By the start of WWII the US Army had a need for light cross country and reconnaissance vehicle. A number of manufacturers responded with different vehicles. Bantam won the contract and started production of the BRC-40. The first 1,500 vehicles were supplied to the British under lend-lease who in turn supplied 500 of them to the USSR. However by 1941 Bantam had produced 2,605 BRC-40 and production was switched to manufacturing trailers for Willys Jeeps.