In 1952, the DA 25 is launched — the first tractor in Italy produced on an industrial scale with four-wheel drive. It is equipped with a four-stroke, direct-injection, twin-cylinder diesel engine with a power output of 25 horsepower. The abbreviation “DA” stands for Diesel Aria, referring to the air-cooled diesel engine. This means that radiators, pumps, pipes and thermostats are not required. The machine is not affected by winter frost or summer heat: it can operate continuously in all weather conditions. SAME notes that most buyers of the DA 25 are farmers from the hills of the Lombardy, Veneto, Emilia, Tuscany and Marche regions.

For them, the company has a brilliant idea: to offer a vehicle capable of tackling slopes like a crawler, but which is much more manoeuvrable, faster on flat ground and also suitable for towing on the road. The Treviglio-based company thus adds a four-wheel drive version to its two-wheel drive models, without discontinuing production of the traditional versions. Four-wheel drive represents a technological breakthrough in the field of agricultural mechanisation, contributing significantly to the development of Italian agriculture in the post-war period.

The market responds positively, encouraging SAME to further improve the all-wheel drive system, designed specifically for agricultural use. The DA 25 ushers in a series of tractors that propel SAME to the top of the domestic market. Although the four-wheel drive version costs around 400,000 lire more than the two-wheel drive version — taking it to a total of almost two million lire — it is an extraordinary success. The sales prospects are so good that it raises the question of where to build all those machines that the market clearly appreciates so much.

In 1956, in addition to the decision to plan a complete range of tractors with engines of up to 67 horsepower, the construction of a new factory is approved in the current area, on the avenue that today bears the name of Francesco Cassani. In 1957, production hits 3,000 units, a huge leap forward compared to the mere 33 machines produced in 1948.
With the expansion of production, the number of employees also grows, reaching 250 in the second half of the 1950s.

The DA 25 is not just a tractor: It is the symbol of an important turning point in Italian agriculture.
With its advanced technology and versatility, it marks the beginning of SAME’s golden age, helping to transform work in the fields, and with it, the face of our country.