Tank origin

At the end of 1940, the Italian Army encountered the British Cruiser Tank Mk. IV for the first time, and Italian engineers were interested in the concept of a high-speed tank. Initially, the plan was to create a low vehicle with a maximum armor thickness of 30 mm, a maximum weight of 13 tons, and armaments typical for Italian vehicles. Its 250 h.p. engine was supposed to provide a top speed of 55 km/h. The tank’s weight and length gradually increased, and, as a result, it was a low-silhouette vehicle with a height of 2 meters. However, the vehicle did not pass full-fledged testing. By mid-1942, the 30 mm armor was not enough, and the project was discontinued.