At the age of 16 Percy Riley decided to build a car. This daunting task was made even more challenging because he had to build it in secret. You see, Percy’s father William did not approve of wasting time on such a frivolous activity.

William Riley had grown up in a family of weavers, at a time when this craft was a leading industry in Coventry England. In the 1890s foreign competition caused the bottom to drop out of this business and master weaver William Riley found himself out of a job. Fortunately, the Riley family also manufactured weaving machines and William was able to transfer his considerable mechanical expertise to the construction of bicycles, capitalizing on the pedal cycle craze that was sweeping Britain. Initially purchasing the Bonnick Cycle Company, William Riley soon incorporated in his own name.

Although the family bicycle business was quite successful, William’s son Percy believed the future was in automobiles not bicycles. Percy must have inherited considerable mechanical ability from his father because he not only built a car but the engine as well. Advanced for its day, the engine even featured mechanically operated inlet valves at a time when most other engines used the vacuum effect of the descending piston to suck the inlet valve open. When his brothers Victor and Allen joined Percy, they formed the Riley Engine Company. The technically superior engines they produced were soon in demand from various manufacturers including a newly emerging motorcycle manufacturer named Singer.

Around 1908 Percy invented (and patented) the detachable wire-spoked wheel. These proved to be a huge improvement over the heavy and fragile wood-spoked wheels in use at the time. When William Riley finally became convinced of his sons’ vision, he ceased bicycle production and joined their efforts. By 1912 Riley Limited was supplying wire wheels to over 180 motor manufacturers, then in 1913 William Riley and his sons turned their focus to manufacturing entire automobiles. Their first model, the 17/30, was introduced at the London Motor Show that year. Riley next expanded into the production of aeroplane engines, becoming a key supplier in Britain’s preparation for WWI. During the 1920s and 1930s

1940s First Nuffield Model

Riley automobiles were prestigious, well-made machines available in more than a dozen different body styles. In 1934 Riley autos even placed 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th, and 12th at LeMans.

Despite this success, Riley eventually found itself being squeezed out by larger manufacturers. In 1938 Riley Motors was acquired by Lord Nuffield and became part of Morris Motors Limited. Following WWII, the merger of Nuffield and Austin found Riley in the BMC fold, leaving most Riley models little more than badge engineered Austin/Morris designs. The last Riley badged car was finally produced in 1969.

Today, BMW is owner of the Riley trademark. As recently as 2016 Autocar Magazine hinted about the possible resurrection of this once proud British marque but BMW has added no encouragement in this direction.

Reprinted from British Boots & Bonnets Chronicle— May 2020 issue.

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