Reliant: British Car Manufacturer

Steve Vokins visits the Reliant company - classic British car manufacturer, and talks to managing director Jonathan Haynes, about his changes to the company.

[@CoreyDeWalt]

Beautiful practical autos for small spaces. I wish we had more of these in the USA

[@snowm9043]

To be honest mate I live in Tamworth where the reliant factory was and I can honestly say that the USA is the best cars for the citizens of USA you make cars for your country such as Chevy, ford, Dodge etc 👍👍

[@arfanmedni7294]

It would have been laughed out off the market in Murika

[@mrjed6912]

@@snowm9043 I wouldn’t say their better at all personally.

[@danielt.8573]

@@arfanmedni7294 Maybe not.

[@markcolston7043]

i loved my factory visit in 1997 that place has so much history behind it,so sad its no longer there but nice that they named the roads in reliants name,now a housing estate.thanks to reliant i past my driving test first time!

[@underneonloneliness2]

We need to start making things again. I wanna see more of “made in Britain” . We are losing our history. Soon britain will be nothing more than just houses/flats, the odd field and supermarkets.

[@SloopyDog]

I loved them. The first one I had, was a Reliant Robin with an Austin engine in it. I then had several more of the later ones. The main problems I had was the kingpin and bush on the front wheel of the early ones. The chassis on the early ones were prone to rot. The brakes were poor, and you needed heavy boots to make them work, having said that I loved them, and I was so sad when they stopped making them. They were cheap to run and cheap to tax. Granted they didn't pull the birds, not a lot of room for fun and games. Please bring them back.

[@DmanYTofficial]

RIP reliant

[@markcolston2930]

So miss that special place 😢

[@marshalllucky]

robin also made a 4 wheel version called the kitten , it wasnt as popular as it was more expensive on tyres but princess anne used to drive one , so glad mr haynes has now saved the company :-(

[@the_pigs_have_rebelled]

He saved it in the 1990’s and the company stopped making cars in 2001. The only part of Reliant that exists today is making spare parts for the cars that are still left.

[@marshalllucky]

@@the_pigs_have_rebelled well you can still buy them brand new so someone must be making them :-O

[@underneonloneliness2]

Trouble is they never updated the interior! They kept that same old interior since the mk1 Robin in the 70’s. If they had modernised the cars more they might’ve sold better towards the end. The EU interfering with our driving laws didn’t help matters either.

[@John-ci2sd]

To be honest its a nice style to keep. If they added an oil gauge or a tachometer it would be perfect

[@underneonloneliness2]

@@John-ci2sd I agree but to get people interested you have to update it otherwise they feel like they’re buying the same car over and over again,

[@MrSprocket2u]

My brother made his own 3 wheeler ute in the 70s ... it was a cut down panel van ...

[@alanraylocklear1117]

Oddly enough, I want a reliant robin like the one at 0:56.

[@John-ci2sd]

Id want a mk1. Or a rialto

[@keithhooper6123]

Love the Robin drop side truck.Mr Haynes was right,he could have found a good niche market. Such a shame they closed.

[@DoubleDeckerAnton]

It was unique and lives on, in repeats of 'Only Fools & Horses'.

[@underneonloneliness2]

A Reliant Regal was used in only fools and horses.

[@John-ci2sd]

@@underneonloneliness2 and mr bean. And Jeremy Clarkson

[@underneonloneliness2]

@@John-ci2sd Jeremy Clarkson used a similar Robin used in the thumbnail of this video. A burgundy 90’s mk2 robin.

[@John-ci2sd]

@@underneonloneliness2 yes i know. It was a reliant robin mk2 and the one in mr bean and OFAH was a supervan iii

[@larryhoey9250]

There is one nearby here in New Hampton New Hampshire !!

[@p24hrsmith]

That sad fact is he should have dropped the 3 wheeler and produce an updated version of the Scimitar which would have better suited a niche market. The Robin in the end was way way to expensive for a economy car that to be honest wasn't that economical compared to it's modern day rivals. I think even the Bond Bug would have faired better because it was so out there people had more respect for it's quirkiness.

[@kyle8952]

There was no money to design a new car, they were going week to week with the bank account constantly dipping under £1000. They needed to get the existing product profitable again before anything else.

[@underneonloneliness2]

Dropping your best selling car would’ve been bad business.

[@p24hrsmith]

@@underneonloneliness2 but they didn't sell enough which is what put them out of business so....

[@underneonloneliness2]

@@p24hrsmith They tried it with the Reliant Kitten but couldn’t sell as many as the Robin. I think if they had modernised the interior like they did with the exterior then they might’ve sold better.

[@p24hrsmith]

@@underneonloneliness2 the Kitten was a Robin with an extra wheel and price tag that couldn't complete with the Mini. The Scimitar had less competition and in a niche market the price isn't so critical it also had the prestige of Royal ownership

[@williammcauliffe2811]

Great turning can turn around on a pin head great fuel economy .

[@terrificspokesman7416]

Why does men and motors never upload new vids

[@aribahombre2942]

Nice Scimitar at 0:54 .

[@BennysBenz]

What happened to Jonathon Hayes?

[@lenniecapuano521]

must admit i would have 1 for shopping

[@SergeantPsycho]

It's degree of knockers.😏

[@danielalexander8588]

I had a chuckle myself! I mean, what's he on about??

[@mrdaykurutakuchannel]

Company of mr bean's hated rival

[@poolfarm2]

Yes a joke that I we should all laugh at, it was a shit English company (although at one time Britain's second largest motor car manufacturer) 'AND' it saw off ''ALL'' it's competitors, Heinkel, Trojan, Messerschmitt, Bond, Noble, AC, Bamby, (''''''''''''''''''BMW''''''''''''''''') Isetta, Brutsch, the list is endless in fact every (apart from the Vespa Ape) three wheeled car ever made.

[@underneonloneliness2]

@@poolfarm2 It wasn’t shit!

[@poolfarm2]

@@underneonloneliness2Actually I was being sarcastic, I'm sick of people trashing the car, it was a great motor company and I actually own a Reliant Regal and have done (on and off) since 1981.

[@underneonloneliness2]

So basically the only car they made at the very end was the Reliant Robin.

[@John-ci2sd]

Yes the robin mk3

[@deemdoubleu]

Imagine if they made these out of basalt fibre. Bullet proof Bond mobiles.

[@zOiNhUh]

Sometimes the history of Reliant reminds me of how traditional automakers lobbied to get Gurgel out of the market in Brazil. I'm sure at least the commercial versions could've retained a foothold on the British market, if it wasn't for that EU-enforced tiered motorcycle licensing preventing drivers under the age 21 from driving one.

[@stewartellinson8846]

the company was on it's upper for years before this. It's easy - and lazy - to blame the EU (because that's what people do these days) but the reality is that Reliant were selling a product that few people wanted to a market where there were plenty of second hand examples. Reliants don't rot, so they go on for ever really. Things like "only fools and horses" and crap gear just added weight to what people thought already. If reliant had been based in Italy - where three wheeled vehicles have more of a tradition - they might have survived, but they weren't.

[@underneonloneliness2]

@@stewartellinson8846 The EU didn’t help matters though! I’m glad we ditched them!

[@stewartellinson8846]

@@underneonloneliness2 you're a fool then. It's that kind of ignorance that has lead our country into a situation where fisherman can no loner sellt he fish they catch and stores are running short of food. Rank ignorance.

[@underneonloneliness2]

@@stewartellinson8846 Stores running out of food? what stores? Or are you getting confused with coronavirus panic buying?

[@stewartellinson8846]

@@underneonloneliness2 ah well,maybe if you paid attention. Never mind. Anyway, good luck with your "win" on the EU. maybe one day you'll work out what you lost.

[@thomasleemullins4372]

Perhaps they had made reverse trikes, they might still be around? Perhaps a reverse trike would be more stable? I really liked the Reliant cars. I don't think they ever came to the USA.

[@terrificspokesman7416]

They don't actually roll. Top gear modified them to make it roll easily

[@John-ci2sd]

Its really hard to roll a reliant

[@Goofy2Max]

@@terrificspokesman7416 I read that Top Gear UK had modified the one they used; different size wheels and weights to make it tip easily. I think they were biased against it.

[@adrian_zombturtle148]

Why is this not in Gran Turismo 4 :(

[@garyfisher4155]

Why show invacars tho? They were absolutely nothing to do with rekian, the only link is 3 wheels and fibreglass bodies.

[@AnthonyDunn93]

The porno music creases me. Same level of charisma as a porn film as well

[@underneonloneliness2]

Blame the EU for changing the licence laws! They lost their main customer base. I'm glad brexit is happening.

[@georgiamcdermott5140]

The law has changed. You've been able to drive a three-wheeler on a motorcycle licence again since 2013. The truth is people don't have motorcycle licences like they used to. Bikes are ridden for pleasure, not commuting nowadays. Either way, the EU didn't change the law, the UK did. The UK government wanted to change it to make our regulations the same as most EU nations. If you're going to pedal this kind of stuff, at least educate yourself first.

[@stewartellinson8846]

@@georgiamcdermott5140 Why know what you're talking about when ignorant, lazy prejudice is so much simpler. Why do a hard good thing when you can do an easy bad one?

[@georgiamcdermott5140]

Stewart Ellinson Indeed 😂 It’s fashionable to play the blame game.

[@underneonloneliness2]

@@georgiamcdermott5140 okay the law might of changed like you said but its too late by 2013 as the Reliant had gone bust 10 years before. If the silly law didn't change and reliant modernised their cars abit more I think they'd be going still today.

[@georgiamcdermott5140]

underneonloneliness2 Reliant went bust originally in 1997. Then stopped producing cars in 2001. The law came in to force in 2001. I don’t think the antiquity of the Robin was Reliant’s issue, it was the steadfastness of their approach to the market. They failed to understand the dead end the 3-wheel market was becoming, and failed to move to 4-wheeled small cars before it became too late.

[@lenniecapuano521]

do people stil buy them

[@garyfisher4155]

Lennie Capuano yes they have had a massive rennasiance in interest, they go for silly money now.

[@terrificspokesman7416]

@@garyfisher4155 they are still relatively cheap. £2,000 can buy you a nice one. But they used to be cheaper so they will go up in value

[@TheGalacticEmperorOfLabels]

Music from a porno at 3:55

[@danielalexander8588]

🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@sequentialtt0415]

0:10 well i think i saw a Proton......

[@dinoduderocket]

Is this young Jeremy Corbyn?

[@danielalexander8588]

Elvis Costello wannabe.......

[@macho9395]

Why Mr. Bean hates this car?

[@paulhorn2665]

Ask him... Although in his films he hates the Reliant Regal, the pre-decessor to the Robin which was built here in this 90s video.

[@викторнисаренко]

Lol... o my gad.... This is the cars of Great Britain ? No...!

[@paulillingworth1242]

виктор sнисаренко they were once upon a time, they were poor , a lot that could ride motorcycles but couldn’t drive cars on their licenses , but the law allowed them to drive the 3 wheeled things which is why they were popular many years ago, thankfully we don’t see any now.

[@CoreyDeWalt]

One persons opinion is not fact

[@underneonloneliness2]

@@paulillingworth1242 I'm 25 and I wanna buy one. Today's cars are so boring and lack any character.

[@terrificspokesman7416]

@@CoreyDeWalt top gear modified the car to make it roll more easily

[@CoreyDeWalt]

@@terrificspokesman7416 yes, and? I Like the car lol. I was against the original post saying all british cars are terrible.