Birmingham Small Arms (BSA) was established to manufacture weapons for the British Government, but started making motorcycles and bicycles at the end of the 19th Century.

BSA's front-wheel-drive car appeared on the market in 1930. It was a three-wheeler that competed with an outsold Morgan. To avoid the dirty chain between the front engine and the rear wheel, as on the Morgan, BSA decided to adopt front-wheel-drive, but eliminated CV joints to help keep the cost down. Unlike the Morgan, the BSA had a reverse gear and an electric starter.