autofantasia's photos with the keyword: Reliant

The now infamous and internationally recognised sign!

Reliant 3-wheelers enjoy something of a special place in British culture. Perhaps the most famous is the one that featured in the BBC's long-running sitcom about the Trotter family, Only Fools and Horses . The van is often and incorrectly, referred to as a Robin, but it is actually a Regal Supervan III. The Trotter's original is now on display in the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu, but the popularity of the TV programme has led to a profusion of 'replicas' being built, such as the one you see here. Motoring masterpiece, cultural icon ... I'll let you decide!

Reliant began planning a convertible in the late Seventies and the final design was based around the earlier GTE to create a beautifully proportioned four-seater with a good sized boot. The GTC, powered by a Ford 2.8 Cologne V6 engine, was launched in March 1980 and was well received by the motoring press. However, the country was heading into recession and so Reliant struggled to sell their £11,360 convertibles in great numbers. As a result many were left sitting at the factory for months until owners could be found. Today, the GTC is a very rare sight on our roads and is possibly the most desirable of the Scimitar models.

Normally I like the Reliant Scimitar. However, when I saw this one I absolutely loved it and its not even red! You can find out more about these great cars here: www.scimitarweb.co.uk

How about some 'plastic fantastic' from the Seventies? The Reliant Scimitar name was used for a series of sports car models produced by British car manufacturer Reliant between 1964 and 1986.

The original 1973 Robin was powered by a 750cc engine that yielded 32 bhp and came in three body styles, Saloon, Estate and Van. The Saloon and Estate were available as standard models or as “Super” models, such as the one seen here, that included extras like (would you believe) additional dash clocks and uprated radio. In 1975 the engine was uprated to a larger 40 bhp 850cc engine giving a top speed of 85 mph and a 0 - 60 mph time of 16.1 seconds. Source: www.reliantownersclub.co.uk/robin.html