German Armored Cars

In the German Wehrmacht, armored cars were intended for the traditional cavalry missions of reconnaissance and screening. They scouted ahead and to the flank of advancing mechanized units to assess enemy location, strength and intention. Their primary role was reconnaissance, but they would engage similar or light units and at times attempt to capture enemy patrols.

The term Schwerer Panzerspähwagen (German: "heavy armored reconnaissance vehicle), covers the 6 and 8 wheeled armored cars Germany used during the Second World War.

The heavy Panzerspähwagen was a large but very fast and highly versatile addition to the German Wehrmacht. The original 6 Rad (6 wheeled) 231/232 versions were based on a 6x4 truck with an armored body, but by 1937 they were being replaced by the 8 Rad (8 wheeled) versions. During the replacement, the Sd.Kfz. (Sonderkraftfahrzeug, special vehicle) numbers were carried directly over; differentiation is made by the addition of 6-Rad or 8-Rad in the vehicle's name.

These vehicles were used throughout the war in various guises and first saw combat in the campaign against Poland and in the Battle of France. Later, they saw use in both the USSR and North Africa. Extreme climatic conditions in both these areas proved too severe for the vehicles. In the USSR, adverse ground conditions immobilized the Sd.Kfz. 231/232s during the first wet season of the campaign. However, across the wide desert territory the speed of the eight-wheeled cars made them the best scouting vehicles that Rommel had for long range reconnaissance.

A new armored car project was thus undertaken in August 1940, incorporating several lessons from the Wehrmacht's own external operations. The Sd.Kfz. 234 series designed later that year was a completely new design, of a similar size and appearance to the Sd.Kfz. 231 series that it replaced. It was produced in four main variants.

The Leichter Panzerspähwagen (German: "light armored reconnaissance vehicle") was a series of light four-wheel drive armored cars produced by Germany from 1935 to 1944.

Used by the reconnaissance battalions (Aufklärungs-Abteilungen) of the Panzer divisions, the type performed well enough in countries with good road networks, like those in Western Europe. However, on the Eastern Front and in North Africa, this class of vehicle was hampered by its relatively poor off-road performance. In those theaters, it gradually found itself replaced in the reconnaissance role by the Sd.kfz. 250/9 half-track that was fitted with the same turret as the Sd.Kfz. 222.

In 1941 a specification was issued for a new 4 wheel armored car to replace the Sd.Kfz. 222. It was to be based on the new 8 wheel Sd.Kfz. 234 and was to share as many components as possible. However, this vehicle never entered production.