Comedy Car or Commercial Success? - Reliant's Three-Wheelers (Reworked)

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This is a reworked and reuploaded version of the original video.
Good morning! :D
Built to answer the needs of the people during the height of post-war austerity, the Reliant Regal, Rialto and Robin were a lineage of three-wheeled family cars that exploited a loophole in the British motor licensing system that meant they could be procured on a cheaper motorbike license, thus allowing for huge cost savings for working class buyers.
The result was the Reliant firm climbing the ladder of Britain's automotive industry, so much so that in the mid-1970s, the company was the second largest domestic car builder in the UK behind British Leyland, though once the oil crises had seen a seismic shift towards economy cars, the three-wheelers lost their competitive edge and would soon face a precipitous fall from grace.
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References:
Reliant Enthusiast Club (and their respective sources)
Bond Cars Enthusiast Club (and their respective sources)
Staffordshire Post (and their respective sources)
Wikipedia (and its respective references)

[@stokegaz1069]

I brought one in 1988 for £40 !! The clutch was completely gone. I towed it home, then layed it on the lawn on its side. I replaced the clutch and it was back to full running order. I drove it for over 3 years, no troubles at all. And it never tipped over. Great fun motor 😊

[@greg5639]

My dad had three wheelers most his life . I still remember his first Reliant Regal van.ANU 995B. We where the only one in our cul-de-sac with a car , yet all the other kids would l laugh and say you've got a three wheeler / plastic pig . But were always happy being squeezed in the back for a day trip to Skeggy or onto the Tops of Derbyshire. Cheshire etc. Oh the care-free days of childhood in the late 60s and early / mid-70s 🙂

[@mychannel3774]

Am just glad he didn’t the car in 1877 - his number plate would’ve seen him banned from the roads - _especially_ on Sundays..! 😂

[@piledriverpotter9847]

And also anyone who owned one in the 70s would be the only household with a rust free car compared to everyone else's rusty Austin 1100s / Fiat 124s just to name a few 70s rustbuckets.

[@100SteveB]

Top Gear cheated when they showed the reliant tipping over so easily - they welded the rear differential together in order to encourage the car to tip much more easily than it would normally.

[@-DC-]

Similar to when they tested the Vectra VXR and pulled the ABS and Traction Control Fuses to create a story where one didn't exist.

[@Titan604]

Yes, and I understand they fitted a larger front wheel too to raise the centre of gravity.

[@johnsharkey1980]

@@-DC-Vectra 1.8i understeer terribly as do Zaria Mk1s Vauxhall have never been handling experts.

[@howardtayloresq.]

Really, 😮 I never knew that!

[@emaheiwa8174]

@@howardtayloresq.that show was full of BS 🤢

[@josiebloggs5716]

I do enjoy whenever I see one of these charming little guys on the road they always make me smile :)

[@shona1578]

I love these cars. My late dad only ever drove Reliant three-wheelers after "upgrading" from motorbikes. The first car I remember was his blue four-seater Supervan III, BHN 776H, which he converted into an estate one day with a side windows kit from Halfords and a saw! I think the smartest car he ever had was the gleaming white Superrobin 850 estate, NEF 123P. We had some fun in that one, like the time we zoomed back from holiday at 80mph all the way up the motorway to the bemused looks of the four-wheeler drivers we passed... Or the time we raced the train, where the rail tracks and road ran side by side for miles... Ah, happy days! Thanks for jogging a few memories with such a respectful, informative video!

[@kawarps]

My first car was a 1987 reliant Rialto. I loved it. It was unique and practical.

[@MagnaLynx21]

There's one that's on a street nearby me, I live in a Victorian / Edwardian town and seeing it go up and down the high street is a true delight.

[@rakshithvenkataramani-s8x]

Where do you live ?

[@Mookie1340]

Thank you for creating, such a great car, as I owned a Regal, whilst driving on a provisional Motor Bike Licence. Such great fun to drive. Had no problems with traffic, as the traffic was alway behind you. 😂

[@greg5639]

I remember the drivers always flashed their lights one another. Just like bike riders would nod their head at another bike rider. Somthing I still do when driving my car and making eye contact with a bike rider as I either give way to them or vice versa etc. Old habits hey ? 🙂👍

[@Mookie1340]

@@greg5639 Yes, it was always an old boy driving a 3 wheeler, would flash me, then shocked to realise a young twenty year old flashing him back. 😂

[@bazerwazer6180]

Hope you always carried a passenger, with either a full motorcycle or car licence, when driving on your provisional licence...🤔😄

[@Mookie1340]

@@bazerwazer6180 Yes, on a provisional licence (with L plates), I drove alone, but if I took any passengers the one in the front would have to have a full driver’s licence. The main reason for having it, was travelling down to Wiltshire from the Midlands to see my girlfriend (future wife) - Two hours on a 125 motorbike, in the depths of Winter, it wasn’t fun. 🥶 It cost me £100 to purchase it, from an old dear, who’s husband had passed away. I couldn’t remember the insurance cost, but the tax was the same as a large motorbike, £55. This was in the early 90’s.

[@captaindreadnought212]

You just can't help smiling when you see a Robin still on the road

[@bobcannell7603]

Mine saved me from motorcycling to work in deep Yorkshire winter for several years. It was cheap, reliable and economical and wasnt full of rust. If the regs had been changed to permit four wheelers would have totally changed life for people. A trabant that worked. Reputation not deserved. Top Gear lied about most things. I had a friend worked for them. Dont belive anything he said. The naked contempt thay had for their fans was sickening.

[@malcolmwhite6588]

@@bobcannell7603 all in the name of “entertainment” ay, when it should’ve been a factual show

[@janhanchenmichelsen2627]

Never seen here (Norway), but I remember these cars from visiting the UK through the decades. Always intriguing.

[@kirk5030]

Many years ago I had a Super Robin 850 and I drove it on my full motorcycle license. Great fun and quite nippy, but a bit hairy on windy days. I had it up to 85 mph ( on the speedometer) , once!!!

[@ed_menno]

My dad always said some Robins were used by motorcyclists who didn't want the hassle of getting a car driving licence. I guess back in the day there must have been many people who found that a real bonus, but over time it was less and less of a USP for Reliant.

[@TheDigger06]

They changed the law and reliant died

[@dannimac777]

I drove a reliant Rebel van around 1970. We toured from Derbyshire to Cornwall lands end and back. It took Porlock Hill in its stride as every other hill challenge.

[@jasperpike242]

My reliant van, before Robin, had to driven backwards as only reverse could cope on Porlock. i loved it, my first car!

[@Armadacon]

I owned Reliant 3-wheelers from 1995 to 2010. Fantastic gadgets. I went everywhere in them. What killed ownership for me was a Renault Clio diesel. It was cheaper to Tax, insure and did more MPG. I couldn't see the point of having a Reliant anymore.

[@storkythepunk]

My Dad had several Reliant's, a side valve Regal van in 1964, a Regal saloon @ 1967 which got tail-gated, so bought a brand new Supervan 3 in 1970, then a 2nd hand Robin saloon in 1984, followed by a Rialto saloon @ 1987, I'm really not certain that he loved them though, he spent an awful amount of time swearing at them lol, especially at the water bung at the rear of the motor which seemed to like popping out on the Supervan, but we went all over the place in them when we were growing up, I have considered getting one myself, handy things on a low budget.

[@smada36]

My dad had a P reg Robin for a family car until I was ten. I always found it fascinating that when seeing another coming the other way the drivers would wave at each other. I drive a Smart FourTwo now but sadly drivers don't wave at each other. I feel that we should. However, I visited the States a few years ago and rented a Corvette. When I met other Corvettes coming the other way the drivers would wave to me. It brought back memories of my dad in the Robin and made me laugh.

[@deanosaur808]

Now people wave their fists 😅

[@Skorpychan]

I used to destabilise smart cars on the motorways for fun. Just ease up close to one corner, and the changes in slipstream would make them start wiggling around. Hilarious, especially since my first car was a 1.6L Astra SXi hot hatch, which was super stable at motorway speeds. A pig to turn at anything under 50, so foot all the way down to get anywhere.

[@Foxonian]

One thing that did Reliant in was the elimination of the registration/cycle "loophole" in the early 2000's.

[@paulnolan1352]

They were popular with Signalmen for some reason in the late 60’s, 70’s. Often saw them parked next to Signal boxes and Rail Depots.

[@shabbos-goy9407]

I lived in Gants Hill in the 70's as a very young boy. The main dealer Warrick Double sold them by the hundred. I remember the mechanics giving the Robins a shakedown PDI down my road on two wheels!! My fave colour was (and is) Magenta/Purple/Pink Robins and remains so.

[@jonntischnabel]

It used to annoy me when people called them a "robin reliant" , a bit like people saying "shandy bass" 😂🤦

[@lewis72]

I agree, although people still often say "E Type Jag" though.

[@mikefule]

@@lewis72 Fair point well made. I'd never thought of that.

[@DrPowerElectronics]

I picked up a robin for an old chap who swore by them. I did about 100miles I think. I loved it!

[@deanosaur808]

I don't know how you carried it so far 🤯🤣🤣

[@TheManFrayBentos]

There's still a place for a car like the Kitten - simple, cheap, reliable and economical. Easily repaired without a dealer computer and being ripped for parts. The three-wheeler is a no-go for modern buyers though - gotta be four. I say the above as a Reliant enthusiast for years; owned three Scimitars and well aware of the others for a long long time. If I could see a way of getting one of the Dolphins imported to here I'd look seriously at it.

[@volvo09]

The only issue with a small car like the kitten is that it's such a threat in any collision with modern vehicles. You'd have to drive like you were riding a motorcycle, always being aware of where a threat could come from.

[@TheDigger06]

​@@volvo09you would be surpriced how strong they are ,my reliant was hit head on with a fiesta,both writoff but fiesta came out far worse

[@terencejay8845]

Princess Anne had a Scimitar, as did a partner in the furniture company I worked for.

[@Darwinion]

You shoukd be driving like that anyway. Its called defensive driving. ​@@volvo09

[@Skorpychan]

@@TheDigger06 Modern cars are basically 90% crumple zone, so you slow down gently in an impact. A Reliant will just stop dead, but they also weigh basically nothing so there's basically no momentum.

[@HJPorschen]

In 1964 I saw a Reliant 3/25 which was exhibited at the IFMA, the International Bicycle and Motorcycle Exhibition in Cologne, Germany. At the time I did not understand why a car - obviously a car, even if one wheel was missing - was shown on a motorcycle exhibition. Only many years later I found out that three-wheelers were classified as motorcycles in the UK. (To complete the story, in 1988 I bought a new Reliant SS1 1400 in Germany, and I ordered it with RHD. I sold it in 1997, after I had moved to the UK. It was a very good car.)

[@pfaversham]

Passed my motor bike test on my 16th birthday September 1969. Went straight to Colin Collins, Stanmore with my dad and bought a Reliant Regal in light blue. I was an apprentice carpenter/joiner at the time and when I arrived on site the next day the usual comments started, lost a wheel etc. All that changed on the first really cold and wet day. I was warm and dry in my reliant, amazing how many preferred my car to standing at the bus stop….. As did my mates.

[@Mahoromatic]

....why didn't you guys just take the automobile exams? Were people allergic to four wheelers in 1969?

[@fishinmalarkey9830]

​@@Mahoromaticit was cost at the time.. they had zero money back then

[@pfaversham]

In the uk you could only drive a 4 wheel vehicle when you were 17. You could drive a three wheel vehicle with a motorcycle licence at 16. Also gave me a years experience of driving before taking my car test on my 17th birthday.

[@Skorpychan]

@@Mahoromatic Didn't you watch the video?

[@Volker_GR]

Thank you very much! We Germans hardly know the little car from the road, but from Mr Bean 🙂 When it came to the question of the required driving licence, we also had a special feature in Germany. With the old class 4 driving licence, issued until 1954, vehicles of all kinds with a maximum of 250 cc could be driven. For this reason, Fiat 500s and Fiat 126s with a 14 hp two-stroke engine from the Goggomobil were available until the 1980s, most of them from the Steinwinter company. The Ellenator is a three-wheeler of modern times. A modern Fiat 500, four-wheeled, but with a narrow ‘Isetta track’ at the rear, so that the vehicle is considered a three-wheeler and with 20 hp can be driven by 16-year-olds with an A1 driving licence. Mostly financed by anxious parents to keep their offspring away from two-wheelers 🙂 And last but not least: Piaggio is currently discontinuing European production of the Ape. A sad day for all three-wheeler fans.

[@stevedickson5853]

From the mid 1970s onwards reliants had an 850cc - 40 bhp engine so were quite nippy

[@BakedRBeans]

Hello from USA. I'm glad someone mentioned Mr. Bean! (He didn't drive one, a bad guy chased him in one)

[@stevedickson5853]

@BakedRBeans it was an early 70s Reliant (Regal ) supervan , and it was Mr Bean that was the bad guy lol

[@TassieLorenzo]

@@stevedickson5853 Good point! But I guess it was meant to be a comparison of Bean's BMC Mini to unnamed's Reliant. Is it fair to say the Reliant is a superior economy car to a Mini, where the Mini has too many wheels?

[@BakedRBeans]

@@TassieLorenzo The Mini has too many wheels? I like that! I was thinking of the film "Mr. Bean's holiday" where he drove a Mini, and so did Sabine, the French Girl he met.

[@stevemason5348]

Loved that, brought back great memories. My Dad had the first van as a works van, must have been 1954 ish. Thanks for this video

[@OneDullMan]

Nice. Never seen one where I live in Canada. A neat concept and I did not realize that Reliant lasted well in to the 1990's and that the 3 wheeler was made for so long. Very impressive - too bad that the company could not last in to the 2000's. With its high fuel efficiency figures, it could have been a success. I do like it and really like seeing the Kitten and Dolphin variants

[@ICB72]

I had a new one in 1973, it was luxury compared to the motorbike we had before, especially in winter, the Robin was great, nice and warm out of the weather, of course you had to be aware of corners. If only the chassis had been galvanised, it did tend rust quite badly, has my previous Regal did, in fact the central steering column collapsed, mind you it was ten years old at the time, had a few other problems as well, I had to scrap it in the end, then went and bought a new one.

[@KerbalRocketry]

really feel in these times that there's room for motor tricycles, fuel economic and small they'd suit most of our cities for deliveries

[@Skorpychan]

No point. The big companies use electric vans to dodge the zero-emissions crap, while the smaller deliveries are subcontracted out to any Tom, Dick, or Mohammed that can scrape together a couple of hundred for a CBT, a cheap helmet, and a used 125cc scooter. Four wheels are better than three for heavy parcels, and two wheels are nimbler than three for slipping through urban traffic and down bus lanes.

[@mickymondo7463]

I learned to drive in a Robin estate, and I still own a Kitten, although it is off the road due to the lower ball joints, which are a serious problem to find. I have been rebuilding my lower ball joints and refurbishing them to make them fully adjustable, so the Kitten should hopefully be back out in the new year. One day it will get a motorcycle engine fitted once I build a reversing gearbox for it, a Honda ST1100 Pan European motor squeezes in there quite easily.

[@robertfreeman7906]

I bought a new Green 21E Regal van, I didn't like the other colours, XAM326K in Feb 1972, and I loved it. The extras included a passenger seat, spare wheel, spare wheel cover, fleck interior paint, hub caps and I don't remember the other 16, but no radio then. I swapped the cylinder head for a Formula 750 racing head and managed a 0-60 time of 16 seconds and a top speed of about 85 mph (that is all the speedo went up to) and that was with the standard carb and exhaust), mpg 60 everywhere. It was written off when someone came out of a country side road and hit me, not my fault. I did wonder about buying a Bond Bug instead of the 21E but I was with my mates and 2 seats didn't fit

[@FlyingPlastic356]

10:24 ", Princess Anne has one of those, you know..."

[@tomwinch9107]

Interesting video documenting Reliant's history I'm fairly sure references to annual driving licence costs should be to annual road fund licence / 'car tax' costs I was once asked (when walking with a friend in Blackpool) to help a Reliant Robin owner roll his car onto its side so he could work on the engine!

[@das5813]

I had the regal supervan in the 1970s and it was a brilliant vehicle. It was unfortunate that I turned it onto its side when the front wheel slipped into the rut after heavy snowfall but after climbing out I just tipped it back onto it's wheels and restarted the engine and carried on as if nothing happened, a bit slower obviously.

[@simonadshead857]

My dad's cousin had a 66 van that my dad resprayed for him. He took it across the Sahara desert in the mid 70's, he had photos of it from the top of pyramids! The local news programme had him on the evening news showing the pictures.

[@michaelclarkson2218]

One of my old friends had a Robin and a Rialto and I asked him what it was like to steer on a snow covered country lane with the one wheel in the front and he replied 'Pretty hairy'. 🙂

[@stevedickson5853]

They handled quite well in the snow I would leave other drivers by the side of the rd as my reliant just carried on regardless

[@jagmarc]

In thick snow like driving a pogo stick as the middle wheel bounces up and down on the heaped snow between the tracks left by 4 wheel cars.

[@hughofIreland]

Thanks for this video; I remember this car from years back. I had no idea of the backstory. Thanks again!

[@emjackson2289]

Arguably "the Trabant of the UK" - and when you see just how big even the smallest car is these days - and yes, I understand they do need to be safe - one wonders will we ever get back to something that size e.g. original Fiat 500 or so?

[@TassieLorenzo]

That's true! Even Kei cars tend to maximise the Kei car dimensions and have quite tall and boxy shapes.

[@danforrest6440]

I just bought a low mileage mk2 for my nephew to drive, I plan a visit next year, so really looking forward to driving it. We had a mk1 in the 80s, and a 2CV, my wife loved the Robin

[@wilfredwood2636]

Travelled from hereford to hull in one for fishing match. As passenger, couldn't see difference to normal car. Great little machine. Better mpg Than most modern cars.

[@Your.Uncle.AngMoh]

Another great video, Rory. Thanks. This would be another great car to "retro" with a basic battery to drive around the city and suburbs. Restrict the power output to work within the capacities of the car with an option for a little extra power to be able to drive in motorway traffic for the odd intercity trip such as London to Oxford- which really isn't that much of a drive in a country such as Australia.

[@gregorylenton8200]

My dad had a Robin on THE ISLE OF MAN for years my opinion was this car was....FUN

[@alanrogers9597]

I had an E reg Regal in 1985, as I couldn't stand another winter on a motorbike. Wife and I had some fun trips in it, and often had it up on 2 wheels round corners and roundabouts, eventually the PIG inspired me to take my car test and get a PROPER car. I'm 64 now, no pig in sight, but still have a summer only motorbike

[@laratheplanespotter]

I really like your narration style. This is the first video I’ve seen of yours and I’m subbed!

[@davidaldridge7248]

We had 2 Reliant Regals when I was a kid. My first ever car was a red 1977 Reliant Robin 850 super. Never quite worked out what the super part was but i loved it. Clothes peg to keep the choke open when I started it up in the morning. Spare jerry can of petrol in the boot because the petrol gauge had a life of its own. I named it Dennis after Chelsea captain Dennis Wise as it couldn't handle corners. It was a wreck but it was my wreck and i physically cried when the day finally came that me and my dad had to admit we couldn't get it going again one last time. Maybe not the best but still the favourite car ive ever had.

[@stevedickson5853]

Owned two in the past, miss them both best fun i ever had driving around and the 1st one being the van version and the 2nd being an estate they seemed to gooble up anything in the back.

[@UncleJoeLITE]

Thanks RVM. 🇦🇺 These are odd 'cars'. Makes me think of Tracey Ullman!

[@MirzaAhmed89]

You mean RMV?

[@stevedickson5853]

Wow the Tracy Ullman vid I remember it, a Reliant Regal saloon if I remember her boyfriends in the video

[@UncleJoeLITE]

​@@MirzaAhmed89😂 yeah

[@UncleJoeLITE]

​@@stevedickson5853Paul McCartney 🎉

[@Digibeatle09]

Very informative - thanks - of course, we are "going back in time" - as regards robustness (or lack thereof) of car design (whether 4 or 3 wheeled) - but did many Reliant owners - seated in a fibre glass body - and "just one front wheel" - prefer Not to put the pedal down too much ....................😱 !!!!!

[@bd7046]

I daily drive a Reliant Robin (MK2) it's my first car at 30 years old, being driven on my motorcycle license in the UK :) 20 years ago these cars were laughed at, and I would have been embraased to say it's my first car, but people love it now!

[@devimead750]

I loved my plastic pig, not as much as my motorcycles, but then I hadn't, and didn't want a car or the car licence. When I sold of my Reliant Regal and bought an 850 Robin, I fitted a pair of alloy wheels to it, and as I had a pair of Norton Commando Girling shock absorbers doing nothing, I thought that I would replace the dampers with the Girling's, wow, did that change the handling, it was like a little go-kart.

[@davidcrossley3542]

Had every 3 wheeler for 25 years kept us warm and dry £1 to get to Blackpool and home again

[@davidhughes211]

The "car" was to save you from the elements. And they did that well using a motorcycle licence, in there day. My son uses ours as an everyday driver. After I (his dad) introduced him to one for a bit of fun with his workmates who organised a trip to the Nurburgring, on tik tok. Great trip we had.😁

[@richardjames3356]

17:55 "demolished and turned into a housing estate"- the story of Britain over the last 30 years

[@MartinPGrindrod]

You could drive one with a motorcycle license and they often advertised in the motorcycle magazines. They were very popular in the 60's and 70's, we had an early one with Austin Seven engine (and no heater!) for my mum to drive to work, I think it cost us £25 and used more oil than petrol until we rebuilt the engine.

[@philhealey4443]

I went once as a passenger in a Robin piloted by a colleague at work. The dramatic cornering dynamics were not aligned with my expectations as a Peugeot 205 driver, and I ensured I never repeated the experience.

[@MB-nn3jw]

Growing up, one of our neighbours had one he dumped in the backyard, late 1970’s. Us kids would play in it. It was a dark blue colour and a pile of crap. It had not been looked after, even at that stage. As far as I recall it never ran.

[@biomed2560]

This was a very interesting history of a car we all know so well. It would have added to the interest to hear what the sources of the engine were. The first side valve engine was identified but none of the later ones.

[@nickcoppard5335]

Reliant own

[@sjcuk]

"Reliant's Three Wheelers" The Bond Bug wasn't mentioned.

[@barrytipton1197]

And other bonds they had a motorcycle engine under the front bonnet was attached to the wheel

[@sjcuk]

@barrytipton1197 Not all Bonds were Reliant's. The early ones were just Bonds until they were bought out by Reliant, by the time of the Bug it was just a badge, A bit like Ghia being bought by Ford.

[@MichaelNabbs]

Had four Reliants Regal and Robin. Great fun especially in the snow.

[@ccooper8785]

I remember back in 1976/7 my Grandfathers neighbour, his wife and their 5 children happily squeezing into a Robin van and setting off for a day out. As my Dad did not have a car, I was jealous and certainly not going to take the mick...

[@michaeloreilly657]

Nice to see your own work included in the video.

[@Flaming-Hedgehog]

A Comical Commercial Success. The true comedy is the bazaar licencing system that led to this.

[@userscott]

Amazing video! I have a Reliant Robin and so very happy to see this!

[@FortunaFortesJuvat]

I see a new Ruairidh MacVeigh video, I know how my next 20 minutes will be spent!

[@deanosaur808]

Nice.. you allowed one minute for a toilet break 😛😂👍

[@bongoslide]

All the cars ive owned. my memory of my relient robin super van. was my most fondest,befor i passed my car test and had a ike lisences. i traveled as a cheff to both Isle of mull and straight down to Newquay cornwall, Driving in snow was fun, the choice was middle wheel up on central snow or at an angle, i was looky as fixing the side panels i made the sides much lower, and an idiot turning into a car park in craignure put it up on 2 wheels , so funny it came to a halt and dropped back onto all 3 wheels, thus fileing side down to its propers size. Use to race it with others on fistrle beach car park anti clockwize, Drilled hole under drin gutters and bungee my surfboard with a towel under it, So so much fun slept in it , Many mocked me for not following current trtends ,but they never had the fun i did,. I think if they had made reverse 2 wheels at front it would of sold more, just look at how many make these type now.

[@EssGeeSee]

I loved my 1975 Robin. Bit of easy tweaking of the engine and it went like stink. Trust me approaching a roundabout on a bypass, too fast, in the rain, and a bit too stoned taught you how to drive pretty quickly.

[@leeanderironside1898]

Thank you for posting this story , most enjoyable !

[@TedBeyr]

Brian Murphy drove a Reliant in George & Mildred…the butt of many jokes in the show.

[@videomentaryproductionschannel]

Great Car, I had Reliant Robins for over 25 years ,only got rid of 2 years ago because of the £12 charge fantastic left all other cars stuck in the snow and had a good 4 foot of loading space with seats down and handled really well even in the wet, but was a bitch to work on the engine lol but always started every time , yes they were a bit bumpy but it was warm and dry transport and cheap to run loved that car, even ran my Mobile Disco to and from Gigs, oh and not for getting traveled to wales and back 6 times lol.

[@drstevenrey]

I don't think the Robins were displaced by Fiestas and Minis. The general affluence just went up enough so people could afford normal cars. In the 50s the tricycle was a life saver with his massively lower price and cost. Today, if you really want a taste of the 50s, drive a Regal, Robin or any other of these 3 wheeled cars. Hey, even Morgan had a go with their three wheeler.

[@everTriumph]

Don't forget the other 3 wheeler manufacturer, the Bond's. The last model had an 875cc rear engined Imp power/transaxle pack.

[@stevenwatsham5973]

I remember them being called ' Puddle jumpers'.. They still make me smile when I see one.. Only fools and horses probably did not help there imagine .. lol

[@kleedhamhobby]

My Uncle Dick drove a Reliant 3-wheeler from the 1960s on, after upgrading from a motorbike and sidecar. I don't think the issue was so much cost, as that he didn't want to take the driving test to upgrade his motorcycle driving license to a car license. The driving test was pretty strict then. My Dad drove a motorbike in the 1950s, and when we got a car in the 1960s (a 1959 Anglia), my Dad took the driving test six times and failed before he finally passed on the seventh attempt (test wasn't easy, and my Dad was stubborn, and insisted he already knew how to drive). And my Dad was particularly steamed because we had a neighbour who had a car driving license but never passed the test, because of some sort of grandfathering of early car drivers. At least, that's how I recall it all. I can certainly remember Uncle Dick pulling up in a blue Reliant. I also recall being stuck, as a toddler, in his sidecar with my Mum and berserk cat... but that's another story.

[@marckyle5895]

A most versatile vehicle. When both NASA's Top Gear section and Mr. Bean used the same basic design, that's genius engineering! 😂😂

[@paulhelman2376]

The Morgan layout much superior. Front independent sprung front wheels and single rear driving wheel This was proven viable in early competitive trials.

[@deanosaur808]

That's not the point. Having a single wheel at the front meant you could drive with just motorcycle licence

[@Darwinion]

Reliant were aiming for mass market though. A Morgan carries nothing more than your lunch in a 2 seater. For a small family thats just useless.

[@russcattell955i]

The Scimitar was mainly a good, rust proof hatchback Capri 3L. The RS200 with Cosworth motor, many parts and financed by Ford, was a fabulous, yet failure of a car.

[@daverees9344]

Had 3 of them before passing my test. Great fun little cars. Later on I got aScimitar GTE 3 litre to end my Reliant shinanagans.

[@dalghren]

it amazes me that the carmaker who made the robin also produced a sportscar called the scimitar.

[@lezking5060]

It's a shame that Reliant aren't still around now - The Robin/Kitten could have been the basis for a cheap, basic, but practical electric car and van.

[@DrPowerElectronics]

Mr Prigmore had one in London when I was a student! EVs should be light, not 2 ton monsters

[@jadefalcon001]

I should be going to sleep. But nope! gotta watch this first!

[@paulframe85]

You've got a pony in your pocket. I'll get the suitcase from the van....

[@marksaunderson3042]

Wow, 23 horse power. My 2013 250cc motorcycle beats that, 24. When I was a kid a friend of mine had a neighbour who loved them.. One day I visited my friend, and the car has self combusted. So the neighbour bought another one. 6 months later. . That one went up in smoke like the first. ‘Has he bought another fire?” Not yet.

[@deanosaur808]

More horsepower less torque 😉

[@RichardFraser-y9t]

Design for low cost and the mass market is hard.

[@T.E.S.S.]

a modern Kitten would be perfect for me now

[@colinlegrys9434]

You are getting confused between Motorcycle and car driving licences and road fund licences. Either type of driving licences were at the time were cheap and affordable. The road fund licence was another matter. I had both driving licences and could chose between both types of vehicle, I had three Reliants in all, I drove one to Naples and crossed the St. Bernard pass in one. I could corner on two wheels happily knowing that it had no unexpected vices. One drawback , when we had snow in the winters back then, was the rear wheels would be in the four-wheeler tracks but the front wheel would be on the mound left in the middle, the throttle rod would seize up with the snow under the car and it needed a hooked foot under the pedal to free it. To sum up, if you were an experienced driver they were great, unless you were trying to sensationally make a T.V. show!

[@darleytransportandtravel6353]

For some reason or other railway men used to love this car

[@andyt2510]

Noticed the @HubNut sticker on the Kitten at 11:33.

[@MZig-rw7su]

Incorrect! The real reason was the price difference between a Reliant and a four wheel car which was huge. The licence was not the main reason.

[@kevinbarry71]

It looks a lot like something I rode before I moved up to two wheels at age 4

[@BegudMaximan-zp2tc]

Driven sensibly they were fine for transportation. The 850cc engines were very good economically, and proved good runners.

[@theprior46]

I've never seen it mentioned how the front single wheel is removed to change the tyre when it's worn out or indeed how access is gained to check tyre pressure. It must be easy but to me it looks extremely inaccessible. I sat in a Robin once and being 6ft 1" tall I found the seating horrendously uncomfortable - no way to adjust the seat back and to describe it as short of legroom would be an understatement.

[@jefferypardue7509]

I believe a reliant Robin is part of the comedy bit for Mr. Bean where Mr. Bean drives his Morris mini automobile into a reliant and tips it over in several scenes in the limited Mr. Bean series.

[@pamelablake7647]

Its MrT I was a reliant owner for 20 yrs had a Robin 850cc then another all fiberglass bodies used to tour all over Yorkshire and Lancashire at one time was second best selling car in GB

[@reluctantheist5224]

If these were 4 to 5 grand and made now, New, I'd have one in a jiffy.

[@danielt.8573]

After Brexit the very first thing to do would've been to roll back all those big laws and little laws imposed by the EU for decades that lead to the demise of the british car industry. Same thing with farming by the way.

[@paulduffitt7338]

never heard of 26mpg from a morris minor ....what is your source?

[@CurioByBSpokeDesigns]

Regularly got more than 40 mpg from mine

[@petercurrell9344]

In the 60's a lot had only moterboke licence so upgradings to 3 wheelers made sense.

[@MrStr8den]

A picture of the V6 engined Reliant Scimitar sports car would not have gone amiss, especially where mentioning the housing estate that now sits where the factory used to be.

[@gregnorth6413]

Well into this century, Reliant three wheelers were a common sight especially in the north west. Yesterdays Fiesta...