Developed in 1937 from the Trattore Leggero TL-37, the SPA AS-37 was a versatile four wheel drive, four wheel steering vehicle powered by a SPA 18R 52hp gasoline engine. It could carry eight passengers and their equipment in its rear cargo box. The AS-37 were operated by the Auto-Saharan Companies who were the Italian equivalent of the British LRDG units. Initially sent to Libya in 1938, by 1943 802 were in service. Despite being popular with crews, they suffered from a high sillhouette.