Volkswagen Beetle accommodated five passengers in its extensively streamlined four-door body, which provided luggage storage under the front bonnet and behind the rear seats. It also featured a similar central structural tunnel found in the Beetle. Just before the start of the Second World War, Tatra had ten legal claims filed against VW for infringement of patents. Although Ferdinand Porsche was about to pay a settlement to Tatra, he was stopped by Hitler who said he would "solve his problem". Tatra launched a lawsuit, but this was stopped when Germany invaded Czechoslovakia in 1938, resulting in the Tatra factory coming under Nazi
Heinrich Kling Prior to Operation Barbarossa he came to the Leibstandarte, and commanded its 13th (heavy) company of Tiger I tanks. As ardent Nazi, Kling was popular among his fellow Waffen-SS soldiers. Since late November 1943 the SS Panzer Regiment 1 was commanded by Joachim Peiper, of whom Kling was a personal favorite. Peiper consequently made Kling leader of the 2nd Battalion, and nominated him for the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Kling received the award on 23 February 1944. Kling was heavily wounded during Operation Overlord. On 19 March 1945, he was appointed commander of the 501st Heavy SS Panzer