It was developed as a result of the change of the specification that had led to the design of the AMC 34, calling for a vehicle that was not only well-armed and mobile but also well-armoured.

Technological, financial and social problems — in December 1936 the military division of Renault was nationalised and restructured into the new AMX-factory — ensured that for 1936 also, delivery would be delayed.

After testing between 23 and 27 August showed that its climbing abilities were poor, the Belgians decided that the seven tanks intended for the Chasseurs Ardennais were unnecessary and reduced the order accordingly to eighteen.

The arrival of the prototype had caused a political row however: politicians from the right feared it would antagonise Hitler and so endanger Belgian neutrality; those from the left wanted only purely defensive weapons.

As deliveries failed to materialise, in December 1937 it was decided to annul the order completely, to accept a contractual fine of four million franc and to redirect the remaining budget to the production of home-made T-13 tank destroyers.

It was agreed on 21 April 1938 to complete 35 vehicles, ten to be delivered to Belgium including the prototype, the countervalue of its contractual fine.

Renault had asked permission for this on 6 May, but on 2 June the French Ministry of Defence responded that the terms of the original agreements should be followed; these entailed a split delivery of batches of ten at a time: first seven tanks for France, followed by three for Belgium.

They were rebuilt at Ghent by the SEM (Société d'Électricité et de Mécanique Van den Kerckhove & Carels) between September 1939 and February 1940.

[8] For France also, production continued after 1 November 1938, with final assembly at AMX; in March 1939 the original order of seventeen was finished; at the beginning of the Second World War a number of 22 had been reached.

For this production all remaining materials were used, apparently to fulfill the original order:[9] when in December the Belgian Army asked for the delivery of the spare parts, as it needed some tanks in working order to allow a single platoon to take part in the winter manoeuvres, Renault was unable to provide these.

This mistake had its origins in the events during the infamous process of Riom where the Vichy regime indicted many for their presumed failure in preparing the French Army for war.

In January 1940 the two tanks that were in the worst condition were selected for transport to the arsenal of Etterbeek, to be cannibalised to keep the others running; one was used for driver training.

The term Auto Blindé Lourd/ Zware Pantserwagen, or "Heavy Armoured Car," was used to avoid the politically sensitive char or "tank".

Four were destroyed by 37 mm PAK fire when counter-attacking, two broke down and two were surrendered to the German on 28 May 1940 when the Belgian army put down its weapons.

[10] The Museum of the Army in Brussels shows a single turret taken from one of the two pillboxes that defended the harbour of Zeebrugge or Port of Bruges-Zeebrugge.

In the anglophone literature the AMC 35 is often portrayed as a major failed chance for France to turn the tide against Germany: its two-man turret is then seen as better adapted to the demands of modern manoeuvre warfare.

E.g. armour historian Brian Terence White judged the type very favourably: ... one of the most advanced French tanks for its size in that as well as being equipped with a good gun it had a two-man turret ... with all the advantages in command it conferred.

[10] One prototype was built of a smoke-laying vehicle; an AMC 35 hull was rebuilt and fitted with nineteen containers, each with 165 litres of smoke fluid, that could be sprayed into the air by a compressor.