Reliant Regal
Encyclopedia
The Reliant Regal was a small three-wheeled car manufactured from 1953 until 1973 by the Reliant Motor Company in Tamworth
, England. As it was a three-wheeler, and it was fairly lightweight, the vehicle could be driven on a motorcycle licence in the United Kingdom. A light-commercial version with a side-hinged rear door was marketed as the Reliant Supervan
(TW8).
The early Regals had aluminium bodies and 747cc side-valve engines though during the 1950s the price of aluminium increased markedly across Europe. Reliant developed an expertise in making panels of glass fibre which piece by piece replaced the aluminium panels until the 1956 Mark 3 Regal featured a glass fibre body. Unlike Panhard
, who responded to the increased cost of aluminium by substituting steel panels, Reliant's choice of the glass fibre technology ensured that the Regal was able to retain its advantageous light weight, with the resulting ability to use an inexpensive and economical, albeit low powered, engines. The Regal Mk VI was the last Regal to be powered by a side-valve engine as by 1962 Reliant had developed their own all aluminium 600cc OHV engine that was fitted into the new Regal 3/25.
The Regal 3/25 version was introduced in October 1962 and unlike previous Regals, this no longer had a wooden frame and instead had a unitary construction body of reinforced fibreglass. Fibreglass was moulded in two major units (outer and inner) and then bonded together and bolted to a steel chassis. Meanwhile, on 25 April 1968, a year before BMC celebrated their 2,000,000th Mini
Reliant sales director T.H.Scott personally drove the 50,000th Regal 3/25 off the assembly line at Reliant's Tamworth
plant.
A few months later, in August 1968, it was reported that the 701 cc engine which had been introduced in the Reliant Rebel
the previous Autumn had found its way into the Regal. In the three wheeler application the compression ratio
was lowered to 7.5:1 which will have reduced the power output – in this application to a claimed 29.5 bhp. Nevertheless, this still represented a useful increase over the 26 bhp claimed for the 600 cc Regal which this version replaced.
and Rodney Trotter
in the long-running BBC
sitcom Only Fools and Horses
. The van is frequently, and incorrectly, referred to as a Robin
, but is actually a Regal Supervan. The Trotters' original van is now on display in the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu, while one of two 'back-up' vans was sold in 2007 for over £44,000 to British boxer Ricky Hatton
.
In another TV comedy, Mr. Bean
, the titular character frequently comes into conflict with a light blue Reliant Regal Supervan III, which gets tipped over, crashed into, or bumped out of its parking space. One of the vehicles used in the Mr. Bean
series was destroyed after a stunt.
A red Supervan appeared in the S4C
Welsh language
children's programme "Fan Goch".
The 2011 Disney
film Cars 2
features a French character named Tomber who is patterned on a Reliant Regal saloon car, with some creative modifications. His name means "to fall" in French, referencing the reputed instability of three-wheel vehicles.
Tamworth
Tamworth is a town and local government district in Staffordshire, England, located north-east of Birmingham city centre and north-west of London. The town takes its name from the River Tame, which flows through the town, as does the River Anker...
, England. As it was a three-wheeler, and it was fairly lightweight, the vehicle could be driven on a motorcycle licence in the United Kingdom. A light-commercial version with a side-hinged rear door was marketed as the Reliant Supervan
History
There were many forms of Reliant Regal from the Mk I in 1953 followed by the Mk II, Mk III, Mk IV, Mk V, Mk VI. The Mk VII was code named the TW7 (Three Wheeler 7) and badged as the 3/25 and 3/30 according to engine size. A 21E version was available offering 21 extras, otherwise available as optional extras, including spot light, fog light, over riders and metallic paint. In 1973, the Regal was replaced by the less successful Reliant RobinReliant Robin
thumb|right|250px|1975 Greek advertisement for Mebea Robin The Reliant Robin is a small three wheeled car formerly manufactured by the Reliant Motor Company in Tamworth, England...
(TW8).
The early Regals had aluminium bodies and 747cc side-valve engines though during the 1950s the price of aluminium increased markedly across Europe. Reliant developed an expertise in making panels of glass fibre which piece by piece replaced the aluminium panels until the 1956 Mark 3 Regal featured a glass fibre body. Unlike Panhard
Panhard Dyna Z
The Panhard Dyna Z was a lightweight motor car made by Panhard of France. It was first presented to the press at a Paris restaurant named "Les Ambassadeurs" on 17 June 1953 and went into production the following year...
, who responded to the increased cost of aluminium by substituting steel panels, Reliant's choice of the glass fibre technology ensured that the Regal was able to retain its advantageous light weight, with the resulting ability to use an inexpensive and economical, albeit low powered, engines. The Regal Mk VI was the last Regal to be powered by a side-valve engine as by 1962 Reliant had developed their own all aluminium 600cc OHV engine that was fitted into the new Regal 3/25.
The Regal 3/25 version was introduced in October 1962 and unlike previous Regals, this no longer had a wooden frame and instead had a unitary construction body of reinforced fibreglass. Fibreglass was moulded in two major units (outer and inner) and then bonded together and bolted to a steel chassis. Meanwhile, on 25 April 1968, a year before BMC celebrated their 2,000,000th Mini
Mini
The Mini is a small car that was made by the British Motor Corporation and its successors from 1959 until 2000. The original is considered a British icon of the 1960s, and its space-saving front-wheel-drive layout influenced a generation of car-makers...
Reliant sales director T.H.Scott personally drove the 50,000th Regal 3/25 off the assembly line at Reliant's Tamworth
Tamworth
Tamworth is a town and local government district in Staffordshire, England, located north-east of Birmingham city centre and north-west of London. The town takes its name from the River Tame, which flows through the town, as does the River Anker...
plant.
A few months later, in August 1968, it was reported that the 701 cc engine which had been introduced in the Reliant Rebel
Reliant Rebel
The Reliant Rebel was a small car produced by Reliant between 1964 and 1973, conceived as an alternative to the Austin Mini and Hillman Imp. It was produced in saloon, estate and van variants.-Body:The Rebel had a body made of fibreglass...
the previous Autumn had found its way into the Regal. In the three wheeler application the compression ratio
Compression ratio
The 'compression ratio' of an internal-combustion engine or external combustion engine is a value that represents the ratio of the volume of its combustion chamber from its largest capacity to its smallest capacity...
was lowered to 7.5:1 which will have reduced the power output – in this application to a claimed 29.5 bhp. Nevertheless, this still represented a useful increase over the 26 bhp claimed for the 600 cc Regal which this version replaced.
Exposure in popular culture
Reliant Regals and Robins enjoy something of a special place in British culture as symbols of British eccentricity. An example of a Reliant is the iconic van belonging to Del BoyDel Boy
Derek Edward Trotter, better known as "Del Boy", is the fictional lead character in the popular BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses and one of the main characters of its prequel, Rock & Chips...
and Rodney Trotter
Rodney Trotter
Rodney Charlton Trotter is a fictional character in the BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses, played by Nicholas Lyndhurst.-Personality:Rodney's personality was based on the experiences of series creator John Sullivan, who also had an older sibling and, like Rodney, claimed to have been a dreamer and...
in the long-running BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
sitcom Only Fools and Horses
Only Fools and Horses
Only Fools and Horses is a British sitcom, created and written by John Sullivan. Seven series were originally broadcast on BBC One in the United Kingdom between 1981 and 1991, with sporadic Christmas specials until 2003...
. The van is frequently, and incorrectly, referred to as a Robin
Reliant Robin
thumb|right|250px|1975 Greek advertisement for Mebea Robin The Reliant Robin is a small three wheeled car formerly manufactured by the Reliant Motor Company in Tamworth, England...
, but is actually a Regal Supervan. The Trotters' original van is now on display in the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu, while one of two 'back-up' vans was sold in 2007 for over £44,000 to British boxer Ricky Hatton
Ricky Hatton
Richard John Hatton MBE, more commonly known as Ricky "the Hitman" Hatton, , is a former British professional boxer, and currently a promoter....
.
In another TV comedy, Mr. Bean
Mr. Bean
Mr. Bean is a British comedy television programme series of 14 half-hour episodes written by and starring Rowan Atkinson as the title character. Different episodes were also written by Robin Driscoll, Richard Curtis and one by Ben Elton. The pilot episode was broadcast on ITV on 1 January 1990,...
, the titular character frequently comes into conflict with a light blue Reliant Regal Supervan III, which gets tipped over, crashed into, or bumped out of its parking space. One of the vehicles used in the Mr. Bean
Mr. Bean
Mr. Bean is a British comedy television programme series of 14 half-hour episodes written by and starring Rowan Atkinson as the title character. Different episodes were also written by Robin Driscoll, Richard Curtis and one by Ben Elton. The pilot episode was broadcast on ITV on 1 January 1990,...
series was destroyed after a stunt.
A red Supervan appeared in the S4C
S4C
S4C , currently branded as S4/C, is a Welsh television channel broadcast from the capital, Cardiff. The first television channel to be aimed specifically at a Welsh-speaking audience, it is the fifth oldest British television channel .The channel - initially broadcast on...
Welsh language
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
children's programme "Fan Goch".
The 2011 Disney
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
film Cars 2
Cars 2
Cars 2 is a 2011 American computer-animated action film produced by Pixar, and it is the sequel to the 2006 film, Cars. In the film, race car Lightning McQueen and tow truck Mater head to Japan and Europe to compete in the World Grand Prix, but Mater becomes sidetracked with international espionage...
features a French character named Tomber who is patterned on a Reliant Regal saloon car, with some creative modifications. His name means "to fall" in French, referencing the reputed instability of three-wheel vehicles.