In 1919 The British war office decided to increase its stock of armoured cars. (Most of the wartime examples having been worn out) As the automobile industry was far too busy providing for the civilian market the army decided to utilise its own stocks.
The vehicle used for the basis of the Peerless armoured car was the American Peerless Lorry with the Austin motor company contracted to armour it.
Armed with two machine guns the Peerless was crewed by 4 men. As the Peerless was an ungainly vehicle to manoeuvre in tight spaces it was provided with a duplicate set of driving controls at the back.