Kfz.1 is a German, light, military off-road vehicle from the interwar period and World War II. The production of the car took place in the years 1936-1942. The length of the wagon was approx. 3.9 m, with a width of approx. 1.7 m and a height of up to 1.9 m. The load capacity of the car was up to 500 kilograms. The drive - most often - was provided by a single Stöewer engine with a capacity of 49 HP. It is assumed that the vehicle's operating range was approximately 400 kilometers. The Kfz.1 was designed for the needs of the German army (Heer) as one of the vehicles belonging to the family of universal, passenger military vehicles with off-road capability. They were collectively referred to as Einheits-PKW, and the first copies appeared in the years 1936-1937. The Stöewer plant was primarily responsible for the development and production of the Kfz.1, but production was also carried out at the BMW and Hanomag plants. It is worth adding that the vehicles produced in individual plants differed from each other mainly in the drive unit, the maximum power of which, however, oscillated around 44-49 HP. The Kfz.1 vehicles were used primarily as light transport vehicles and for transporting infantry.
The Horch 1A (or: Horch 108) was a German off-road passenger car from the interwar period and World War II. The first prototypes of this car were built in the mid-1930s, and serial production started in 1938 and lasted until 1941. The length of the vehicle was 4.85 m, with a height of 2.04 m and a width of 2 meters. The curb weight was up to 3,600 kilograms. The drive was provided by a single, 8-cylinder Auto-Union engine with a capacity of 3.8 liters and power up to 81 HP. With time, however, the Ford engine (produced in Germany) with a capacity of 78 HP was used. The Horch 1A was developed for the needs of the German armed forces, which, along with its rapid growth after 1933, aimed at obtaining a universal, light and possibly reliable passenger-off-road vehicle. The Horch plant met these needs by developing the vehicle presented below. The vehicle uses such solutions as, for example, all-wheel drive, independent suspension of each wheel or the possibility of turning all wheels. Anyway, the last solution turned out to be highly unsuccessful in the course of operation. It is worth noting that already in the course of World War II, the design of the car was simplified, which was manifested by, for example, the abandonment of the recesses in the fuselage for spare wheels. Horch 1A served in the German armed forces on virtually all fronts until 1945.
Mercedes-Benz L 1500 is a German universal light truck from World War II. The first copies of this vehicle appeared in 1941, and serial production continued in 1941-1944. Approximately 9,000 copies of this car of all versions were produced. The vehicle was powered by a single Daimler-Benz M 159 engine with a capacity of 60 HP.
The Mercedes-Benz L 1500 was developed and produced in two variants: A and S. The first (L 1500 A) had an undeveloped rear part of the car and was most often used in the German armed forces under the designation Kfz.70 to transport soldiers - it was in able to carry up to 7 people. In this version, it was used on many fronts of World War II, including: on the Eastern Front in 1942-1945, in North Africa or in Italy in 1943-1945. The second version (L 1500 S) had a built-in rear part of the vehicle and was used as a classic truck or as a vehicle for specialized tasks - for example as a fire engine.