M16/43 Carro Celere Sahariano

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.