Reliant is an automaker from United Kingdom and was based in Tamworth, Staffordshire. They were first known in designing and producing the Reliant Robin, a three-wheeled vehicle. Reliant also designed an array of different vehicles during its 60 years of existence.
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These vehicles included commercial vehicles, sports cars, and convertibles. Reliant models were distributed to nine different countries with not more than 2 million units released. Reliant was named as the largest car manufacturer in the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1990.
As of now, Reliant is already an inactive company however their parts division is still running to support and produce spares for existing Reliant vehicles and sports car under the Tempest brand.
The company started as the Raleigh Bicycle Company founded by T.L. Williams and his colleague, E.S. Thompson. They stopped the production of three-wheeled vehicles in 1934 and decided to build their custom vehicle in William’s backyard in Tamworth, UK. The prototype they made is a 350-kilogram van covered in steel body and has a 750 cc V-twin engine.
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From Williams’ backyard, the team moved to a bus depot in Fazeley. On the second quarter of 1935, Williams and Thompson delivered the first Reliant vehicle – a 600cc J.A.P. engine powered motor that resembled to a motorcycle where the rider sits on top. An updated version came a year after with engine improvements and the driver already has seats in the front.
Reliant continued to produce vehicles until 2001 where it was still producing 50 units per week. The Reliant Robin still existed during that time with its last version with a price tag of £10,000.