This vehicle has been offered to the Defence Ministry by the firm of Friedrich Krupp AG, Essen, as a private venture, as alternative to the Type 251 Medium Armoured Infantry Carrier. The new design shares the armoured body work of the Type 251, but instead of a complex semi-track arrangement features an all-wheel drive chassis derived from Krupp’s successful L2H143 light lorry. A larger engine – the Krupp M12a – delivers 110 horsepower, giving the “Fuchs” similar road performance to the Type 251.
Officials of the Ministry and the Army Ordnance Office have inspected the prototype and have asked to assess its potential for use by the Heer. Two prototypes have been delivered to the mechanised troops garrison at Jüterbog for testing.