Monday, October 17, 2005

From The Sublime to The Ridiculous

This is not a Reliant Robin, the famous three-wheeled car.
This is a Reliant Kitten.
The Kitten was a four wheeled version of the Robin. The Robin always had the distinct advantage that ' motor-tricycles' were taxed for the road the same as motorcycles, ie a 90% tax reduction every year.
And there would be many years.
The Reliant cars were glass-fibre bodied, so they didn't rust. Like the clean example in the photo. Taken today, in 2005, the 'S' registration plate indicates the car was built in 1978.
Still clean.
Of course, the 'Kitten' is rare because it lacked the hard-headed economic benefit of getting a real car for the tax-rate of a motorcycle, so fewer were built.

For many years the Reliant company was also the target of envy for mainstream car drivers, since it also built the Reliant Scimitar, a full-fat sports hatchback with a Ford 3-Litre V-6.

We'll all have to live in hope that I get a shot of one of those. They were really nice!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Why not go for one!
Scimitars are way too cheap, and not that expensive to run.
I did, 12 years ago, and that in the Netherlands, where Reliants and Scimitars are as rare a hens teeth.

Sky Captain said...

Haven't got the dough at the moment Erik.But you are in agreeent with the experts;Scimitars are cheap and on the up.