Reliant Scimitar SS1 History
A small two-seat roadster — Michelotti's last design — later facelifted as the SST and Scimitar Sabre.
Photo: “1987 Reliant Scimitar SS1 1.4” by Vauxford / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped to 16:9.
History
The Scimitar SS1, launched at the 1984 British International Motor Show, was a small fibreglass two-seat sports roadster — and the final design of Italian stylist Giovanni Michelotti. It used Ford CVH fours (1.3, later 1.4, and 1.6 litres); from 1986 a 1.8-litre turbocharged Nissan CA18ET (from the Silvia) gave the 1800Ti version around 135 bhp.
In 1990 the car was facelifted and renamed the SST, restyled by William Towns (the 'T' in 'SST'), and in 1992 relaunched as the Scimitar Sabre, which ran to 1995. Against a planned 2,000 a year, only about 1,507 of the whole SS1/SST/Sabre family were built across roughly ten years — Reliant's last sports car.
Generations
Scimitar SS1 · SS1
Photo: “1987 Reliant Scimitar SS1 1.4” by Vauxford / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped to 16:9.
Michelotti-styled roadster with Ford CVH power, plus the turbocharged Nissan-engined 1800Ti from 1986.
1984 Photo: “Reliant Scimitar SS1 1984” by Tony Hisgett from Birmingham, UK / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0
1986 Photo: “1986 Reliant Scimitar SS1” by Riley from Christchurch, New Zealand / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0
1987 Photo: “1987 Reliant Scimitar SS1 1.4” by Vauxford / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
1988 Photo: “1988 Reliant Scimitar SS1” by Calreyn88 / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
1989 Photo: “1989 Reliant Scimitar SS1” by Calreyn88 / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
Scimitar SST · SST
A William Towns facelift of the SS1 (the 'T' in SST), on the same Ford/Nissan running gear.
Scimitar Sabre · Sabre
Photo: “Reliant Scimitar Sabre 1.8 Turbo (1993)” by Andrew Bone from Weymouth, England / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0. Cropped to 16:9.
The final relaunch of the small roadster, closing out Reliant's sports-car line in 1995.
1993 Photo: “Reliant Scimitar Sabre 1.8 Turbo (1993)” by Andrew Bone from Weymouth, England / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0
Body styles
- Roadster
Related models
Collect the nameplate
Find a scale model of the Reliant Scimitar SS1
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