Reliant Robin History
Reliant's best-known three-wheeler — a fibreglass economy trike built in three runs from 1973 to 2002, and the second-most-produced fibreglass car after the Corvette.
Photo: “1977 Reliant Robin 850” by Niels de Wit from Lunteren, The Netherlands / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0. Cropped to 16:9.
History
Launched in October 1973 to replace the Regal, the Robin was a three-wheeled economy car with a glass-fibre body over a steel chassis, powered by Reliant's all-aluminium OHV four — 748 cc at launch, enlarged to 848 cc from 1975. Light and frugal (up to around 70 mpg), it could still reach roughly 85 mph, and like the Regal it could be driven on a motorcycle licence.
The Robin was built in three distinct runs: the original Mk 1 (1973–1981), a revived Mk 2 (1989–1996) that ran alongside the related Rialto, and a restyled Mk 3 (1999–2001). After Reliant itself stopped building cars, B&N Plastics assembled a final licensed batch (roughly 40 cars) from 2001 into October 2002, closing out Reliant car production.
The Robin is the second-most-produced fibreglass-bodied car in history after the Chevrolet Corvette, and became a fixture of British popular culture — most memorably when Jeremy Clarkson repeatedly rolled a side-weighted example in a 2010 Top Gear stunt.
Generations
First generation (Mk 1) · Original Robin
Photo: “1977 Reliant Robin 850” by Niels de Wit from Lunteren, The Netherlands / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0. Cropped to 16:9.
The original 1973 Robin — 748 cc at first, 848 cc from 1975 — as saloon, estate and van; replaced by the Rialto in 1981.
1974 Photo: “1974 Reliant Robin” by Arpingstone / Wikimedia Commons — Public domain
1977 Photo: “1977 Reliant Robin 850” by Niels de Wit from Lunteren, The Netherlands / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0
Second generation (Mk 2) · Revived Robin
Photo: “1992 Reliant Robin LX” by Calreyn88 / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Cropped to 16:9.
The name revived in 1989, built alongside the Rialto, with updated styling on the familiar 848 cc fibreglass platform.
1989 Photo: “1989 Reliant Robin Saloon” by Oxyman / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.5
1992 Photo: “1992 Reliant Robin LX” by Calreyn88 / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 4.0
1993 Photo: “1993 Reliant Robin LX 850cc Front” by Vauxford / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
Third generation (Mk 3) · Restyled Robin
Photo: “2001 Reliant Robin SLX 800cc Front” by Vauxford / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped to 16:9.
A final factory restyle (1999–2001); a last licensed batch was assembled by B&N Plastics through October 2002.
2000 Photo: “2000 Reliant Robin 848cc SLX” by Kieran White from Manchester, England / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0
2001 Photo: “2001 Reliant Robin SLX 800cc Front” by Vauxford / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
Body styles
- Saloon
- Hatchback
- Estate
- Van
Related models
Collect the nameplate
Find a scale model of the Reliant Robin
Search Amazon across available years, colors, and scales. Exact releases vary, so confirm the listing before ordering.