X-Nico

6 unusual facts about Reliant Robin


Acton, Suffolk

Between 2001 and 2002 the Reliant Robin, the United Kingdom's best known three-wheel car, was produced in the village's industrial estate.

Amateur rocketry

During Series 9, Episode 4 of the BBC's Top Gear, presenters Richard Hammond and James May were given 12 days to convert a Reliant Robin into a re-usable space shuttle.

Arena Essex Raceway

In 2008, due to banger numbers falling, stockcars were introduced as a support formula, in 2010 Reliant Robin's were swapped as the support formula, which proved a popular move.

BBC One 'Balloon' idents

Produced by Aardman Animations, The three toys used were all connected to BBC One's Christmas Day schedule that year, so there was a dog (the terrestrial premiere of Toy Story), a dinosaur (the dramatic epic The Lost World) and a Reliant Robin van (the comeback of Only Fools and Horses after it had last aired in 1996).

Hybrid rocket

In the February 18, 2007 episode of Top Gear, a Reliant Robin was used by Richard Hammond and James May in an attempt to modify a normal K-reg Robin into a reusable space shuttle.

Mendips Raceway

The latter is used for different classes of banger racing which sometimes involve towing caravans, or feature specialist vehicles such as hearses or Reliant Robins.



see also

Reliant

In 2001, production rights for the Reliant Robin were sold to a Sudbury-based firm called B&N Plastics, but production ceased in 2002.