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100,000th Reliant Car off Tamworth Production Line

At Britain's most quirky car factory - Reliant of Tamworth - they're celebrating the 100,000th Regal three wheeler and have had to push each one, by hand, over a busy main road.

News 1972 2 mins

From the collection of:

Logo for Media Archive for Central England

Overview

The Reliant Regal was launched by the Tamworth based light car manufacturer in 1962. Often a butt of jokes, the three wheeled car was loved by thousands of motorists for its low running costs and rust free fibreglass body. The homespun nature of the factory is illustrated with shots of the chassis for each car being wheeled across the busy A5 road, the only route to the final assembly plant.

The car that will forever be connected to television's Del Boy of Only Fools and Horses fame is the Reliant Regal Supervan, the utility version of the car seen here. The Reliant Robin, which is often confused with the Regal, was its replacement and was launched in 1973. Reliant car production continued in Tamworth up until 2001.