Rommel was in the first general to use the Volkswagen during the military operation in France. He was so impressed by it that he, afterwards, when he was in charge of the Afrika Korps, reordered an ever increasing number of the vehicles. The Kbelwagen distinguished itself immediatley by its enormous efficiency on all kinds of terrain, in spite of its small horse power (hardly 24 HP) and the driver on the rearwheels only.