Segue explicação que encontrei no Missing Lynx:
"Hi,
if you split it up in "vor" (refering to the new armor plate), it does not mean "front" instead "in front" (of the main armour). Today we do would say spaced-armour, but "Vorpanzer" is somewhat descriptive when used meaning the armour plate "in front" (with space in between) of the main armour. The word "vor" has a two meanings here:
1) "Vor" - means "in front" of the main armour
2) "Vor" - means "first to be hit" and intended to break up the shot
Therefore "Vorpanzer" is actually spaced-armour, but it does not refer to the area of the vehicle meaning that "front or forward" is wrong. Speaking of the so called "Vorpanzer" from the sense of the word, you can place spaced-armour at the rear or the side of the vehicle all being "Vorpanzer" as it's in fact a "Vor-Panzerung".
The mistake with "front" comes from the idea, that you try to engage enemy armor head on as your vehicle's armour is thicker at the front. So the new armour, the "Vorpanzer" was installed at the front of the vehicle (Pz.IV or the hull armour of the Pz.III).
HTH
Frank"
Pelo que entendi, seria um tanque uma blindagem adicional espaçada, tal como na imagem abaixo.
