Yesterday, I posted the first Reliant Scimitar, the SE4. This is its successor, the SE5, introduced in 1968. As well as a new frontal design, the SE5 also featured the elongated ‘sporty estate’ GTE rear bodywork employed by the Scimitar for the rest of its life. The SE5 used the Ford Essex V6 engine, already seen in late SE4s. This 1974 car, seen at the recent Practical Classics resto show, has apparently had one owner from new. (1/2)
Today, a much more stylish Reliant in the form of this early Scimitar, a rare SE4 model. The SE4 (1964-70) didn’t have the long hatchback body normally seen on the Scimitar from the SE5 models onwards but was instead a notchback coupé. This convertible is a one-off conversion by an enthusiast, and has the old Ford 2.6-litre straight six engine, not the later ‘Essex’ Ford V6 seen in most Scimitars. Pics taken at the Practical Classics resto show.
Today, we’re staying at the lower end of the Reliant range but today’s subject has four, rather than three, wheels. The Reliant Fox story originated in Greece in 1979, when a local company, MEBEA, put on sale a light utility vehicle it had developed using Reliant parts. Reliant took over production in 1983 and the Fox was then made in the UK until 1990. Seen at the recent Practical Classics resto show.
A nice treat today in the form of this rather ropey old Reliant Rialto, seen at last month’s Practical Classics resto show, displayed in what I am guessing is its characteristic ‘bonnet open’ configuration. The Rialto, introduced in 1982, was an evolution of the better-known Robin three-wheeler outfitted with a more modern front-end design.
This sequence of posts took as its starting point the British Army’s decision to replace its Land Rover Defenders. This is how Land Rover itself replaced the Defender - with this all-new Defender introduced in 2020. There wasn’t really any carryover from the original model except in terms of looks. Snapped at my local station car park in 2024. (1/2)
After yesterday’s DC 100 concept, here’s an earlier idea for a Land Rover Defender successor from the 1990s. Despite its traditional looks, LCV 2/3 was an advanced vehicle using a modern riveted/bonded structure. Land Rover’s ‘how do we replace the Defender?’ headache clearly lasted for decades. Pic taken - British Motor Museum, Gaydon, 2023.
The current sequence of posts took as its starting point the decision of the British military to replace its Land Rovers. Land Rover itself struggled for a long time with the difficult decision about how to replace its standard Defender model. In 2011 the company released the DC 100 concept to float its ideas on the subject. While DC 100 didn’t get the nod, it’s easy to see the links to the eventual new Defender. Snapped at the British Motor Museum.
The current sequence of posts was sparked by the news that the British military would start retiring its Land Rovers. Today’s post is inspired by the news that Land Rover’s Freelander badge is to be revived as the brand for a new range of China-built EVs from Chery and JLR. I saw this original Mk1 Freelander locally in 2024. (1/2)
I’ve already explained in recent posts how the Mini and the Beetle were adapted for use as light military utility vehicles in the form of the Moke and the 181 respectively. Less well known - back in the 1950s and 1960s, the British Royal Marines used the Citroën 2CV for the same purpose. I saw this (non-military) 2CV at the recent Practical Classics resto show. (1/2)
After yesterday’s 181/Thing, here’s another open-topped Beetle-connected Volkswagen, the convertible version of the second-generation reinvented Beetle. I posted one of these a few weeks ago with the roof up (and the same retro wheels). This is what they look like with the roof down. Seen at the recent Practical Classics resto show at the NEC.
David Wilkins