Reliant Scimitar Part 2 - Scimitar SS1, SST and Scimitar Sabre

[@DKS225]

This was worth the wait for Part two with those stunning looking cars. Thank you Ruairidh

[@RobJaskula]

Princess Anne had one of those, you know.

[@dodgydruid]

The reason why Reliant went with Ford parts bin stuff is Reliant were still building the cabs for Ford's trucks and it was a quid pro quo arrangement much like the arrangement with Ford in return for fibreglass parts gave Reliant its Essex engines and gearboxes a situation that worked out super well for both as both could write off a large tax lump in doing so too. This was also the case where Reliant utilising Ford Fiesta MK2 front lights and Ford Sierra P100/Escort van rear lights for the later Robin and Rialto three wheelers, paid for in large by this arrangement of supplying Ford with fibreglass parts. It was quite a brisk era as Reliant were also building a lot of stuff for British Rail, MK3 and MK4 undercarriage boxes and shields and the cab ends of trains like the Networker classes all were Reliant made but privatisation saw the contracts to the railways end and it contracted Reliant's buying power and then Ford UK contracted into a non car making entity with stuff moved to Germany who were not interested in the quid pro quo Reliant had with Dagenham and this I believe led to Reliant decided to end car making altogether (most people think Reliant went bust, they simply disbanded and moved into micro car sales)

[@fhwolthuis]

Great video, interesting to hear the details of this car. 👍🏻👍🏻

[@HJPorschen]

In 1978 I bought a SS1 1400, and I loved it. Having swapped the gearbox for a 5-speed one from the SS1 1600, it was really great fun to drive. And I also liked the look of it, especially with the hardtop. I sold it in 1997, only because I had found something even better: a Suzuki Cappuccino.

[@martdedub]

As always, you give content in what may be "bite sized" videos and still manage to outshine "documentary TV" every time. Could you cover Car Collectors/Collections?? Ralph Lauren's collection of Cars is by far the greatest (even according to Jay Leno!) And contains some of the most beautiful cars ever made.. Just a thought... (please:)

[@GrahamHazlehurst]

Thank you, really enjoy these videos I remember these well, great information on the history of the getaway car, I remember the adverts at the time.

[@cj9739-y7u]

Thanks, lovely video. I’ve got a 86 1.6 one of these plus a second car as a donor for its galvanised chassis. Interesting to hear the struggles of reliant - similar to the low volume ev car and van company’s have today

[@davidpeters6536]

Amazing, a real insight into what went on. Thanks.

[@MrNegativecreep07]

The Sabre actually looks really nice, shame it came far too late in the day to succeed. The original though, there's a face only a mother could love.......

[@dcanmore]

Fun Fact: Austin-Rover commissioned several companies (including Reliant) to produce styling concepts for a new MG sports car for 1990. Reliant showcased a fantastic looking car which was much better looking than their own SS1 called the MG PR2 Prototype (based on the SS1 chassis). It was meant to take a Rover V8 but the project was shelved when Austin-Rover decided to press ahead with the MG RV8. Unfortunately for Reliant the Austin-Rover Group owned the rights to the PR2 concepts and Reliant couldn't use the GRP moulds for their own means.

[@positronicfeed]

I think you made a slight mistake there. Italdesign was founded by Giorgetto Giugiaro and Also Montovani in 1968. Michelotti started working freelance in 1949, working on projects for many other companies, and started his own company, Carrozzeria Michelotti, in 1959.

[@mYmUSICmILL]

From 1988 to 1997 I owned a SS1 1400 (as a replacement for a Sprite and a Midget). It was a very good car, which gave a lot of fun. I only sold it because I had found an even better small sports car: the Suzuki Cappuccino.

[@obesetuna3164]

This little island tends to produce a plethora of the weird and wonderful.

[@terribletelevision6980]

I love your videos, mate. Keep up the great work!

[@Suprahampton]

Italdesign wasn't Micholotti.... Your usual exceptional research was off in this instance

[@scootergeorge9576]

At the start of this video, living in American, I realized I had never seen A Reliant SS1 or even one of the wonky 3 wheelers. Now I know why.

[@ianalderton6683]

I actually saw an SS1 on the road recently . and I live near Frankfurt in Germany ! ! ! PS as a student I visited the Reliant factory, which was brilliant- I went on to work for Honda, which was a little 'different'. Good to know where you are coming from though . . . . . and when thay say: only 1500 units sold- I really have to wonder, that it was so many . . . . ! ?

[@dcanmore]

7:34 I very much doubt that Reliant, in any time in its history, was "Britain's second largest car maker" ... I think what you meant to say was: second largest British-owned car maker (after British Leyland).

[@ML-vy8xo]

6:30 Lotus Etna by Ital Design, what’s the connection?

[@markcousins9337]

Did that '70's guy in the MG really flash the V at the pump attendant? Clearly means something else in the good ol' U S of A.

[@macjim]

Here's a story that might be worth covering. Do you remember those three-wheeled ‘cars’ that were often seen parked at the football pitch when a game was aired on tv? Those blue wheelchair accessible ‘cars’ which was steered with a ‘tiller’ rather than a steering wheel... The Invacar (Thundersley or AC Invacar).

[@MrNegativecreep07]

Used to occasionally see them around in the 80's. The government bought them all back to be crushed which isn't surprising as they were deathtraps and a truly miserable way to get around. Although a handful did survive, channel called Hubnut has one.

[@markcousins9337]

They were just leased, usually to veterans, like Motability cars are now. There is some stuff on the Internet about them. I think the engine came from an Italian WWII drone engine design. There was even a reason why they were all that colour, although I forget why now.

[@dcanmore]

Ian Seabrook over at HubNut channel runs one in his collection along with a Reliant Fox pickup.

[@finlayfraser9952]

How sad, but somehow typical of the era!

[@TheD777777]

You know, Princess Anne had one :)

[@iangrice329]

Always loved these cars.

[@MartinIbert]

"Michelotti" is pronounced "Mi-ke-lot-ti". The "h" actually makes the "c" sound like a "k".

[@vinnydaq13]

Also, Hyundai is pronounced “hunday” (rhymes with Sunday).

[@cjmillsnun]

@@vinnydaq13 Not in the UK it isn't.

[@Mancozeb100]

@Martin Ibert Yep - like the ch in chianti - key-anti .

[@mirisch64]

Автомобиль кота Леопольда.

[@kevinhenderson2019]

Mind wee Jeemy Chewin' used to have one of these Thought you were getting a visit from Princess an when he came a knock in Saying that I don't know if Ann's one broke down as often as.

[@DiRF]

A quirky little British roadster using a proven Nissan 180SX drivetrain... that SHOULD have been a recipe for success. Shame it didn't pan out.

[@TeardropSidemarker]

With the CA18DET, this meant the 1800Ti could easily accommodate and KA24DE and SR20DET. And that would be... interesting to say the least.

[@DiRF]

@@TeardropSidemarker I used to own a vehicle with the SR20 (unfortunately, non-turbo), but even in NA guise that was such a slick, robust-feeling four-pot. Darn good engine.

[@WKZworks]

That car looks like a prime candidate for an SR20DET swap. Seems like the kind of machine that could use 400HP.

[@pureboxofscartcables]

You do understand that a pause doesn't have to follow a commer Yes?

[@theextremeanimator4721]

16:17 i though there was a top half croppung mistake

[@milkapeismilky5464]

"scimitar saber" that's kind of like naming something "rifle carbine"

[@stuew6]

I Remember Pontiac Ferro.

[@uncinarynin]

Developing open cars in a country where it always rains, what could possibly go wrong?

[@astonmartin4360]

So well done.Thank you.Subbed.

[@benzinapaul7416]

Michelotti had nothing to do with Italdesign, that was Giugiaro

[@cjmillsnun]

Italdesign had and has nothing to do with Michelotti. It was founded by Giorgetto Giugario and Aldo Mantovani.

[@martijnkosters9024]

Princess Ann had one you know?

[@buggs9950]

2:40 Is that Sergeant Wilson?

[@herseem]

You REALLY need to shorten some of your sentences. Some of them are so long that by the time you get to the end I've forgotten what the beginning was. Fewer commas, please.

[@macjim]

And now for the... Kitten.

[@simonvancoevorden295]

I think if it didn’t have such awkward styling it would have been a success.

[@herseem]

When you see it in the flesh it just looks too small. It looks like a toy car.

[@dcanmore]

@@herseem similar dimensions to the MGB and a lot bigger than a MG Midget.

[@herseem]

@@dcanmore it might well be, but in the flesh, somehow it looks too small. I think the relatively large windscreen is what makes it look smaller. I'm sure it's bigger than on the midget and MGB

[@joellamoureux7914]

Wow! A face only a mother could love. I now have something to really not like to look at as much as the allegro. Aren't those Mercedes tail lights? A shame, the concept drawings were good looking. The ss1 suffered the same problems the allegro did getting from paper to reality. The allegro looked good as a concept as well. #"Cars for the blind"

[@TheHylianBatman]

That actually looks alright for mid-80s car. Most of them look terrible. Still don't love it, though. I wonder what would've happened if they survived the 80s slump.

[@stephenpointon]

hmmm. "chevy capri style headlight clusters" 2:09 I think you mean "droop snoop firenza headlight clusters" unless this is an alternate universe where chevy built the capri! Also the XVR concept had nothing to do with the droop snoop design and far more to do with the opel gt.

[@martinda7446]

@6:06 hyn day.

[@chrisdavidson911]

Having thrown a load of money away getting it wrong, when they finally got it right they stopped making it. If you're getting engineers from BL, what else was going to happen?

[@UncleBooBoo]

Strange Volvo 0:45

[@artthefarter]

rune scimitar

[@dimievers5573]

Omg. Reliant cars just ooze of ugliness. It surprises me that people bought them

[@garypoulton7311]

Horrendously ugly, thought so back in the 80s, and think so now. Cannot fsthom that they seriously thought it would sell, a sports car is all about style og posing. This just says you are weird.

[@jibjab351]

The SS1 was hideous, those panel gaps. The Sabre looked much better.

[@pchurchill]

reliant lacked experience with plastic bodywork ... i don't think so !!

[@HADJEE]

Hyundai is pronounced Huun-die.

[@watchfan6180]

What a hideous looking car compared to predecessor. You never depart totals from predecessors styling, you update it so people recognise it. It was a failure so there you go, shame they killed what could of been. 😢

[@Neil-Aspinall]

The English should have never been allowed to make mass produced cars full stop.

[@Neil-Aspinall]

@@tremensdelirious Man's got to know his limitations Tremsy! The English never understood this.

[@simonvancoevorden295]

This is closest to the dumbest comment I have seen on utube!