Bayliss-Thomas (United Kingdom)

Bayliss-Thomas was an English automobile manufacturer that operated from 1922 to 1929. The company originated from Bayliss, Thomas & Co., which was established in Coventry in 1874 as a bicycle manufacturer under the name Excelsior. The company expanded into motorcycles in 1896, achieving notable success, including the production of the world's largest single-cylinder motorcycle engine in 1913, which had a displacement of 850cc.

In April 1920, a new entity named Excelsior Motor Co. Ltd was formed in Birmingham, with plans to produce automobiles. Due to the existence of a Belgian car brand named Excelsior, the company adopted the name Bayliss-Thomas for its vehicles. The initial model was a conventional light car powered by a 1498cc four-cylinder Coventry-Simplex engine, paired with a proprietary three-speed gearbox. The lineup included various body styles, such as open two- and four-seater configurations, a sliding-door saloon crafted by Bowden, and a doorless aluminum-bodied long-tailed sports model.

The Bayliss-Thomas range expanded with the introduction of the 8.9hp Junior, which featured a 1074cc engine, likely sourced from Meadows. By 1924, the company exclusively utilized Meadows engines, offering several sizes of both side-valve and overhead valve units, ranging from 1247cc to 1795cc. While most models retained a three-speed gearbox, the 1795cc variant was equipped with a four-speed gearbox. The introduction of front-wheel brakes occurred in 1927. Despite plans for production, the company struggled to reach its capacity of 40 cars per week, and it is estimated that around 1,000 cars were produced before the brand was listed until 1931, although actual production likely ceased by 1929. The motorcycle division continued to operate until 1964, when it became known as Excelsior-Britax, focusing on seat belts and other automotive components.