The division was formed in April 1939 by expanding the I Armored Brigade (Italian: I Brigata Corazzata).

[1] On 1 June 1936 the I Motor-mechanized Brigade was formed in Siena, which consisted of the 5th Bersaglieri Regiment and other minor units.

The Centauro unsuccessfully tried to stop the Greek advance at the Battle of Klisura Pass and then in Tepelenë.

[2][4][5] In late March 1941 the division moved in preparation for the Invasion of Yugoslavia to Shkodër in northern Albania.

On 16 April 1941 the division crossed into Yugoslavia north of Koplik and advanced to Kotor, Cetinje and Podgorica.

On 17 April the Centauro reached Trebinje, where it met up with units of the 133rd Armored Division "Littorio", which had advanced southward from Istria.

During the Battle of the Kasserine Pass troops of the Centauro overran the part of the US forces defending Highway 13.