The Guy Ant was prototyped in 1935 to meet a War Department specification for a 15 cwt infantry truck.
Around 90 percent of the components was used in earlier trucks like the Vixen and the Otter. A civilian version of the Ant, known as the Vixant was also produced. These were used for what was then known as "essential transport applications". Early production Ants had a flat bonnet, canvas doors and aero-screens. The bonnet was changed to a V-shaped type. This was presumably done to clear additional ancillaries.
The Ant had an unusual gear change pattern, opposite to the normal type. In 1938 a four-wheel drive version (Quad-Ant) was launched, initially for use as a field artillery tractor. The Ant had a 3686cc Meadows 4ELA four-cylinder engine. This was liquid cooled and fitted with a single carburettor. A four-speed gearbox was fitted and the engine produced 55hp.
The first order for 150 vehicles was received in January 1936, shortly after successfully taking part in the Army trials in Llangollen in 1935. Some 8.250 trucks were produced until March 1942, mostly as GS trucks and some equipped for cable laying. Some batches received house-type van bodies for wireless, light warning equipment, light machinery, recorder or equipped as compressor trucks.
Water tanker and fire truck variants were produced for domestic Government use.
As a part of an attempt to rationalise the post-war fleet on the British Army the Ant and Quad-Ant was declared obsolete and auctioned of or passed on to other countries.