The Birmingham Small Arms Company (BSA) was founded in 1861 as an arms manufacturer in Great Britain. By 1910 the company expanded to the production of motorcycles. The production of cars soon followed. During World War II, BSA would become the largest producer of motorcycles globally, primarily with the introduction of the M20; they made over 100,000 of this model for the military. In 1951 the company purchased the famed British brand Triumph Motorcycle company. In the 60s and 70s, they would face stiff competition from Japan, and by 1973 the company was bankrupt. In 2016 the name BSA was purchased by tractor producers Mahindra, and in 2021 they unveiled the all-new Gold Star, a retro-styled homage model.