A World War II-era Volkswagen Kübelwagen has appeared for sale on eBay in the United States, offering a rare opportunity to acquire a registered, road-legal example of one of the most historically significant military vehicles of the 20th century.
The Kübelwagen was developed in the late 1930s by Ferdinand Porsche as Germany’s lightweight military utility vehicle, created in response to the American Willys Jeep. Based on the mechanical foundation of the Volkswagen KdF-Wagen, the civilian precursor to the Beetle, the Kübelwagen relied on simplicity, light weight, and air-cooled reliability rather than four-wheel drive to perform in demanding environments.
Early development began in 1938 with the Type 62 prototype, which exposed limitations in using a standard passenger car chassis for military service. Engineers addressed these shortcomings by reinforcing the floorpan, flattening the underside to improve mobility over mud and sand, and fitting reduction gears at the rear hubs to increase ground clearance and low-speed torque. The refined design became the Type 82 Kübelwagen.
Power came from an air-cooled flat-four engine producing between 23 and 25 brake horsepower, depending on displacement. While modest on paper, the Kübelwagen’s low curb weight of roughly 1,300 pounds allowed it to achieve a top speed of about 50 mph and provided surprisingly effective off-road performance. Fuel efficiency was also notable, offering long operating range from a 40-liter fuel tank.
Production began in 1940 at Volkswagen’s Wolfsburg facility, and approximately 50,000 Kübelwagens were built during the war. The vehicle served on nearly every German front, including Europe, North Africa, and the Eastern Front. Its air-cooled engine proved especially valuable in extreme climates where liquid-cooled vehicles were more prone to freezing or overheating.
Several variants were developed, including the Type 82E officer car, the experimental all-wheel-drive Type 86, and the amphibious Type 166 Schwimmwagen. Despite these offshoots, the standard Type 82 remained the backbone of Kübelwagen production.
The example now listed on eBay was imported into the United States in 1972 and is currently registered in California with period-style blue plates. Finished in historically accurate German military markings, it retains its original body but features a replacement Beetle tub and engine, a common modification due to corrosion issues over time. The work appears to have been completed carefully, preserving an authentic appearance.
Offered for sale out of Saugatuck, Michigan, this Kübelwagen represents a tangible link to wartime engineering and the early history of Volkswagen, now available to collectors and enthusiasts through an online marketplace.
