Einheits - PKW der Wehrmacht Einheits - PKW ( German for ' standard passenger cars ' ) were supplied to the Wehrmacht between 1936 and 1943 in the three versions " Leichter Einheits - PKW " , " Mittlerer Einheits - PKW " and " Schwerer Einheits - PKW " ( light , medium and heavy passenger car ) . These vehicles were supposed to replace the civilian vehicles previously procured by the Reichswehr with cross - country mobile vehicles that conformed with military requirements while simplifying logistics and maintenance by using standardized components . The program achieved neither of these goals . History . Early on in the process of motorizing , " Reichswehr " and " Wehrmacht " had procured militarized versions of many different makes and models of civilian passenger cars . Therefore the Wehrmacht ' s inventory of passenger cars was unsatisfactory in a number of respects when the open re - armament began in 1935 . On the one hand , the existing vehicles ' cross - country mobility and durability were not up to military requirements . On the other , their maintenance and parts supply were highly complex due to the large number of different makes , models , and often even model generations . After the Nazi takeover of power , increased funding became available for mechanization , and in 1934 , a development program for standardized chassis was launched . It strove to achieve maximum cross - country mobility and extensive standardization of parts while employing the latest innovations in automotive engineering so the vehicles could be produced over a long period of time without many changes . Five types were initially planned : Among other features , all types were required to have four - wheel drive , have independent suspension , and use domestic raw materials as stipulated by the Four Year Plan . However , due to the limitations of the German automotive industry of the time , the desired standardization was compromised right from the start . No single manufacturer was able to supply the required number of cars on its own . Several manufacturers were therefore charged with production , each supposedly following the same standardized plans : BMW ( Werk Eisenach ) , Hanomag , Stoewer , Opel ( Werk Brandenburg ) , Ford Germany and Auto Union ( Horch and Wanderer ) . However , these companies in turn outsourced production of a large fraction of the individual components to different third - party suppliers . Also , each used engines from its own line - up of civilian models , so engines were not standardized from the outset . The chassis of the heavy off - road passenger car was also used for the Leichter Panzerspähwagen ( Sd . Kfz . 221 and Sd . Kfz . 222 ) although its engine was mounted in the rear . The first light off - road passenger cars were delivered by Stoewer in 1936 ( R 180 Spezial ) , followed in 1937 by the first medium and in 1938 by the first heavy models . The weaknesses of the program quickly became obvious - high costs , complex production and overstrained manufacturers unable to supply sufficient numbers of vehicles to fill all the slots of the receiving military units as planned . The Wehrmacht therefore still had to source 60 % of their requirements elsewhere - converting regular civilian cars to military use , euphemistically terming them " " Ergänzungsfahrzeuge " " ( supplementary vehicles ) , as well as employing requisitioned and captured civilian cars . This in turn led to many disadvantages with maintenance , supply and training . Enquiries with the different branches of the military revealed that the " Einheits - Pkw " were also flawed designs largely unfit for wartime service . Not even the simplifications implemented on bodies and chassis in 1940 ( " „ Typ 40 " " , without the complex four - wheel steering , among others ) failed to remedy the multitude of shortcomings . Their complex designs and excessive wear and tear aside , all types were mainly criticized for their high weight , which in turn meant a high fuel consumption and led to many broken frames and suspensions in the field . Accordingly , production of the three types ceased in 1942 , 1943 and 1941 , respectively . Types . Leichter geländegängiger PKW . The light off - road passenger car was built by the BMW - Werk Eisenach under the designation " BMW 325 " , as well as Hanomag " ( Typ 20 B ) " and Stoewer " ( Typ R 180 Spezial ) " . The vehicles were used as troop carriers " ( Kfz . 1 ) " , by repair - and - maintenance squads " ( Kfz . 2 / 40 ) " , by artillery reconnaissance sonic measurement squads " ( Kfz . 3 ) " and by troop - level aerial defense " ( Kfz . 4 ) " . Almost 13 , 000 units were built . Between 1940 and 1943 , only Stoewer continued to build the " R 200 Spezial " without the four - wheel steering " ( Typ 40 ) " . The cars weighed 1 , 775 kg empty ( 1 , 700 kg without the four - wheel steering ) . 90 % of all military branches rejected the vehicle as " unfit for wartime service " in a 1942 enquiry , while the much simpler , lighter and cheaper Volkswagen Kübelwagen proved to be far superior in basically every respect . Mittelschwerer geländegängiger PKW . The medium off - road passenger car was built by the Opelwerk Brandenburg ( chassis only ) , Wanderer in Siegmar - Schönau ( today a part of Chemnitz ) , and Horch in Zwickau ( both members of Auto Union ) . The " Wehrmacht " used them as troop transports ( " Kfz . 11 " , with tow bar : " Kfz . 12 " , 6 - seat version : " Kfz . 21 " ) , in the signals corps " ( Kfz . 15 , Kfz . 17 , Kfz . 17 / 1 ) " and for artillery reconnaissance ( " Kfz . 16 " and " Kfz . 16 / 1 " ) . Some 12 , 000 units were built . The most conspicuous change of the 1940 design simplification was the elimination of the mid - mounted spare wheels which simplified the bodywork and gave more interior space . The cars had a Horch V8 ( Opel : in - line 6 - cylinder ) and a curb weight of 2 , 700 kg ( open - topped Horch version : 3 , 080 kg ) and was the only type that did not even initially have four - wheel steering . 80 % of military branches rejected the vehicle as unfit for wartime service . Schwerer geländegängiger PKW . The heavy off - road passenger car was built by Horch in Zwickau and Ford Germany in Cologne , each using their own V8 engines . They were used by the signals corps " ( Kfz . 23 and 24 ) " , as ambulances " ( Kfz . 31 ) " , as tractors for light artillery " ( Kfz . 69 ) " and AA guns " ( Kfz . 81 ) " , as troop carriers " ( Kfz . 70 ) " and as a carrier of AA searchlights " ( Kfz . 83 ) " . Furthermore , the armoured troop carrier " Sd . Kfz . 247 " and the rear - engined " Panzerspähwagen " armoured car " Sd . Kfz . 221 " in all its versions used the same chassis . Nearly 5 , 000 units were built in total . The cars had an empty weight of 3 , 300 kg ( without four - wheel steering : 3 , 200 kg ) . Like the others , the heavy type lost the four - wheel steering along with the mid - mounted spare wheels in 1940 . Although it suffered from the same deficiencies initially mentioned , as well as a heavy steering , it appears to have been the most successful type of the standardized off - road passenger car program .