Ferdinand Porsche reached the rank of "SS-Oberführer". During the war, Porsche was further decorated with the SS-Ehrenring and awarded the War Merit Cross. As the war progressed his proposed solutions to new developments became more complex and Ferdinand Porsche gained a reputation in certain circles as a "mad scientist" especially with Albert Speer (mainly due to his new found affinity for "pointy" designs). A new city, "Stadt des KdF-Wagens" was founded near Fallersleben for the Volkswagen factory, but wartime production concentrated almost exclusively on the military Kübelwagen and Schwimmwagen variants. Mass production of the car, which later became known as the Beetle,
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