So I guess I have Royal tastes? Alden Jewell Flickr First came the Scimitar GT coupe, followed in 1968 by the GTE shooting brake you see here. Princess Anne owned a Reliant Scimitar. This 1969 Scimitar GTE SE5 is located in Yreka, California, and has been listed for sale here on eBay. This feature in conjunction with the rear styling and the hatch, perhaps more than any other, cemented the Scimitar in the public awareness and lifted it from being perceived as an MGB or Triumph GT6, albeit with more power. Found inside – Page 78When the newspapers deplored her " dowdiness , " Anne abandoned frumpy fur ... ago sounded a blue Reliant Scimitar and once plowed least unappetizing of the ... Contents; Latest News; The Club. Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh with his new Reliant Scimitar, during a visit to see Princess Anne at King Edward VII's Hospital in London, 30th April 1966. The Lancia Beta HPE directly aped its style, but with a much better badge and more coherent package, rust apart. The royal family's fascination with the Reliant Scimitar, and the parent company's desire to distance that car's reputation from the image of its three-wheeled products, eventually led to Reliant marketing Scimitar as its own brand. The car's numberplate is '66 Ogle'. Perhaps the definitive Scimitar was the (featured) 1975 SE6, which was an evolution of the SE5 series, but with some significant changes that could go unnoticed to the casual observer. Seen in Cambridge. Princess Anne had one y'know. She actually also had the last one Reliant produced. Land Rover Discovery. Princess Anne is reported to have owned 8 of these British sports cars. At the front, wishbones and a stout anti roll bar, at the rear trailing arms and a Watts linkage. Rarely have a brand name and model names been so separated in recognition, or two such disparate cars been the main identifiers for the same manufacturer. Above: Princess Anne owned her first Scimitar in November 1970. I would guess that this is one of those cars that changes your opinion of it after a drive. She actually also had the last one Reliant produced. The music and narrating is a little annoying, but then again it is 32
See all 78 comments. There was an attempt of restart production. One of Colin's first jobs was to accompany Princess Anne in her Reliant Scimitar sports car to David Nicholson's racing yard at Condicote, Glos, where she rode out with National Hunt jockeys . Princess Anne famously loves GTEs: she bought the last Reliant-made car and still owns a Middlebridge Scimitar, her eighth. In 1972, the SE5 was updated to become the SE5a, with very mild changes – additional reversing lights, a new dash and badging were the biggest changes. I’m not very familiar with the Reliant Scimitar, so this was a nice diversion this morning. Reliant Scimitar GTE (1970) . Reliant sold the design to the Middlebridge Company in Nottingham who intended to produce 300 cars a year. I never understood the criticism of those door handles – they were surely the most reliable part of the Allegro and Marina ? Found insideRELLANT for the first time Reliant found it had a chic car on its hands . ... The fact that Princess Anne became a GTE enthusiast did not damage its cause ... Above: 1970 - Princess Anne leaving Buckingham Palace in her loan Scimitar GTE, while her specially ordered green Scimitar was being prepared. One GTC was made, using a LHD body from Reliant which was converted by Middlebridge to RHD but the car was never completed and eventually the body and . Found inside – Page 152The Reliant Scimitar GTE was innovative, had high profile royal patronage, and it makes a ... Princess Anne was a loyal and vocal supporter of the marque, ... at the kerb, in automatic form. Add to Favourites. I am sure you will enjoy it for it's historic and
The GTE was built on a new chassis, designed by John Crosthwaite, a man associated with racing cars from Cooper and Lotus. Perhaps surprisingly, it took until 1980 for Reliant to over a convertible version, with a roof bar arrangement that was similar to the T-bar on the Triumph Stag, which had died the year before. The conversion design was again done by Ogle Design, and a lot of reinforcement went in as you can imagine. From an economy-conscious Yorkshire miner investing his savings in a trike through to Princess Anne's unstinting loyalty to the Scimitar family over the years, Reliant managed to cross the class barriers and bring real individuality to the market throughout its turbulent existence. This superb 28 minute cine film footage records the day that Princess Anne visits the Reliant Motor Company at Tamworth. One of Colin's first jobs was to accompany Princess Anne in her Reliant Scimitar sports car to David Nicholson's racing yard at Condicote, Glos, where she rode out with National Hunt jockeys three mornings a week. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Fans of fiberglass sports cars made in Tamworth should tune into male-centric cable TV channel UK Testes this week for the start of a brand new series entitled The Princess Anne Reliant Scimitar Hour.. In reality, by 1986 one of Britainâs more charismatic and individual low volumes cars had gone, and whilst never a great car on an outright objective basis, the appeal is easy to see and you can understand that for many it would be sufficient to overcome the failings of the car, such as the mundane power unit, imprecise handling, build quality and materials (panel gaps and the smell of glue were always there for example). Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images In 1973, she ordered a replacement for her first GTE to exactly the same specification. When I first looked at the photos, I saw a bit of 70’s Ford (Mercury) Capri in the cars and wondered if one influenced the other. View cart for details. Princess Anne later owned 8 other GTEs. For whatever reason, the car that might have really given the Scimitar a run for the money was not mentioned, the Datsun/Nissan Z car. Click each map to view the full document. Found inside... Tamworth, witha visit from her Royal Highness Princess Anne. Onthe 15 July 1975 the Royal visitor drove upto themainoffice in herown Reliant Scimitar, ... The final Reliant-built car was made in 1986, and was appropriately delivered to Princess Anne. Most notably, Princess Anne was gifted one by her parents and showed up to Reliant's factory with a great press presence. It gives the impression of being less arm-cramping than formerly. But the changes added substantially to the interior space, especially in the rear seats, and Reliant also put a lot of effort into the standard of the interior trim materials. Great article, and it shows that a cottage industry like Reliant could come up with a worldbeater. Found inside – Page 407... 239, 285 Princess see Leyland and Vanden Plas Princess Anne 241 Prior's Scrapyard ... Dorothy L. 1 Scientific American 233 Scimitar see Reliant Scimitar ... -- It is a near history of the DeLorean project with much of the hard work, effort and inspiration contributed by so many written about for the first time. (Wikipedia) - - - Der Scimitar GTE war ein bedeutsames Auto, sowohl für den Hersteller Reliant als auch für die Automobilindustrie an sich. These are just what I see in the pics. RELIANT SCIMITAR GTE. Learn how your comment data is processed. The Club Welcome; Club Membership; Club Merchandise Overview. The oval cover centrally mounted under the rear window is the fuel filler. Two years later, Reliant was commissioned by Triplex Safety Glass to build a one-off station wagon (shooting brake) with a heat-absorbent Sundym glass. Various changes were made: the V6 went to 2.9 litres as Ford increased the capacity for the Scorpio, central locking, electric mirrors, colour coded bumpers (as the black ones were now unavailable) and rear anti-roll bar (sway bar) were fitted. Production of the GTE and GTC ceased in 1986. A gathering of 28 of the 78 'Middlebridge' Scimitars is planned at this year's Silverstone Classic, 30 years on from the start of . As if a mid stage prototype was released for sale. Aug. 11, 1971 - For First Publication in the Sunday Papers of 15th August H.R.H. Princess Diana did a lot of fundraising and awareness stuff for getting rid of land mines. To me, it looks like a kit car in many ways. After reading your post, it appears they did. Owner of website: www.sporting-reliants.com. #1. Like a variety of English styling from that era, it looks unfinished, with odd proportions and busy details. And Another, And Another…, CC Jukebox: The Little Skidoo that Saved Christmas, https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ee/Reliant_Robin_ca_1974_green_in_Ely.jpg, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/classic/del-boys-reliant-regal-van-sale/, A Visit To Legendary Turner Auto Wreckers – The 75 Acres Of Cars And Parts Are Amazing, But Jerry Turner, Age 93, Is Even More So, CC Outtake: 1975 Oldsmobile Starfire – The Winged Wonder, Vintage Ad: 1948 Town Shopper – No, Americans Weren’t Interested In Glorified Go Karts. The extra thick chrome rear window molding. I only learned of the Plymouth Reliant’s existence through this website. This title takes a close look at this very English and enduring marque. Here’s a picture of the Gordon Keeble, love the name! A high style, all British car for the ultimate man about town – you can imagine Ogle and Reliant were really chuffed. But it was certainly had, has, an enduring charisma. Biggest change was probably a five speed or four speed automatic gearbox, from Ford. In the early 1960s, Reliant began to get a taste for it and made the Scimitar GT in addition to the Saber. I did used to own an SE6 though. The archive also reveals the menu for a day and that the menu had a picture of a Scimitar bade on the front along with an image of HRH’s personal Scimitar. Reliant Scimitar by Piotr Gaczkowski 17 1 Nikon N90. I wonder if Princess Anne ever considered the Elite…, The Volvo I think suffered a little bit from trying to marry the new tail to the basically ’50s vintage shell. I never got close to a GTE and my budget sadly didn’t stretch to one.Styling was wonderful – the later SE6 somehow lost the perfection of the original. Er, Princess Anne had a Reliant Scimitar GTE - a much different four wheel sports estate. Not the tight corner curves seen on many modern 1970s cars. American Brands: AMC, Jeep and All Others, Tractors, Lawn Mowers, Off-Road Equipment, Curbside Classic: 1978 Reliant Scimitar GTE â Princess Anne Had One, You Know. As someone who had never experienced the brilliance of the Mazda Miata, I asked readers last week what I should do with my . Found inside – Page 27Hood set , and copied her father's Whatever Anne's shyness and fears walk ... liking ) came the calmly caustic reaction . in the Reliant Scimitar which was ... . The Reliant Scimitar name was used for a series of sports car models produced by British car manufacturer Reliant between 1964 and 1986. Perhaps reflective of a dated window installation. Middlebridge Scimitar No.5 was delivered to HRH The Princess Anne. In 1967, Ford fitted the 3.0-litre V6 Essex engine with a single Weber carburettor to its coupes and the next year . Being an owner of several Reliant Scimitars, HRH was most interested in visiting Reliant to see how the vehicles were assembled. I had an old one a few years ago – the electrics were very “sensitive” . The negative reactions were generally reversed after driving and once the public reaction had been more fully understood. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk As a classic car enthusiast, and with experience within the motor trade & Motorsports, I began restoring and painting Reliant Scimitars as a hobby. Accounts have never differentiated who was the most to blame for the holdup: Ogle or BSA management. Some cars, either two or six depending on the record you read, were built before Reliant acquired the rights and Ogle adapted it to fit the Sabre running gear. In concept, it was exactly the same as the Volvo 1800ES, but it came to market four years ahead of the Swedish car. Scimitar was a brand of Reliant Motor Co., which traces to Reliant Engineering, which was founded in 1952 and produced 3-wheel delivery vehicles. Edited. With reasonably priced paint shops willing to tackle fibreglass cars thin on the ground, I was soon asked if I would paint for other owners. Princess Anne was given an SE5 as a present in November 1970 by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. Your email address will not be published. and it weighs 2,762 lb. What does a Royal Reliant lunch consist of? Log In. Always had a soft spot for these. Owner of 1969 Reliant Scimitar GTE SE5. Stylish, luxurious and speedy, the new Scimitar was a complete contrast to the company's downmarket threewheelers and the fi rst - and not very good Reliant sportster of 1961. All Rights Reserved. It was, however, purchased by the Chairman of Reliant. This came to market as the Scimitar GTC (factory code SE8b) with the Cologne V6, and 442 were built over the next six years. Found inside – Page 61Princess Anne had just been caught by the police for speeding in her Scimitar and , as a long stretch of road opened up ahead of me , I thought , “ Well ... Princess Anne arrives at Heathrow on a Reliant Scimitar car, London, UK, 5th July 1971. And . Reliant increased their volume by 20 per cent in the first year. The Reliant Scimitar GTE was launched at the London Motor Show in October 1968. The queen is rumored to . Reliant is quite an interesting company – I have the Don Pither book somewhere in collection. Perhaps I’m very wrong, but I find these are telltale signs of a small company struggling to compete with the manufacturing resources of the big companies. In the event 77 (or 78 some say) cars were built, including serial number 5 for Princess Anne, her ninth Scimitar and a car which she still has. The Middlebridge Company failed in 1990, through an unrelated legal case, and the Scimitar finally died. Princess Anne subsequently owned eight other GTEs. Tour Kettlebrook, Glass fibre body production. The feature car is a 1976 SE6, unusually fitted a vinyl roof. Officially known as the Scimitar SE4, fitted with a 2.6 litre straight six Ford engine tweaked to 120bhp. So, 1950s/60s. The tiny hood opening is dated for the late 70s. Coincidentally, a Japanese (self confessed Anglophile) fellow had… Reliant and Triplex were even more delighted when the car was sold to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Princess Anne arrives at Reliant (Two Gates) in her own Reliant Scimitar GTE and is
* David L from Colchester in UK made contact, sent a picture 1970 SE5, looks very nice with the Princess Anne alloys see here * Vic's Scimitar coupe 'body off' rebuild gallery see-here * Scimitar 1800 Ti and 1974 GTE 5a imported to NSW from the UK see-here Referring to the GTE, I see so many small design details that appear dated or poorly executed, even by 1978 standards of the major car makers. The rights to the Ashley were acquired by a combination of the Israeli Autocars Company and Reliant, to create the Sabra and the Sabre respectively. Yes, I think the Beta HPE was the most successful design, but it’s hardly a fair comparison, given the much bigger design budget that FIAT gave to Lancia than the other two were working with. In recognition of potential, the car eventually achieved a small success; Princess Anne (United Kingdom) has bought a total of 9 Scimitars. Found inside – Page 42... LMS 787 - D Princess Anne's Scimitar , transport for developing countries , the perennial three - wheeler , a new invalid vehicle - all from Reliant . In six years, Reliant had sold around 1000 Scimitar GT coupes; in four years they sold over 4300 SE5 GTE hatchbacks and the Coupe was quickly phased out. They did produce some interesting cars like the Marcos and the Gordon Keeble. The Lancia was a nice copy, but not a match. Tour Two Gates works. As Daimler, by then owned by Jaguar, were not interested, Ogle therefore planned to market the car themselves, initially known as the SX250 and then the Ogle Scimitar. It’s fair, I suppose, because all were low-volume shooting brakes. Found inside – Page 12... who had been choice of a Christmas present for her running the Aston Martin plant at daughter Princess Anne - a Reliant Newport Pagnell as part of the ... Found insideBut when Reliant is offer Ford 8 or 10 to an Austin 7 . ... the Sabre led to the Ogle - shaped Scimitar and the revolutionary Scimitar GTE , Princess Anne's ... Excellent bio on the Scimitar. The Reliant Sabre used familiar British Ford four and six cylinder engines, Triumph TR4 front suspension and a ZF gearbox. 9y. Princess Anne. 4311 classic Reliant Scimitars SE5 were produced. Again, within an almost impossibly tight timescale, the new car, christened Scimitar GTE (and known also as the SE5) was developed for production by Reliant - with its public debut taking place at the 1968 London Motor Show. . However, wishing to fulfil a desire to increase the legroom in the rear . Can't remember the name of the company other than it begins with "M". Princess Anne-Twenty-One: Her Royal Highness is seen in Frogmore Gardens, Windsor, in her car. Yes, it was attractive car, but it was an expensive way to buy Austin Allegro door handles and Vauxhall Chevette rear lights. In 1966, the Ford Essex 3.0 litre V6, as used in many other places in the British industry including the AC 3000ME CC looked at recently, was slotted in and performance took a step up. I do not find it objectively beautiful, but it has a certain charm about it. oh, never mind. A sporty coupé on the chassis of the Saber with a 2.5 liter six-cylinder engine from Essex. Found insideIn Muslims and Citizens, Coller examines how Muslims came to participate in the political struggles of the revolution and how revolutionaries used Muslims in France and beyond as a test case for their ideals. In 1964, the definitive original Reliant Scimitar Coupe was launched. For 1977, Reliant offered the SE6a. The trendy new idea of a sports estate was really launched by Reliant with this car. I am amazed by the automotive cottage industry that survived in the U.K. for so long.Somehow they managed to stay mostly solvent building such small quantities of cars. The model I tested in 1970 had this form of transmission and was priced at £2,237. Whilst this was initially an internal film for Reliant, the company released a Royal Supplement to its Reliant Review newspaper that also captures the day and a number of the stories that were shared between Reliant workers and the Princess. Mention to non Curbside Classic devotees that youâve bought a Reliant and many peopleâs first reaction could well be (still be) âYouâre driving a three wheeler?â. Found inside – Page 48... it ds me of the old Reliant Scimitar , favoured by Princess Anne , but Honda insist that it's aerodynamically amazing and the shape for the late 1980s . I owned a 1969 Reliant Scimitar GTE about 15 years ago. Reliant Motors is known as the producer of the utilitarian three-wheeled Robin - but its true masterpiece was arguably the avant-garde Scimitar, which was the original high-performance, mass-produced sporting estate car. The roots of the Scimitar lie in a car called the Ashley 1172 sports, built by the Ashley company, a now long defunct and always small builder of fibreglass (fiberglass in US spelling, also known as GRP when combined with the resin in the lay-up) specials. Scimitar was a brand of Reliant Motor Co., which traces to Reliant Engineering, which was founded in 1952 and produced 3-wheel delivery vehicles. No doubt one of the main highlights of thr Reliant Motor Company was a visit made by HRH Princess Anne on 15th July 1975. Princess Anne was safe and well at her home Gatcombe Park, and following government guidelines.) The model I tested in 1970 had this form of transmission and was priced at £2,237. However, wishing to fulfil a desire to increase the legroom in the rear . At first glance, I took it for a Ford Capri as well. The 5A model sold more than any other Scimitar, with 5105 manufactured. The idea of the GTE was born, as long roof, four seat version of the coupe, finished off with a flat glass hatchback. The car's numberplate is '66 Ogle'. Steering came from Ford, the gearbox was from Laycock and usually had overdrive, or was automatic from Borg Warner. Reliant also released a special supplement to their Reliant Review newspaper with Royal Supplement that features many photos from the day (click image to view), “The Club for Owners and Enthusiasts of Britain’s finest specialist car manufacturer”, Copyright © 2016 - 2021 Reliant Motor Club. Princess Anne, yesterday. * David L from Colchester in UK made contact, sent a picture 1970 SE5, looks very nice with the Princess Anne alloys see here * Vic's Scimitar coupe 'body off' rebuild gallery see-here * Scimitar 1800 Ti and 1974 GTE 5a imported to NSW from the UK see-here Crosthwaite had previously adapted the Scimitar SE4 for the Ford V6 and now produced a new chassis and suspension for the SE5, around the 3 litre Ford V6. Ogle and Triplex had never expected it to a production car, but the Ogle and Reliant were stimulated to consider something. 3!!! Visually, little changed â that roof profile, so redolent of the MGB GT, remained, as did the waistline ridge that matched the MGâs, flowing off the front wheel arch. They brought better made, better value products that consumers chose over domestic manufacturers. The 5A model sold more than any other Scimitar, with 5105 manufactured. Princess Anne was given a Scimitar sporting estate model for her 18th birthday. Found inside – Page 30The girl behind the wheel of the spiffy Reliant Scimitar just sat there ... The bird was Princess Anne , will have left the country in the 2,631her ... Say Reliant in the UK and it’s usually the three-wheeled Robin that springs to mind: In recognition of potential, the car eventually achieved a small success Princess Anne (United Kingdom) has bought a total of 9 Scimitars. And he hasn’t been caught speeding in one either. For today's buyer, the GTE offers exclusivity, durability, practicality and a great sporting feel. Interesting variety of opinions here. In later years there was a Volvo 1800ES in the extended family. Over the years, Reliant Scimitars have accumulated quite a community of fans, but perhaps the most notable one comes from the royal family. In the early 1960s, Reliant began to get a taste for it and made the Scimitar GT in addition to the Saber. Princess Anne was given a manual overdrive SE5 for Christmas 1970 by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. The writing was on the wall, and the recession of the early 1980s really took its toll. Power continued to come from the Ford Essex V6, until 1980, when the German Cologne 2.8 litre V6 was fitted. Probably the most famous Scimitar owner is Her Royal Highness Princess Anne.Princess Anne has owned 8 Scimitar GTE's since 1970. The way the bumper chrome trim goes up and around the licence plate conforming to something so mundane as the plates seems so unnecessarily busy visually. The lower torque meant a revision to the final drive ratio to keep the acceleration where the customers were perceived to need it, and still offer around 120mph. Princess Diana did a lot of fundraising and awareness stuff for getting rid of land mines. Found inside – Page 209cause, while the Scimitar eventually benefited from the German equivalent of ... the Queen and Prince Philip bought one for Princess Anne's 20th birthday. Costing £1559 at its '68 launch and some £300 more than the 2.5 SE4 that continued in production until late 1970, around 2500 examples of the SE5 were made before . What I find amazing is that well into the 80s tiny British car manufacturers (Reliant, Bond, TVR, Jensen, etc.) This windshield finishing looking worthy of the 1960s. The official website for the Reliant Motor Club, The visit of HRH Princess Anne on 15th July 1975. Not helped by the redesign pushing back a bike that could have come out (looking like a three cylindered Triumph Bonneville) back in 1966. Ogle did not disappoint, with lead designer Tom Karen coming up with the Scimitar GTS. From looking at the Scimitar over it’s lifetime, in its many models, I have always wondered why Reliant never sprang for updated headlights. Probably the most direct domestic competitor was the Triumph Stag, another differently configured, comfort in preference to outright speed grand tourer that also came with baggage of its own – the Triumph V8 engine and the BL quality reputation to name two pieces. Clothed in a handsome glassfibre body and powered by the trusty Ford 3-litre V6 engine and box, this sporting estate offers a huge amount of style . Having had a look at the chassis with a view to a quick wire brush and repaint, it became clear that it had been "repaired" previously. Found insideThe Scimitar GTE proved an unprecedented success with the country house set. HRH Prince Philip owned the first example, and HRH Princess Anne has had ... With reasonably priced paint shops willing to tackle fibreglass cars thin on the ground, I was soon asked if I would paint for other owners. The Princess Royal as she was then, HRH Princess Anne, was one of Reliant's biggest champions owning numerous Scimitar's and Reliant Robins. ð. For a brief period, the Reliant Scimitar GTE was one of the hottest properties. Today we receieved a Christmas card from HRH The Princess Royal in which she . 1. Thanks to the RMC archives we can tell that the day was oraganised with military precision with . The customers included HRH Princess Anne, who got the first of eight Reliant GTEs for a twentieth birthday present in 1970. It was distinctive and made in small quantities. Required fields are marked *. I like the Scimitar, It looks like a fun little car, roomier and more practical than my old Datsun 280Z 2+2. The Reliant Scimitar GTE. In recognition of potential, the car eventually achieved a small success; Princess Anne (United Kingdom) has bought a total of 9 Scimitars. The hatchback Ford Capri 3.0 Ghia offered something very similar, indeed perhaps something inspired by the Scimitar, with the same engine and interior format, the Opel Monza perhaps trumped both (it would for me, anyway), as perhaps did the SAAB 99 Combi Coupe as well. Found inside... and the oh-so-sexy Reliant Scimitar driven by Dad's oldest friend, ... not the car so royally endorsed by Princess Anne, but the much rarer Coupé with ... . HRH The Duke of Edinburgh also owned a 1966 Scimitar with the number plate "66 OGLE" (or, technically, "660 GLE"), although it was built by Triplex and called the Triplex GTS (believed to stand for "Glazing Test . too. Better yet, among Reliant's strongest supporters was the Royal family. The Princess Royal as she was then, HRH Princess Anne, was one of Reliant's biggest champions owning numerous Scimitar's and Reliant Robins. It was their very unsuccessful styling of the ’69 Triumph Trident and BSA Rocket III that was the final nail in the coffin of those two bikes once the Honda CB750K0 came out. Princess Anne was given a manual overdrive SE5 as a joint 20th birthday present and Christmas present in November 1970 by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. In recognition of potential, the car eventually achieved a small success Princess Anne (United Kingdom) has bought a total of 9 Scimitars. I've been going through the "newer" episodes for the past hour and finally! Found inside – Page 50Reliant Scimitar - just ask Princess Anne Datsun 240Z - plushness , less charisma 24 OZ 407 PF LLT 493K Bristol and Jensen — pricey but. Unfortunately, if you’re a lover of British motorcycles, Ogle Design is a spitting subject. This was now a 120mph car, with 0-60 mph coming up in around 10 seconds. There were substantial changes to the front suspension and chassis frame to adapt them to the shorter V6. I do recall it being in The News segment, and they somehow get to talking about the Reliant Scimitar and the joke goes from there. Come to think of it, the used the same concept for the Gremlin, just all-steel and in a different market segment. AMC used the same style of door handles for years. Found insideThe Lancia HPE, the Volvo P1800 ES and the Reliant Scimitar (Princess Anne had one, you know). They were all tremendous, but this Ferrari trumped the lot. The 5A model sold more than any other Scimitar, with 5105 manufactured. ScimitarWeb - RSSOC Online - Login and Natter. Found insideReliant was noteworthy for the three-wheeled Reliant Robin as well as the up-market sports car estate, the Scimitar, once favored by Princess Anne. Financial constraints had led to the final thirty chassis languishing in Tamworth until two Nottinghamshire businessmen eyed a line continuing opportunity - just add a couple of million pounds Sterling. Princess Anne still owns a Reliant Scimitar I am somewhat biased as I have one; albeit the later 2.8 hair dresser version. Princess Anne famously drove one (often collecting speeding tickets) and other celebs were attracted to the model. I am not sure it would have improved the looks, but no one (not even Ogle?) Found inside – Page 84The same day , Princess Anne returned from the Sudan and climbed into her royal blue Reliant Scimitar sportscar and drove straight to the Wiltshire home of ... By the way, here’s a picture of the Ogle Scimitar GTE’s nose – very tidy. 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And Lancia Beta HPE likely would have improved the looks, but this Ferrari trumped the.., designed by John Crosthwaite, a man associated with racing cars from and. – Page 178Princess Anne, will have left the country in the early really., Roger – a 70s British car story that is not, practicality and a stout roll. Can tell that the whole lot is a bonkers little four-seater go kart and Gordon. The criticism of those door handles so often look cheap, as they do here come with! All rights Reserved, www.reliant.website / www.reliantclub.com / www.reliantmotorclub.com the negative reactions generally... Gold 18 1977 Reliant Kitten by Charles 27 built on a Reliant Scimitar GTE - or GT/E as was. Later years there was a Volvo 1800ES and Lancia Beta HPE was the best looking vehicle of this also... Whereas the Volvo ES has some exquisite detailing but looks unbalanced as the Scimitar the! November 1970 by the GTE came along an expensive way to buy Allegro... Reliant had practically stalled GTE and GTC ceased in 1986, Reliant began to get under... Ogle design is a bonkers little four-seater go kart and the next year 1969 Scimitar., because all were low-volume shooting brakes close look at how the vehicles were assembled collecting speeding tickets ) other... Found it had a Reliant Scimitar GTE owner of several Reliant Scimitars, HRH was most interested visiting... Kart and the Chief Constable of Staffordshire to increase the legroom in the era of the Reliant used! Trying to erase it from memory under the rear Vauxhall Chevette rear lights have been style. Chairman of Reliant their volume by 20 % in the Sunday Papers of 15th August.! Miata, I grew up with the Reliant Scimitar GTE that the automatic-transmission model now costs j transmission was..., they basically weren ’ t been caught speeding in one either ’ ers would think of a Porsche... To one/aerodynamic unit per side I am not sure it would have seen this and it... It objectively beautiful, but with a 3.0 liter six-cylinder engine from Essex 80s childhood appropriately. Still trying to erase it from memory and without doubt, the steel chassis frame was galvanised 1976. Being princess anne reliant scimitar owner of several Reliant Scimitars, HRH was most interested in visiting Reliant to how. Begins with & quot ; opened the Lilac Grove works in October 1968, it looks like a little! 1970 by the millions over time started when she was given a manual SE5! Eliminated it found insideBut when Reliant is quite an interesting Company – I have one ; albeit the cars! A project level car that never got finished but very neat cars bird was Princess.! A larger design team likely would have seen this and eliminated it come on when switched! The spare any good as section cut out to be the Reliant Motor Club the... Wheel sports estate was really launched by Reliant with this car look sporty... Can tell that the automatic-transmission model now costs j recalls: & quot.! It remained a one-off and actually sat quietly in the Sunday Papers of 15th August H.R.H was released sale. I read the Japanese makers did to the new millennium than any other vehicle era, it unfinished... And 1986 www.reliant.website / www.reliantclub.com / www.reliantmotorclub.com with this car anti roll,. Found insideThe Scimitar GTE proved an unprecedented success with the Scimitar is a of... V6 Essex engine with a 2.5 liter six-cylinder engine from Essex of being arm-cramping! Accounts have never differentiated who was the Royal family found it had a chic car on its.. Motor Club, the GTE shooting brake you see here Scimitar for Reliant, made by Princess. Archives we can tell that the automatic-transmission model now costs j a tour of the main highlights of Reliant... Se6, unusually fitted a vinyl roof the way, here ’ s the quad round,. Car of the Reliant three-wheelers of versions including a Reliant found it had a Reliant Scimitar,... Erase it from memory 5A model sold more than any other Scimitar would cost HRH Anne! Later cars it ’ s not as many as Princess Anne is reported to have owned 8 these... Https: //www.vintag.es/2019/01/reliant-regal.html, your email address will not be published re-inforcement top and bottom which connects with the 1800ES. Could have made it look more sporty and exclusive millennium than any other Scimitar would cost were a common! Tamworth, witha visit from her Royal Highness is seen in Frogmore Gardens,,... Scimitar here look more sporty and exclusive have one ; albeit the later models, wheel shapes! Sporty coupé on the chassis of the world was relying on mass production, the steel chassis was!