Reliant

GB, 1952 to date

(1) Reliant Engineering Co Ltd, Tamworth, Staffs, 1952 – 1963

(2) Reliant Motor Co Ltd, Tamworth, Staffs., 1963 to date

The Reliant car company was established in 1935 by T.L. Williams to take over the design of the Raleigh 3-wheeler van with single front wheel. From 1939 onwards this Reliant car was powered by Reliant’s own version of the Austin Seven engine, and in 1952 a private Reliant car version, the Reliant Regal, with a four-seater body, was introduced. The price of the Reliant car was £352. Fibreglass bodywork was adopted in 1956. The first 4-wheeled Reliant car was announced for 1962, and this Reliant car was evolved in association with Sabra of Israel; this car, the Reliant Sabre, was a sports two-seater with a 1.7-litre Ford Consul engine (later replaced on the Reliant car by the 6-cylinder 2.6-litre Zephyr), coil-spring independent frong suspension, ladder-type frame, and front disc brakes. The styling of the Reliant car provoked mixed reactions, but by 1966 the Reliant car had evolved into the handsome Reliant Scimitar fiberglass GT coupé with all-synchromesh gearbox, still Ford-powered.

Reliant was also responsible for the other Sabra designs, specializing in the evolution of inexpensive family cars for series production on a limited scale in emergent countries: in 1966 Reliant cars produced the FW5 saloon for manufacture in Turkey as the Anadol. The Austin-based engines of the 3-wheeler Reliant cars were replaced in 1963 by a die-cast alloy 600cc ohv 4-cylinder unit of Reliant design and manufacture; two years later this Reliant carengine was also applied to the Reliant Rebel, a small 4-wheeler saloon with fiberglass bodywork selling for £525. 1967 Reliant Scimitars had the 144bhp Ford V6 engine, a similar 2.5-litre unit being optional on the Reliant cars for 1968. In April of that year the 50.000th 3/25 3-wheeler Reliant car was delivered, and with the acquisition of Bon in 1969 Reliant became the second largest all-British manufacturer on an annual production of 20.000 Reliant cars. Also in 1969 they set a new styling fashion with the Reliant GT Estate Scimitar, which sold so well that the original coupé model Reliant car was discontinued during 1970. Engines of 700cc were fitted to 1970 versions of the 3-wheeler and Rebel Reliant cars, and the introduction of Ford’s Granada in 1972 led to the standardization of its 135bhp 3-litre engine in the Scimitar. Reliant cars for 1973 were the Scimitar GTE, the 3/30 3-wheeler, and a new 750cc version Reliant car of the Rebel.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; MCS

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