This was turned down by the Army Weapons Department however, because of the difficulties in producing sufficient numbers of diesel engines and steel alloy.

[3] Initially four companies, Henschel (H), Porsche (P), Maschinenfabrik Augsburg-Nürnberg (MAN), and Daimler Benz (DB), were requested to build prototypes with the requirements for a fast heavy medium tank able to defeat the Soviet T-34 tank on the Eastern front.

[3] The VK 30.02 (DB) adopted several features of the T-34 over and above those specified by the army (sloped armour, large roadwheels, and overhanging gun) by using a diesel engine with rear transmission and jettisonable external fuel tanks.

[4] The VK30.02 (DB) was ordered into production with an initial target of 200 vehicles partly due to Hitler favouring the design.

[4] While the VK 30.01(D) could have been cheaper and easier to produce, the German government preferred the roomier turret and more modern suspension of the MAN prototype, which went on to be the production Panther.

It had a crew of 5 (driver, commander, gunner, bow gunner/radio operator, and the loader), and its armour ranged between 16 and 80 mm (0.63 and 3.15 in).