The Semovente da 75/18 was inspired by the German StuG III, and was designed to use the M13/40's chassis (together with its engine) on which a fixed casemate housed a 75 mm howitzer was mounted. It first entered mass production in 1941, and due to its success it was continuously upgraded (shifting to the M14/41 and then finally to the M15/42 chassis); a total of 410 were built (plus another 50 after 1943 for the German Army). Upgunned and improved versions (such as the Semovente da 75/34 and the Semovente da 105/25) saw only minimal service in 1943 for the Italian Army, and were mostly used by German units.