, published by Motorbuch, Stuttgart in 2002 Kübelwagens were present in every single unit of the German Army and served on all fronts to the last day of the war and beyond. Thousands found their way on the civilian market, many were converted to other duties, and others ended in museums and made the delight of private owners around the world. Their long postwar life was helped by the solid fanbase of the VW Beetle which shared many parts with it. This vehicle was not armored, not armed by default, so it has no place in the regular encyclopedia.

Report of examination of a German Light Aid Detachment Vehicle type VW82", published by Humber Car Co. in 1943 (GB) Top speed was about 80 kph on flat, 20-30 kph on average on rough terrain. The wheelbase was only 2.40 m and weight 715 kg (1,576 lb) (GVW 1,160 kg fully loaded) but it had almost a 30 cm ground clearance thanks to the adoption of a portal gear hub reduction, which provided more torque at the same time. It had a basic 4-door utility roadster body layout. Since the body was not a load-bearing part of the structure, the chassis could receive a great deal of configurations and modifications for all purposes. All wheels had independent suspensions. One of the Kübelwagen’s most remarkable features was its use of a limited slip differential, the first application ever outside of the legendary thirties Audi GP cars, for which purpose it was first invented. It was the key ingredient (along with the rear engine and light weight) that allowed the VW to be effective off-road without having four wheel drive. In fact, under certain situations, like crossing a trench on the diagonal, a four wheel drive vehicle like the Jeep could potentially get hung up if one wheel on each axle was briefly suspended in the air.The brief specified that the vehicle should weigh no more than 2090lb (950kg) with four fully kitted-out soldiers onboard, and a maximum of 1210lb (550kg) unladen. The VW can take corners a great deal faster than most staff cars, without the swinging tendency of the Jeep.’ Although the Kübelwagen acquitted itself very well, there was a perceived need for a more extreme-conditions vehicle, combining four wheel drive and amphibious capability. The Type 166 Schwimmwagen was a superb accomplishment, making it the most numerous mass-produced amphibious car in history. Humber, meanwhile, wrote a lengthy report that same year on a ‘German Light Aid Detachment Vehicle’ seized in the Middle East.