Specification Crew : 5 Engine : Maybach HL 120TRM Combat weight : 22.70 tons Max speed : road . 40 km/h Range : 155 km Length : 6.28 m Width : 2.95 m Height : 2.50 m Main gun : One 50mm KwK39 L/60 : Two 7.92mm MG34 Armour : 10mm to 50mm + 20mm

In March 1942 a study was undertaken to determine whether the Pz Kpfw IV turret would fit on the Pz Kpfw III superstructure.Analysis revealed that the resultant weight was excessive and numerous modifications would be necessary.The idea was dropped and production of the Pz Kpfw III with the 50mm KwK39 L/60 continued.The original order for 1,100 Ausf L was reduced by an order early in June 1942 to mount 450 75mm KwK L/24 in the Pz Kpfw III.447 Ausf L were used to mount the short 75mm gun and thus became Ausf N.One Ausf L was completed with an experimental tapered-bore KwK0725. Improvements to the Ausf L included increasing the armour on the turret front from 30mm to 57mm , installing a torsion-bar counter-balance instead of a coil spring for the main gun and altering the air-intake louvres and hatches on the rear deck.All Ausf L had 20mm spaced armour on the superstructure front and most had 20mm spaced armour on the gun mantlet.Early in the production run the hull escape hatches on the hull side , the loaders vision port on the gun mantlet and the turret side ports were deleted.A system designed to transfer heated engine coolant from one vehicle to another was also introduced with the Ausf L. Later in June 1942 at the start of the summer offensive there were approximately 600 Pz Kpfw III mounting the 50mm KwK L/60 with units at the front in Russia.Apart from replacing lossesAusf L were issued to the newly-formed Panzer regiments of the 1st (Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler) , 2nd (Das-Reich) and 3rd (Tötenkopf) SS Panzergrenadier Divisions and the Panzergrenadier Division Grossdeutschland.