
With the impending death of the MGB and the Triumph TR7 / TR8, Reliant saw an opportunity to bring an affordable British sports car to the market. In 1980 they hired Giovanni Michelotti to design one. Michelotti had done quite a bit of work with Triumph, designing the Herald, Spitfire, GT6, TR4, 2000, 1300, Stag, and Dolomite. (Oddly, he didn't design the TR7 / TR8, which this car vaguely resembles.) Michelotti died shortly after starting the project and the SS1 was the last of his designs to go into production. (It is rumored that he never finished the design, which explains the SS1's offbeat looks. It is also rumored that the SS1 was originally Michelotti's design for a new Triumph Spitfire, but when Triumph killed the Spitfire, he sold the design to Reliant. That would explain why it looks similar to the TR7 / TR8.)
During its run, the SS1 was available with 4 engines; 1.3, 1.4 and 1.6 liter Ford engines and, in 1986, a Nissan 1800cc turbocharged engine.
The suspension was "inspired" by the Lotus Elan and the Scimitar SS1 is said to handle very well.

Reliant hoped to build 2000 cars per year, but wound up building just a little over 1500 in total during its 10 year run. (In 1986 Reliant had planned on selling a revised SS1, called the SS2, in the United States, but those plans fell through. The prototype was rumored to have been powered by a V8.)

The engine mystery aside, the rest of the car looks to be in good condition. There are a few minor body flaws and the interior shows some wear, but that's to be expected on a 25 year old car.

If you're looking for a car that's very rare in the US - I've only heard of one other one - and is a piece of automotive history - the last affordable British roadster - this would be a great car to own.

2 comments:
The Scimitar always seemed like a Lego car to me. Made of so many different parts that it almost has no identity. Aesthetically, part FSO Polonez, part BMW Z1, the rear kind of reminds me of a Lotus Elite.. with a bit of Aussie Capri mixed in. Odd. But odd is GOOD.
We have guys in the UK who have exchanged the standard 1800Ti S12 Nissan engine for the S13 Twin Cam putting out in excess of 300BHP. That does tend to alter the performance somewhat (ie. Ferrari Eaters !)..
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