Our favourite Reliant cars

The 20th Century in the UK was full of motoring success stories and many have endured to today (think Rolls Royce, which started in 1904 and Vauxhall from 1903.

However, for every 20th Century brand that is still active, there are about a hundred who are now defunct. That includes some truly iconic British names including Morris Motors and Austin. There was also Reliant, famous for its three-wheel cars that were produced over several decades.

But that’s not all they were known for. In this article, we’ll explore some of our favourite Reliant vehicles, including the iconic three-wheelers. If you’re lucky enough to own one of these now-rare classics, take note of our tips on classic car insurance.

The story of Reliant

When the last Reliant vehicle rolled off the production line in 2001, it ended nearly 70 years of car manufacturing for the company with plenty of iconic milestones along the way.

The Reliant Motor Company was founded by Tom Lawrence Williams, an engineer who had spent several years working in the cycling industry, and Ewart Thompson in 1935. Tom had previously worked for Raleigh on a project called The Raleigh Safety Seven, a three-wheeled vehicle. When the project was discontinued, Tom still believed there was a market for the idea, so with Ewart he set about making it happen.

The pair built their first prototype in Tom’s back garden in Tamworth, known as ‘The Reliant’, which they completed on 1st January 1935. A couple of years later, they would update it with a supply of Austin 7 engines. When Austin discontinued these, Reliant began making their own version that was based on the 7.

Like many car manufacturers during World War II, Reliant became an important part of the war effort by creating a range of items both for military and industry use. However, when the war was over the company went straight back to its focus on producing vans – it wasn’t until the early 1950s that things would really begin to take off.

Two steps would have an incredible impact on Reliant. Firstly, as of 1952, it began its rise to fame as a maker of three-wheel passenger vehicles. Secondly, and at the same time, it began to use an innovative new material called fibreglass to make its vehicles lighter.

Reliant is now remembered as one of the pioneers of fibreglass technology. Producing the first mass-production vehicle that had a body made from fibreglass, by the 1960s more than 300 were produced each week. The success in this period helped Reliant to, at one time, be the second largest all-British car maker.

Its most famous car, the Robin, would arrive in 1973 and enjoy strong sales during production until 1981. And while this and some other three-wheelers would be Reliant’s most memorable vehicles, the company did also make a range of four-wheelers and some highly successful sports cars that would attract a host of famous owners and even appear on the big screen.

Meanwhile, it even had some successful overseas ventures, with mass-produced cars in countries including Israel, Greece, and Turkey.

However, Reliant was not immune to failure and, from the 1980s, started to struggle to keep up with consumer demand. Various degrees of financial trouble and changes in ownership in the 90s began to hint at the end.

The famous Tamworth plant had closed before the end of the decade and by 2001, the end of Reliant motor production had already been announced and the final cars came off the line. Although it was the end of a British institution, Reliant leaves behind a strong legacy and some truly iconic cars - almost all of which will need specialist classic car insurance today. Here, we look at five of our favourites.

The Reliant Fox

The Reliant Fox started life as one of the company’s overseas ventures. Known first as the Mebea Fox, it was manufactured and sold as a utility vehicle in Greece after its launch in 1979. Reliant had cleverly taken advantage of tax rules in the country that made it advantageous to sell utility vehicles.

However, it was caught short by a change in Greek tax laws in 1983, which meant utility vehicles would become classed as passenger cars. The appeal of the car was hindered and sales suffered, so Reliant decided to pull the model from the Greek market and relaunch it in Britain.

With a 40bhp engine and glass fibre body panels, some drivers have praised the Fox for its handling and galvanised chassis which is less prone to rusting – a common issue for fans of classic cars.

The Fox remained on the market until 1990. Along the way, it would spawn different versions including the Fox Pickup and a more quirky Fox Campervan Conversion. In all, around 600 were made in the UK.

The Reliant Robin

Reliant’s most famous three-wheel car, The Robin, was released in 1973. However, contrary to popular belief, it wasn’t used in Only Fools and Horses – that was the Regal.

The Robin actually replaced the Regal on the production line and would soon become a proud member of mainstream UK culture. There were numerous advantages to owning a Reliant Robin which helped them to sell strongly despite the presence of other hugely popular cars like the Mini. For one, you could drive a Robin with a UK motorcycle licence, and the road tax was lower.

Meanwhile, as with many Reliant vehicles, owners enjoyed efficient fuel consumption. The 1973 version had 10-inch wheels and a water-cooled, four-cylinder 750cc engine, as well as a fibreglass body and also an opening rear window. Meanwhile, it was the first three-wheeler that Reliant fitted with an anti-roll bar, which improved its stability in corners.

In the 1975 Robin, the engine was upgraded to 850cc meaning it could reach speeds of 85mph.

When the Robin was replaced on the production line by the Rialto in 1981, it seemed to be the end of an instant British classic. However, the Robin wasn’t quite finished yet – in 1989, Reliant brought the Robin back with a new ‘Mark II’ vehicle featuring a galvanised chassis and a range of metallic paint jobs. In 1998, as the Tamworth plant reached its final days, a special edition Robin was produced to mark the occasion. The last 50 cars made here had a commemorative plaque on the dashboard.

It still wasn’t the end for The Robin, which would make it into the 21st Century with a ‘Mark III’, designed by computer in 1999. The designer of the original Robin, Tom Karen, was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Honours List in 2019, aged 92.

The Reliant Regal

While the iconic yellow three-wheeler from BBC’s Only Fools And Horses is described constantly as a Reliant Robin, it was in fact a 1971 Reliant Regal Supervan III.

The Regal had been commercially available since the early 1950s after the first edition was revealed at Earl’s Court Exhibition Centre in 1952. It had an aluminium body, with a wood frame. However, the Regal took an impressive step forward in 1955, releasing an upgrade that had fibreglass sections in the body. This would eventually be replaced by an all fibreglass body – the first Reliant vehicle to have this.

Then in 1962, the Regal enjoyed another major, innovative upgrade. The wooden frame was replaced with a new body made with reinforced fibreglass, and powered by a new 600cc overhead valve engine, the first flowline production light alloy motor engine ever in the UK.

Although new vehicles were produced during the 1960s, the Regal would also continue to be upgraded. The 1971 Regal Supervan III, as seen transporting Del, Rodney, Grandad and Uncle Albert in the hit show, had a 700cc engine and hit maximum speeds of 70mph.

Between 1963 and 1972 when it made way for the Robin, more than 105,000 were produced in the form of vans and saloon cars. After a 20-year production lifespan, the Regal holds a special place in British motor history, particularly for its appearance in the hit TV show. The original Regal Supervan III that was used in the series is on display at the National Motor Museum, while one of the ‘back up’ vans was sold at auction to the British boxer Ricky Hatton for £40,000.

If you’ve bagged yourself a Regal, make sure you get it covered with classic car insurance. Lovely jubbly!

The Reliant Kitten

Launched at the 1975 Earls Court Motor Show, the Reliant Kitten offered fans of the brand a four-wheeled alternative to the Robin or the Regal, replacing the Rebel on the production line.

Available as an estate car or a saloon, the Kitten was praised for its acceleration, deploying Reliant’s new 850cc, all-alloy engine with a new SU carburettor and a top speed of 80mph. Meanwhile, the Kitten had a commendable small turning circle, with impressive fuel economy at 60mpg.

However, it was unfortunate to arrive in a market already brimming with great four-wheel drive hatchbacks. It was more expensive than comparable efforts by Mini (the 850) and Ford (Escort). Meanwhile, the driveability did not fare that well with critics. In Car magazine, during a test between the Reliant Kitten and the Peugeot 104, the Kitten was described as ‘one of the least satisfactory’ cars they had tested.

Competition would increase for the Kitten with the arrival of Ford Fiestas on the British market in 1977, while in 1980 the Mini Metro was introduced by British Leyland. This would hamper the fortunes of the Kitten, selling 4,551 units before production ceased in 1982. The design of the Kitten was then sold to Sipani Automobiles in Bangalore, who rebranded it for a new market as the ‘Dolphin’.

The Reliant Scimitar GT

In production for more than two decades, between 1964 and 1986, the Reliant Scimitar GT made a strong impression on the market. There were even some Royal owners in the Duke of Kent and Princess Anne, who is said to have owned up to eight Scimitar GTs over the years.

It would also catch the eye of a host of famous faces during that time. Celebrity owners included Noel Edmonds, and Britain’s first-ever F1 world champion, Graham Hill. Meanwhile, the Scimitar GT was making waves on the small screen, too, appearing in various TV shows and movies including 1971’s Universal Soldier. In the film, the car is driven by George Lazenby who had played James Bond just two years before in the iconic On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.

The sleek design was not an in-house creation by Reliant. Instead, it was a design by David Ogle originally for Daimler, who decided not to use it. Having been impressed with the design at the 1962 Car Show in Earl’s Court, Reliant approached Ogle Design and purchased the rights to it. After being modified to fit a Reliant chassis and engine, the Reliant Scimitar was born and unveiled in 1964 at the same motor show where the design had been spotted.

The 120bhp engine, featuring triple SU carburettors, had a top speed of 117mph. Meanwhile, the Scimitar GT included wire wheels, luxury interiors and a host of optional extras that included an electric sunroof.

Various new editions would appear over the years, including the GTE, SE5, SE6 and the GTC convertible that arrived in 1980, which we wrote about here. Production of the Scimitar finally ended in 1986.

Protect your Reliant with classic car insurance

If you own a Reliant, or any vintage vehicle, you’ll only trust someone to protect it who ‘gets’ classic cars as much as you.

At Lancaster Insurance, we’re classic fanatics and have been providing classic car insurance for over 35 years. We don’t just love vintage vehicles, we have extensive knowledge and expertise, which is reflected in our classic car insurance policies.

We have access to some of the UK’s most comprehensive, competitive classic car insurance schemes. We understand that all classics are unique, so we’ll always tailor the cover to suit your needs.

Contact us today for a classic car insurance quote today.

Policy benefits, features and discounts offered may very between insurance schemes or cover selected and are subject to underwriting criteria. Information contained within this article is accurate at the time of publishing but may be subject to change.