erroneous as the Type 87 was the four-wheel
drive open-bodied Kübelwagen. It may have
been the same underneath, but it was very
different on top.
Following the three prototypes, proper
production began in 1941, using the Type
60 Beetle shell that had been signed off in
- However, with these bodies intended to
accommodate somewhat thinner road tyres for
use on autobahns rather than in the theatre of
war, the front and rear wings of the cars had to
be modifi ed.
This involved metal spacers being inserted
where they joined the body, to move the wings
outwards and prevent them fouling the larger
16-inch Kronprinz cross-country tyres. This also
necessitated changes to the running boards.
Other deviations from the norm were a wooden
fl oorboard in the cabin as well as a fi rst aid
kit, reclining front seats and half of the rear
bench seat removed to make way for a working
surface. In the front boot was 20 lit fuel can,
rope and shovel alongside the 40 lit fuel tank
(standard saloons had a 25 lit one), spare wheel
and jack. A Notek driving lamp was also often
part of the equipment, allowing use at night
without alerting too many potential enemies.
Although described as a four-wheel
drive vehicle, the rudimentary system the
Kommandeurwagen employed was more
two-wheel drive with the limited option of power
to all the wheels if the going got tough. The
propshaft to the front wheels ran through an
enlarged backbone chassis tube to modifi ed
steering knuckles. The rear axle had reduction
gears and there were lockable front and rear ZF
differentials.
To bring all four wheels into play, the driver
had to pull a lever between the front seats – but
only if the car was in fi rst gear or reverse. That
gave a top speed of just over 6mph, along with a
34-degree slope climbing ability.
Granted, it was hardly blistering stuff and a
Type 877 would have been easily outclassed
by a Jeep over most rough terrain, even if the
military Volkswagen might have coped better
with weather, offered signifi cantly less fuel
consumption and was cheaper to make.
But the Kommandeurwagen made do with just
a VW 25bhp 1,131cc engine and if its natural
rugged abilities weren’t enough to extricate it
from a tricky situation, then the 4x4 provided a
useful boost, even if it was just at walking pace.
It seems that the vehicles particularly excelled
in North Africa with the Afrika-Korps, where
their light weight meant the harsh, desert
landscape proved little hindrance. Rear-engined
Volkswagens have always been competent
on sand, hence their much later widespread
adaptations into dune buggies and Baja Bugs.
Some upgrading was required though; to
properly cope, they had to be fi tted with suitable
equipment to protect the air fi lter, carburettor
and electrics from dust. Kronprinzrader sand
tyres were also adopted.
Another occasional modifi cation sometimes
made to Kommandeurwagens was the fi tment
of a wood gas generator, to overcome petrol
shortages. This converted timber or charcoal
into fuel for the engine and necessitated a bigbulge in the front boot lid topped by a loading
hatch. The spare wheel was relocated to the
roof, where a roof rack was also installed to
carry the solid fuel.
Kommandeurwagens continued to be turned
out by the Volkswagen factory until 1944, by
which time the war had turned against Germany
and the facility found itself increasingly on the
receiving end of Allied bombs. Remarkably, the
fi rst bombing raid on KdF-Stadt wasn’t until April
8, 1944, despite its signifi cance to the Nazi war
effort. But after those initial 2,000 bombs in fi ve
minutes, the huge complex, uncamoufl aged anderroneous as the Type 87 was the four-wheel
drive open-bodied Kübelwagen. It may have
been the same underneath, but it was very
different on top.
Following the three prototypes, proper
production began in 1941, using the Type
60 Beetle shell that had been signed off in
- However, with these bodies intended to
accommodate somewhat thinner road tyres for
use on autobahns rather than in the theatre of
war, the front and rear wings of the cars had to
be modifi ed.
This involved metal spacers being inserted
where they joined the body, to move the wings
outwards and prevent them fouling the larger
16-inch Kronprinz cross-country tyres. This also
necessitated changes to the running boards.
Other deviations from the norm were a wooden
fl oorboard in the cabin as well as a fi rst aid
kit, reclining front seats and half of the rear
bench seat removed to make way for a working
surface. In the front boot was 20 lit fuel can,
rope and shovel alongside the 40 lit fuel tank
(standard saloons had a 25 lit one), spare wheel
and jack. A Notek driving lamp was also often
part of the equipment, allowing use at night
without alerting too many potential enemies.
Although described as a four-wheel
drive vehicle, the rudimentary system the
Kommandeurwagen employed was more
two-wheel drive with the limited option of power
to all the wheels if the going got tough. The
propshaft to the front wheels ran through an
enlarged backbone chassis tube to modifi ed
steering knuckles. The rear axle had reduction
gears and there were lockable front and rear ZF
differentials.
To bring all four wheels into play, the driver
had to pull a lever between the front seats – but
only if the car was in fi rst gear or reverse. That
gave a top speed of just over 6mph, along with a
34-degree slope climbing ability.
Granted, it was hardly blistering stuff and a
Type 877 would have been easily outclassed
by a Jeep over most rough terrain, even if the
military Volkswagen might have coped better
with weather, offered signifi cantly less fuel
consumption and was cheaper to make.
But the Kommandeurwagen made do with just
a VW 25bhp 1,131cc engine and if its natural
rugged abilities weren’t enough to extricate it
from a tricky situation, then the 4x4 provided a
useful boost, even if it was just at walking pace.
It seems that the vehicles particularly excelled
in North Africa with the Afrika-Korps, where
their light weight meant the harsh, desert
landscape proved little hindrance. Rear-engined
Volkswagens have always been competent
on sand, hence their much later widespread
adaptations into dune buggies and Baja Bugs.
Some upgrading was required though; to
properly cope, they had to be fi tted with suitable
equipment to protect the air fi lter, carburettor
and electrics from dust. Kronprinzrader sand
tyres were also adopted.
Another occasional modifi cation sometimes
made to Kommandeurwagens was the fi tment
of a wood gas generator, to overcome petrol
shortages. This converted timber or charcoal
into fuel for the engine and necessitated a bigbulge in the front boot lid topped by a loading
hatch. The spare wheel was relocated to the
roof, where a roof rack was also installed to
carry the solid fuel.
Kommandeurwagens continued to be turned
out by the Volkswagen factory until 1944, by
which time the war had turned against Germany
and the facility found itself increasingly on the
receiving end of Allied bombs. Remarkably, the
fi rst bombing raid on KdF-Stadt wasn’t until April
8, 1944, despite its signifi cance to the Nazi war
effort. But after those initial 2,000 bombs in fi ve
minutes, the huge complex, uncamoufl aged andLEFT: The Third Reich dream was
for the autobahns to be fi lled
by KdF-Wagens. Beetles would
eventually achieve that from the
1950s onwardsFerdinand Porsche (centre) was the lead
engineer on the various Volkswagen
projects, seen here with Adolf Hitler in a
Volkswagen CabrioletRIGHT: A pre-war publicity shot for
the KdF-Wagen, emphasising its
role as the German people’s carWartime production at the Volkswagenwerk factory with, possibly, a two-wheel
drive Type 82E under construction. Note the Kübelwagen in the backgroundLEFT:
for the autobahns to be fi lled
by KdF-Wagens. Beetles would
eventually achieve that from the
1950s onwardsRIGHT:
the KdF-Wagen, emphasising its
role as the German people’s car