In common parlance the word „tanks“ (in German “Panzer”) means an armoured tracked fighting vehicle.
But reconnaissance units of the Reichswehr and Wehrmacht used armoured wheeled vehicles, which were
also called “Panzerwagen” (armoured car). On the well-built streets of mid- and Western Europe they
offered the advantage of higher speed, lower noise when driving and greater range; with sufficient armour
protection and weaponry. In the course of rearmament of the Reichswehr and Wehrmacht at the beginning
of the 1930s, funds were limited, but armoured cars could be produced at a lower price than tracked
vehicles.

After the first experiences with early developments of 4-wheeled (Kfz.13 & 14) and 6-wheeled armoured
cars (Kfz.67 & 67a) their poor cross-country capability was quickly recognized. This led to the
development of the 8-wheeled armoured cars with the specially developed GS chassis by the company
Büssing-NAG, called Sd.Kfz. 231, 232 (originally called Sd.Kfz. 233, 234) and 263. In the course of the
war a fourth variant was introduced, the Sd.Kfz 233 (7,5 cm KwK), and in small numbers a ballistic
measuring vehicle was built. The extensive available material brought to the publisher allowed for them
to make the decision to break this family of vehicles into two volumes. This first volume deals with the
Sd.Kfz. 231 and 232 (first called Sd.Kfz. 233 and 234):