Lovely. Brings back memories of my 2 kittens I had in the eighties. Refined....no. Zippy and interesting....yes. A car magazine of the day rated it as economical as a mini 850 but as fast as a mini 1000. I achieved 63mpg with mine on a long run.
My dream classic collection would include a kitten which would live next to a DAF 33. I’ve always had a thing for simple but clever small cars. My first car was a Reliant Supervan so I learned to appreciate Reliant as a brand.
An all-electric version of the Kitten would sell today. A delightful car, ours only suffered from overheating on long fast runs in a heatwave (Kenlowe electric fan sorted that).
I passed a certain yellow Kitten on the dual carriageway the other day. I thought Ian would love a test of that! I'm assuming from this footage that it was Mr. HubNut at the helm!
One of my sixth form teachers (Mr Brookes aka Brooksie) had a Kitten estate that he drove to work in. He would teach car maintenance to kids with it. And he was responsible for buying and running both the school minibus and the school coach! He had a pre WWI Lanchester in his garage that he was planning to restore when he retired! As my Mum taught at the same school, I do know that he is still alive and well, but have never managed to confirm whether he still has his Kitten or whether he ever restored the Lanchester to full working order!!
Lovely to see you in a Kitten. It brought back a lot of memories of my 1976 estate in Harvest Gold which my dad passed on to me when I was 18. It wasn’t the coolest car to be seen in but was great fun to thrash around the Cornish lanes. I used to hold on to the gears a little longer than you as it would do nearly 50mph in second gear, which probably explain why I never got fuel consumption better than low 40s to the gallon.
I a kitten in the mid 90s and loved it, i travelled from Skegness to Bedford to collect from a chap that used them for timed hill climbing. I got stopped by the police in Spilsby, they wanted to know what it was. Gosh I did some miles
My sister worked at sgt taplow, where your fox was registered , and would regularly drive home in something from the garage. In those days they sold, reliant, morgan, Subaru, lotus and mitsubishi as well as all the Japanese bikes. My sister bought an early x plate mitsubishi starion from them. That and the x plate kitten would have made an interesting showroom comparison. I went for a job there , in the parts department, sadly I didn't get it.
My uncle and his brothers had the reliant dealership at wednesbury near Walsall was Roy peplow and company they sold reliant motorbikes and were an original UK Hyundai agent
I have a 76' Kitten Saloon, which I have had as a daily driver for the last few years. The Fox is much heavier than the Kitten, even with the Tandy top off. The Kitten can be driven on a B1 licence, unlike many of the competition of the day, mine has been on some long runs without incident. It is NOT a live rear axle, it has a differential as have all of the three and four wheeled Reliant including the Fox, although the Fox has a lower ratio.Kittens were also built in India under licence as the Sipani Dolphin, the Fox sold well in Greece.
Well done to those that saved it from being scrapped, one for the future HubNut museum when it opens Ian? That showroom window takes you back, must be a great draw to what's actually for sale - I take it those cars are display only?
They are - Or at least the MkV Cortina is, it has been there at least 20 years. Fairly sure it was there over 15 years or so ago when I took my XR4x4 there to see if they could look at the fuel injection (an Italian tune-up sorted it). Their indifference was underwhelming so I never bothered them again. The Escorts have been there at least 10 years too. Not sure about the Range Rover, that one seems to come and go, so maybe it is the owner's occasional driver.
I had one of these in the green that Robins came in. The rear door was rubbish but I managed to get a Robin one the same colour. As the Kitten handled quite well, you could amaze people who were chasing you on country lanes as it easily hold its own on the bends. The look of determination on the face of those following was something to behold. I seem to remember that Princess Anne had one but don't hold me to that.
I do have a passion for all things Reliant, the 3 wheelers are so cute, as is this Kitten, I used to own a 1993 Robin LX, I had many hours of fun driving it❤️.
The two wheels on the front look almost like an afterthought. Rear is like a Volvo station wagon. You don't see dealers here in Australia specialising in 70s and 80s cars like that one. I liked the final Cortina in the background.
What a great little car. I first came across the kitten when I was at university (early 1990's) when a friend had one. I'd heard of the robin of course but never the kitten. Reliant had some great cars in there day. I always think its a shame that they are no longer with us. As always a great video to watch :-)
I was once driving back from a gig at 1.30am and came across somebody pushing one of these up an incline next to a rural airport as it had broken down. I got out and helped push it to said nearby airfield and having never seen one, I was grateful that the owner filled me in on the history of these. Really interesting stuff! Love this video!
Mine is on steel rims. I recognize everything you mention about driving behavior from my Kitten. The steering wheel feels almost against the door. I have one of the few LHD. The interior of my Kitten looks very used, the outside is also not suitable for standing on Pebble Beach. The previous owner built a carburettor that was too big, so mine is not economical. Greetings from the Netherlands.
There was something very wrong with that left wiper, by the looks--didn't seem to be clearing the left side of the windscreen at all! I've only ever owned two petrol-engined cars that would routinely top 50mpg in normal driving, and oddly, one was a 1.4 litre Renault 19 Chamade--to this day I have no idea why that one was so good, because no other 1.4 I've owned has come close!
Looks quite a fun car to drive! Sporty looking steering wheel. Admired Reliant as a company, to keep going as long as they did but they were so “Reliant” -yes pun intended - on other car manufacturers for their parts supply , which as we all know certainly was not without a few problems as far as continuity of work was concerned. Wonderful vid. if I remember rightly these were strong contenders in the Texaco Economy Tour of Britain, I’m of a certain age to remember that one!
I think the Reliant Kitten is much nicer than the Rebel which came before it. I always liked the look of the Kitten, like a Robin with four wheels.These cars are getting rare now and I enjoyed your video of this one
I had my Kitten estate from 1989 - 1998 - it was a 1978 model (BGH 451S) painted Blue and Silver (not it's original colour). Mine had a cigar lighter (I don't think yours did) which I used to use as I smoke cigars. Yours had a clock which mine did not have. Mine had reclining front seats (I imagine that this one did though they were not demonstrated - that's what the other lever would have been when you climbed into the rear seat) although I replaced the drivers seat with a fixed seat from a Kitten van as my reclining mechanism broke. I had several holidays in Snowdonia with my Kitten in the 90s and I used the reclining passenger seat to sleep in the vehicle. Nice to see this video. So many memories. Pure nostalgia.
Just up your street.basic motoring and 50+ mpg.easy to work on.Goes from a to b and keeps you dry..what is there not to like but smile.from Tamworth myself,and my dad worke_ at reliant in early 70s.
Many years ago, when I was a mechanic, I worked with a guy who had one of these. It looked scruffy, although it was solid, but he'd done a few bits to the engine, including a set of quad carbs from a Kawasaki GPZ 1100. For what it was it went pretty well, and thanks to the induction noise from those carbs and a home made big bore exhaust system it sounded good too.
One of my neighbours bought a blue one of these for his wife when she first passed her test in the early 80's. Apparently she didnt like it much so he used to run around in it and she drove his Morris Marina. I can remember them owning it for a good few years though.
So many memories. I had a white kitten saloon in mid to late 80's, PNA 514R. It was known as "the star car" due to its registration by my mates. I was shocked to see its still on the road, its now bright orange & attends a few shows. I was in my late teens at the time. Most of my mates had minis or rusty escorts & I bought it as the GRP body & no rust really appealed. It was superb at the time as cost pennies to run and I only sold it as my mates mum kept pestering to buy it every time I went to their house. Another superb review Ian keep up the good work.
I fondly remember when I was around 16 and a mate had a kitten van given to him, a bright orange one. It was tremendous fun and made for some great memories. Used to keep it going with literal rubbish found around various parents garages, one time I found some old Volvo marked spark plugs (must have been my parents 240)and even though they were well past it they gave the kitten a couple more months life.
I was given a lift in one of these that the owner had somehow fitted a Rover 3.5 into it. It was stupid, dangerously fast. I was amazed but very happy to get out at the destination. These days 136BHP is not much but in a glass fibre car it is way over the top.
I want one of the vans. I love the name. I think Kitten is the best car name ever. Reliant was such a cool company. As an American I am just learning about them.
I had a 1972 Regal for a short time and later had a road test in a Robin but the Robin felt more cramped than the Regal. The early aluminium bodied Regals were very narrow though.
Nice seeing a Kitten again , a local farmer had one and it was a hoot to drive . Storm Dudley, Storm Eunice and now storm Frankin ?? while here in Spain we are in midst of a bad droubt
Fun little car, love the black vinyl interior I must say. People below a certain age don't understand the entertainment of actually having to drive a car rather than just travelling in it.
Yep brings back memories my first boss had one not a good one S reg .It had one wiper on the passenger side I used to have to tell him if anything was coming if it rained.! We had to refiberglass the door hinges using filler from Taskers!I was an apprentice decorator in 1988 but I also learnt a lot about mechanics and rebuilt a mini clubman estate a result.I also learnt that a mechanic put the carburettor on upside down and and leaked fuel on top of the engine it went up thanks to a school fire extinguisher the car was saved but for the heater matrix now no demist either. Engineers at Reliant put a Scimitar engine in one with frightening performance the bosses wouldn't let it out of the company car park! The Kittens brakes were totally pants! I know personally I've worked on them enough ....lol
Seeing the foybles of the old cars, as seen as an annoyance, now have the warm fuzzy feeling of nostalgia 👍😀👍. Glad to see you weathered the recent storms.
Many years ago a friend had one of these with a tuned engine, modified suspension, wide wheels and foaming resin in some of the hollow fibreglass sections. It was surprisingly quick and a monster in the twisty bits. A lot to be said for so little weight.
Super review! I bought an orange one in 1977. I raved about it. A rally driver friend of mine had a go and that was quite an experience! It would do flat-out trips of 400 miles, no problem. Traffic lights derby in London gave Porches a run for their money up to 25 and the next set of lights! I tried to interest Reliants in an electric version then, but they didn't see the opportunity. I am sure there were enough people to buy one as a second or third car for the novelty, and the production quantities would be ideal for Reliants then. There was a Reliant Scimitar in West London that someone had made electric at that time. Happy days! Ray Peto
Great review Ian. I remember these back in the day. Always been a rare sight on the roads. Do you ever think you'll get to review a Dutton Sierra? An early attempt at an SUV / soft roader.
A great video, I always wondered about the Kitten owner opposite my mums house and now i know how it was for her going down to the coop in the early 80's. Noce little car but probably too small to be viable for my 6ft. Dyanes are my thing and I can fit into those though the refinement and interior fittings are none exsistant compered to this little machine. Please carry on going though my car bucket list.
The steering rack is actually a narrowed version of the old Ford Escort item. I made the mistake of selling mine a couple of years ago when a Vauxhall Viscount came along. No regrets but the Kitten was definitely more useful and had a few nice mods like disc front brakes and adjustable shocks. Lovely little cars and, as someone else mentioned below, would make an excellent electric conversion (which was my original plan).
That is a very cute little car. So was the original Robin (particularly in yellow, a relative of ours had one in yellow), but possibly a little more reassuring at higher velocities, while retaining the zippiness
A delightful little Reliant! It certainly looks like you had a lot of fun Ian. Shape wise if you squint (a lot) reminds me of the old Allegro Estate that's been in the wash at a high temperature. The body on these didn't suffer the metal moth though. A terrific example in a great colour, almost lemon curd that I remember from the same era. These were built not too far from where I grew up in the midlands. It's sad that the company stopped in 1998. My dad had an old 950cc Herald and I can just about remember that it could turn so tight.
What a fascinating little car! I see hints of the Fox in the bonnet, grille and dashboard and of the Scimitar in the upward sweep (and rearward trim) of the rear side windows. Ok, there are hints of the Robin too, but Reliant appear to have been going for a definite separation between the two vehicles. I like it. A decent set of shocks and an intermittent relay kit and it would still be a great round-town vehicle, big enough to hold the weekly groceries. However, buying it as a new car, I can see the appeal if someone wanted a small Reliant (but with FOUR wheels) in the 70s, but in the early 80s? There was SOME competition available in the size. The Fiesta was a reasonably well established vehicle in the UK by then, the last MkII / first MkIII Escorts were still available, the first of the Metros were around too....as were the likes of the little Datsun 100A Cherry, Daihatsu Charade and other little Japanese vehicles ....and of course, the ultimate in small - the Kei cars. The Yugo or the Hyundai Pony (ugh...) may have been a couple of the only similarly sized vehicles within the same price point though.... Do you know what the Kitten sold for (roughly) when this one was bought? According to Autocar, the Pony started at GBP3075, but I have dug about and cannot find a reference to the Kitten except for it's launch price in 1974 - some GBP500 dearer than the 850cc Mini at the time, apparently. I know the UK was strongly encouraged at the time by Maggie to Buy British, but it would be interesting to see just how big a difference there was. I'd certainly drive a Kitten over either a Pony or Yugo if there was only 500 quid difference!
Don't forget that back then 500 quid was a lot of money. That worked out to about 13% more, and for many, that 13% made the difference between buying a new car or buying a used one. I have no idea how the Reliant drove, but we did get the Pony here in Canada. The upper trim level with the larger engine was quite engaging to drive. Even the base car with the 4 speed manual was a bit of alright on the road. Taken for what they were, they were not bad cars at all
@@michaeltutty1540 Granted regarding the economics, although with hindsight I maybe should have added that a) I would have preferred a Mini over the Yugo and Pony if it came to that and b) (although I have not looked their prices up), I would have preferred the reliability of the Japanese vehicles over any of the others - even though they rotted faster.. As I mentioned, the Mini was 500 quid cheaper than the Reliant at it's launch but I couldnt find the price of the Kitten when she was near end of production to compare it again. I DO know that even though the Mini was still beloved by the masses in 1981/2, it was passé and had not reached the cult status it has today, so just another workhorse. I have a Mini and putting a weekly shop in it for four people is an absolute laugh....unless you are one of the passengers who has to get out and walk because there isnt enough room for you after the groceries are stacked on the back seat! I've owned both a 100A Cherry and a 1981 Charade and both were cheap and cheerful little vehicles despite their propensity for dissolving under you like a Disprin in water. Both were basic but reasonably well equipped as Japanese cars of the early 80s were apt to be - as well as very economical to run. I have driven a Yugo around 100 miles and that's enough for me. I drove a Pony back from up north for a mate of mine who had bought it and when he asked me how it went, he did not like my answer. I said two very short sentences - "I'm glad that's over" and "I'm glad it is your vehicle, not mine". It was simply the most miserable trip I had made in a vehicle to that point, although I had not driven the Yugo or a Lada at that time. All I can say is that if the Pony wasn't bad in Canada, then you blokes must have got a different shipment to us down here in New Zealand! The Pony had a lot of potential but was let down so much by poor quality of 1) workmanship, 2) attention to detail and 3) standard of fittings / finish. The one I drove was 5 years old, had 16,000 kilometres (10k miles) on the clock and although the vehicle looked as immaculate as you'd expect it to, it drove like 316,000. The amount of rattles it had was worrying, the dashboard plastic and its constant creaking made a lovely counterpoint to the rattle inside the gear knob, the sun visor kept swinging down into my line of sight, the handbrake button shot off under the dashboard after the first hill-start I did and it lacked any feel in the steering except you knew when you turned the wheel more than five degrees off centre, because the car rolled like a 30 foot boat with a narrow beam. It should have turned me off Korean vehicles for life, but I have owned a Daewoo Cielo that my wife and I bought new and then sold after 6 years (and 85,000km - 52k mikes). I could write up another whole page on that car - a lot good and a similar amount bad - but can sum it up in one line: If you buy cheap, you get cheap.....and I guess that's the same with the likes of the Pony / Yugp / Lada etc.
A Reliant Kitten overtook me once at well over 70 mph !!!!!!! It sounded as though someone had put a very high powered motor bike engine in it. I expected it to be upside down in a ditch a few miles up the road !!!!!! 😂
Wonderful little car, was LMAO when sun visor was proposed to be the airbag. Those cars only real safety feature was the driver paying extra attention to traffic around them 🙂I still believe that classic cars can make one a better driver.
I remember my friend got hold of a van in early noughties, he got it free, wasnt running, took the head of and number 3 piston had a brussel sprout sized hole in it, he ended up giving it to a guy who put a bike engine in it and grass tracked it a few years before it falling into disrepair and being scrapped (insidentally he turned it into an estate because of the regs ie no commercials ;) ) the dinky closing handles are just mini ones aswell as the correctly identified maxi/marina/allegro opening ones and i believe the wheels look like KN's not to be confused with the filter people, keep up the great work ian :)
What a great little car. I started my career in 1982 at a Ford Main Dealer, the wife of one of the senior managers had a chocolate brown Kitten. Whenever someone brought it into the workshop, the place erupted into a fair imitation of a cats home! What you now need to test is a well sorted Rialto, arguably the best of the three wheeled range.
That's the old Hubnut we know and love, getting excited about odd little cars. Bloke across the road from me has a yellow Kitten with a tuned Cosworth engine in it.
I had a Kitten saloon which I found out was one of 3 prototypes and a Kitten van. Van had round headlights car had rectangular. Loved both, heaters were not good but economy was brilliant! Thanks for the review!
I had this in India named as Dolphin and a 5 door version named Montana , manufactured by Sipani Automobile India Awesome small car with engine All Aluminium ie both engine block and Head. I used to get a fuel efficiency of 23kmpl . There was an minor accident,a truck hit the rear at a slow speed .Nothing happened luckily. Awesome small car. It has a full steering and was easy to make a full turn.
God I miss seeing cars like the Kitten around. Another great little drive Ian, you're putting content out thick and fast of late, or maybe I'm just watching more than usual, either way it's great viewing!
If I had one I wouldn't be able to stop myself from doing U-turns everywhere, that turning circle is hilarious and I don't think the novelty value would ever wear off. Talking of Reliant Foxes, I saw a rough looking one being transported on a trailer recently, somewhere in Lincolnshire. I wonder if it's being rescued.
You didn't mention the weight of the Kitten which contributed a lot to it's fuel economy : modern cars are so heavy these days and consequently use more fuel . I remember seeing them on the roads in the seventies and eighties and they always seemed to be a dull brown colour but I suppose that was a popular shade then !
What a delightful vehicle! The engine sounds just like Foxannn's! A shame it was not popular, and rare as well. Love that maneuverability! Wonderful test drive and review, thank you very much!
my friends just bought one in essex, ive only seen the photos thus far, its white with a blue stripe down the center over bonnet and roof etc, new custom interior so its a bit brighter inside, think he said it was a later 78 model, its his weekend car, his daily is a blue robin! hes had a few, had this blue onemost of the 20 years ive known him. im not able to have a classic anymore, previously had a zephyr and a mk2 cortina, but id love to have a reliant and consider1 if things changed! joys of self employment and living in london with all the ulez zones etc!! and having a car and van already!
Years ago I remember seeing a racing Kitten, 4 wheels, somewhat modified, with a very low stance giving other much bigger and more sophisticated racers a very good run for their money. I recall it finishing second or third in a race at Thruxton, to the great astonishment of the track commentator.
That looks like great fun indeed. A very interesting bit of kit. We never saw these on this side of the Atlantic, which is not surprising. For one, there is no way that could pass the safety tests to be able to be sold. Still, a really neat little car.
Nice example. The colour is the same as my little Fiat 127 was. A very similar class of car but the performance was outstanding from its little 903cc engine. I can't remember if you've ever done a 127 before. If not I'm putting in a request. There's probably not many left they were clearly built for the residents of Turin only.
Back in the eighties I was unfortunate to be talked into purchasing a Reliant Kitten, quite a late onewith the bigger engine. The unfortunate bit was the soluble chassis and fragile gearbox. Fortunately I was/am a steel fabricator/welder and quick enough to keep up with the rot.The body suffered badly with the gelcoat cracking Aside from that it was a nice car and I sold it after about 2 years and made a reasonable profit, after which it disappeared off the DVLA list
My dad had a Reliant Robin as he kept failing his driving test LOL and the best one is in 1987 when we had the last big Storm he got caught in it on the M25 but somehow got home from Work safely LOL , Good news is he did pass his test on the 6th attempt ha ha
The thing was in the early 70s if you wanted a small car that was made in Britain your choice was the Mini and Imp, however you had the Fiesta then the Sunbeam if you still did not trust fwd and then came the Metro, so the market was very crowded by 1980.
I remember seeing one or two of these about as a kid in the late 80s and thinking how curious it looked. So glad to find a proper review of one. The sun visor is my airbag sounds like a prog rock album title
Awesome. I have very fond memories of my Reliant Kitten. It was amazing how fast you could get around in a Kitten, it really was excellent around town. (I'm 6'5" btw, and managed to fit in without too much bother).
Contemporary advice for Herald/Spitfires was to get moving before pulling full lock. Apparently the full lock could put a strain on the clutch accelerating clutch wear during the slipping stage. For big city driving the size would be an advantage, "mid engine" good handling. Love it.
Another great test Ian! I'd have one of these for buzzing about in, except the roads in Sheffield would probably break it as well as me! Imagine a more peppy engine and a 5 speed box.... that would be awesome. It's probably a bit too late to the party and that's why they didn't sell so well? They make sense today. Cheap as chips in all respects. A great find, and that garage.... takes me back!
The inside is very stylish I think. I'd love one or see one on the fleet. Here in my town (in Holland) there are still 2 on the road by an elder couple.
I unironically think the kitten is dead cool. Perhaps, dare I say, even more than a mini 😳
Lovely. Brings back memories of my 2 kittens I had in the eighties.
Refined....no.
Zippy and interesting....yes.
A car magazine of the day rated it as economical as a mini 850 but as fast as a mini 1000.
I achieved 63mpg with mine on a long run.
Wow. That equals my 2020 Panda!
I would say in many ways it is better than a Mini, my 850 Mini offered little performance. Wipers do not seem great, ( on the left ).
My dream classic collection would include a kitten which would live next to a DAF 33. I’ve always had a thing for simple but clever small cars. My first car was a Reliant Supervan so I learned to appreciate Reliant as a brand.
Your passion for these old beauties is infectious. You do a great job presenting them too. Cheers!
I always said Ian needs his own T.V channel,so much more interesting than the Clarkeson brigade
The engine was, to those in the know, a sweet, tunable unit.
That advocate of the plutocrat's express the Bristol, LJK Setright himself, loved it.
An all-electric version of the Kitten would sell today. A delightful car, ours only suffered from overheating on long fast runs in a heatwave (Kenlowe electric fan sorted that).
ooh, an electric Kitten, now that's a car would definitely want!
@@itchywitchy Personally, I prefer an Atomic Kitten... Can't think why.
I passed a certain yellow Kitten on the dual carriageway the other day. I thought Ian would love a test of that! I'm assuming from this footage that it was Mr. HubNut at the helm!
If it was Wednesday, it could have been me.
@@HubNut If I had that a simple ev conversion would be on the to do list... using G-Wiz bits and lithium batteries for the range...
I was missing road tests, nice to see they return 🙌
One of my sixth form teachers (Mr Brookes aka Brooksie) had a Kitten estate that he drove to work in. He would teach car maintenance to kids with it. And he was responsible for buying and running both the school minibus and the school coach! He had a pre WWI Lanchester in his garage that he was planning to restore when he retired! As my Mum taught at the same school, I do know that he is still alive and well, but have never managed to confirm whether he still has his Kitten or whether he ever restored the Lanchester to full working order!!
Lovely to see you in a Kitten. It brought back a lot of memories of my 1976 estate in Harvest Gold which my dad passed on to me when I was 18. It wasn’t the coolest car to be seen in but was great fun to thrash around the Cornish lanes.
I used to hold on to the gears a little longer than you as it would do nearly 50mph in second gear, which probably explain why I never got fuel consumption better than low 40s to the gallon.
I a kitten in the mid 90s and loved it, i travelled from Skegness to Bedford to collect from a chap that used them for timed hill climbing.
I got stopped by the police in Spilsby, they wanted to know what it was. Gosh I did some miles
My sister worked at sgt taplow, where your fox was registered , and would regularly drive home in something from the garage. In those days they sold, reliant, morgan, Subaru, lotus and mitsubishi as well as all the Japanese bikes. My sister bought an early x plate mitsubishi starion from them. That and the x plate kitten would have made an interesting showroom comparison.
I went for a job there , in the parts department, sadly I didn't get it.
Mitsubishi Starion, now that is rare!
My uncle and his brothers had the reliant dealership at wednesbury near Walsall was Roy peplow and company they sold reliant motorbikes and were an original UK Hyundai agent
I have a 76' Kitten Saloon, which I have had as a daily driver for the last few years. The Fox is much heavier than the Kitten, even with the Tandy top off. The Kitten can be driven on a B1 licence, unlike many of the competition of the day, mine has been on some long runs without incident. It is NOT a live rear axle, it has a differential as have all of the three and four wheeled Reliant including the Fox, although the Fox has a lower ratio.Kittens were also built in India under licence as the Sipani Dolphin, the Fox sold well in Greece.
Well done to those that saved it from being scrapped, one for the future HubNut museum when it opens Ian?
That showroom window takes you back, must be a great draw to what's actually for sale - I take it those cars are display only?
They are - Or at least the MkV Cortina is, it has been there at least 20 years. Fairly sure it was there over 15 years or so ago when I took my XR4x4 there to see if they could look at the fuel injection (an Italian tune-up sorted it). Their indifference was underwhelming so I never bothered them again. The Escorts have been there at least 10 years too. Not sure about the Range Rover, that one seems to come and go, so maybe it is the owner's occasional driver.
@@Zadster Shame they’re trapped up there
I had one of these in the green that Robins came in. The rear door was rubbish but I managed to get a Robin one the same colour. As the Kitten handled quite well, you could amaze people who were chasing you on country lanes as it easily hold its own on the bends. The look of determination on the face of those following was something to behold.
I seem to remember that Princess Anne had one but don't hold me to that.
..she definitely had a scimitar, not sure about the kitten
I do have a passion for all things Reliant, the 3 wheelers are so cute, as is this Kitten, I used to own a 1993 Robin LX, I had many hours of fun driving it❤️.
The two wheels on the front look almost like an afterthought.
Rear is like a Volvo station wagon.
You don't see dealers here in Australia specialising in 70s and 80s cars like that one. I liked the final Cortina in the background.
What a great little car. I first came across the kitten when I was at university (early 1990's) when a friend had one. I'd heard of the robin of course but never the kitten. Reliant had some great cars in there day. I always think its a shame that they are no longer with us. As always a great video to watch :-)
'The sun visor is my airbag' one of the most hubnutiest lines ever! Another great vid Ian👌
I was once driving back from a gig at 1.30am and came across somebody pushing one of these up an incline next to a rural airport as it had broken down. I got out and helped push it to said nearby airfield and having never seen one, I was grateful that the owner filled me in on the history of these. Really interesting stuff!
Love this video!
I had 2 Robins and a Supervan III in the 70s [provincial licence], I could only dream of a fourth whel.
Mine is on steel rims. I recognize everything you mention about driving behavior from my Kitten. The steering wheel feels almost against the door. I have one of the few LHD. The interior of my Kitten looks very used, the outside is also not suitable for standing on Pebble Beach. The previous owner built a carburettor that was too big, so mine is not economical. Greetings from the Netherlands.
There was something very wrong with that left wiper, by the looks--didn't seem to be clearing the left side of the windscreen at all! I've only ever owned two petrol-engined cars that would routinely top 50mpg in normal driving, and oddly, one was a 1.4 litre Renault 19 Chamade--to this day I have no idea why that one was so good, because no other 1.4 I've owned has come close!
it was made in Tamworth staffordshire. when i used to go to Morrisons, you could smell the fibre glass from the factory ! very strong it was.
Looks quite a fun car to drive! Sporty looking steering wheel. Admired Reliant as a company, to keep going as long as they did but they were so “Reliant” -yes pun intended - on other car manufacturers for their parts supply , which as we all know certainly was not without a few problems as far as continuity of work was concerned. Wonderful vid. if I remember rightly these were strong contenders in the Texaco Economy Tour of Britain, I’m of a certain age to remember that one!
With very little tuning gas flowed carb and some port polishing mine was quite happy to do 100mph as confirmed by the police 😐
My mates mum had one of these as her first car when she passed her test in 1985. Happy memories
Bit of a handful when wet, and commodious in the rear, but that’s enough about your mates mum.
Very cute!! These older cars look so much easier to maintain for the average Joe or Jane.
I think the Reliant Kitten is much nicer than the Rebel which came before it. I always liked the look of the Kitten, like a Robin with four wheels.These cars are getting rare now and I enjoyed your video of this one
I had my Kitten estate from 1989 - 1998 - it was a 1978 model (BGH 451S) painted Blue and Silver (not it's original colour). Mine had a cigar lighter (I don't think yours did) which I used to use as I smoke cigars. Yours had a clock which mine did not have. Mine had reclining front seats (I imagine that this one did though they were not demonstrated - that's what the other lever would have been when you climbed into the rear seat) although I replaced the drivers seat with a fixed seat from a Kitten van as my reclining mechanism broke. I had several holidays in Snowdonia with my Kitten in the 90s and I used the reclining passenger seat to sleep in the vehicle. Nice to see this video. So many memories. Pure nostalgia.
Just up your street.basic motoring and 50+ mpg.easy to work on.Goes from a to b and keeps you dry..what is there not to like but smile.from Tamworth myself,and my dad worke_ at reliant in early 70s.
I think the back door lock/handle came from an Austin A35 or another BMC/BL model the Kitten looks so cute
IIRC Mini vans had the same handle.
Many years ago, when I was a mechanic, I worked with a guy who had one of these. It looked scruffy, although it was solid, but he'd done a few bits to the engine, including a set of quad carbs from a Kawasaki GPZ 1100. For what it was it went pretty well, and thanks to the induction noise from those carbs and a home made big bore exhaust system it sounded good too.
One of my neighbours bought a blue one of these for his wife when she first passed her test in the early 80's. Apparently she didnt like it much so he used to run around in it and she drove his Morris Marina. I can remember them owning it for a good few years though.
So many memories. I had a white kitten saloon in mid to late 80's, PNA 514R. It was known as "the star car" due to its registration by my mates.
I was shocked to see its still on the road, its now bright orange & attends a few shows.
I was in my late teens at the time. Most of my mates had minis or rusty escorts & I bought it as the GRP body & no rust really appealed.
It was superb at the time as cost pennies to run and I only sold it as my mates mum kept pestering to buy it every time I went to their house.
Another superb review Ian keep up the good work.
I fondly remember when I was around 16 and a mate had a kitten van given to him, a bright orange one. It was tremendous fun and made for some great memories.
Used to keep it going with literal rubbish found around various parents garages, one time I found some old Volvo marked spark plugs (must have been my parents 240)and even though they were well past it they gave the kitten a couple more months life.
@Lookup2Wakeup quite a few mates more like!
I was given a lift in one of these that the owner had somehow fitted a Rover 3.5 into it. It was stupid, dangerously fast. I was amazed but very happy to get out at the destination. These days 136BHP is not much but in a glass fibre car it is way over the top.
A lot more period civilised than I'd expected, lovely. Thank you.
I want one of the vans.
I love the name.
I think Kitten is the best car name ever.
Reliant was such a cool company.
As an American I am just learning about them.
..and it was the last truly independent motoring company in Britain before its demise around 2000/2001
That 850 was a good one. Nice torque curve and in the Robin at least they would do over 90 if you were daft enough. 70mph no problem at all.
I had a 1972 Regal for a short time and later had a road test in a Robin but the Robin felt more cramped than the Regal. The early aluminium bodied Regals were very narrow though.
Jasper Carrott was able to harvest a lot of his comedy material from the Reliant Robin and also the Skoda 120L.
Nice seeing a Kitten again , a local farmer had one and it was a hoot to drive . Storm Dudley, Storm Eunice and now storm Frankin ?? while here in Spain we are in midst of a bad droubt
Yes, it's the whole peninsula
Very nice! I always liked the Kitten. I still see one regularly tooling around Kidderminster - they look like fun to drive.
I owned the Indian variant called Dolphin manufactured by a Bangalore based company known as Sipani motors. Excellent pickup and manuverability. ❤
Fun little car, love the black vinyl interior I must say. People below a certain age don't understand the entertainment of actually having to drive a car rather than just travelling in it.
Fantastic little car great bit of fun always wondered what they were like 👍👍
Yep brings back memories my first boss had one not a good one S reg .It had one wiper on the passenger side I used to have to tell him if anything was coming if it rained.! We had to refiberglass the door hinges using filler from Taskers!I was an apprentice decorator in 1988 but I also learnt a lot about mechanics and rebuilt a mini clubman estate a result.I also learnt that a mechanic put the carburettor on upside down and and leaked fuel on top of the engine it went up thanks to a school fire extinguisher the car was saved but for the heater matrix now no demist either.
Engineers at Reliant put a Scimitar engine in one with frightening performance the bosses wouldn't let it out of the company car park!
The Kittens brakes were totally pants! I know personally I've worked on them enough ....lol
A Ford Essex v6 in a kitten.. That would've certainly been very lively!
Seeing the foybles of the old cars, as seen as an annoyance, now have the warm fuzzy feeling of nostalgia 👍😀👍. Glad to see you weathered the recent storms.
Many years ago a friend had one of these with a tuned engine, modified suspension, wide wheels and foaming resin in some of the hollow fibreglass sections. It was surprisingly quick and a monster in the twisty bits. A lot to be said for so little weight.
Ah, the four wheeled three wheeler! Cool! 😎
That is the epitome of what is missing from modern cars. Totally love it
Always had a soft spot for these as well as the Fox just a shame they never built the Cypher sports car because I could never warm to SS1
16:58: Bonus rear parcel shelf action! Marvellous. 👍
Most people seem to think Del Boy's Reliant van was a Robin - it wasn't, it was a Regal!
It was a regal
@@Bodgemiester Or to be more precise, a Supervan II or III.
Super review!
I bought an orange one in 1977. I raved about it. A rally driver friend of mine had a go and that was quite an experience! It would do flat-out trips of 400 miles, no problem. Traffic lights derby in London gave Porches a run for their money up to 25 and the next set of lights!
I tried to interest Reliants in an electric version then, but they didn't see the opportunity. I am sure there were enough people to buy one as a second or third car for the novelty, and the production quantities would be ideal for Reliants then.
There was a Reliant Scimitar in West London that someone had made electric at that time.
Happy days!
Ray Peto
Always loved the Kitten. Why? When I was growing up a guy up the road drove one as his daily driver and his weekend car was a Detomaso Pantera.
Great review Ian. I remember these back in the day. Always been a rare sight on the roads.
Do you ever think you'll get to review a Dutton Sierra? An early attempt at an SUV / soft roader.
A great video, I always wondered about the Kitten owner opposite my mums house and now i know how it was for her going down to the coop in the early 80's. Noce little car but probably too small to be viable for my 6ft. Dyanes are my thing and I can fit into those though the refinement and interior fittings are none exsistant compered to this little machine. Please carry on going though my car bucket list.
The steering rack is actually a narrowed version of the old Ford Escort item. I made the mistake of selling mine a couple of years ago when a Vauxhall Viscount came along. No regrets but the Kitten was definitely more useful and had a few nice mods like disc front brakes and adjustable shocks. Lovely little cars and, as someone else mentioned below, would make an excellent electric conversion (which was my original plan).
That is a very cute little car. So was the original Robin (particularly in yellow, a relative of ours had one in yellow), but possibly a little more reassuring at higher velocities, while retaining the zippiness
There's a Kitten a couple of villages along from me, still gets used as a regular vehicle for the owner I'm pleased to report!
A delightful little Reliant! It certainly looks like you had a lot of fun Ian. Shape wise if you squint (a lot) reminds me of the old Allegro Estate that's been in the wash at a high temperature. The body on these didn't suffer the metal moth though. A terrific example in a great colour, almost lemon curd that I remember from the same era. These were built not too far from where I grew up in the midlands. It's sad that the company stopped in 1998. My dad had an old 950cc Herald and I can just about remember that it could turn so tight.
What a fascinating little car! I see hints of the Fox in the bonnet, grille and dashboard and of the Scimitar in the upward sweep (and rearward trim) of the rear side windows. Ok, there are hints of the Robin too, but Reliant appear to have been going for a definite separation between the two vehicles. I like it. A decent set of shocks and an intermittent relay kit and it would still be a great round-town vehicle, big enough to hold the weekly groceries.
However, buying it as a new car, I can see the appeal if someone wanted a small Reliant (but with FOUR wheels) in the 70s, but in the early 80s? There was SOME competition available in the size. The Fiesta was a reasonably well established vehicle in the UK by then, the last MkII / first MkIII Escorts were still available, the first of the Metros were around too....as were the likes of the little Datsun 100A Cherry, Daihatsu Charade and other little Japanese vehicles ....and of course, the ultimate in small - the Kei cars.
The Yugo or the Hyundai Pony (ugh...) may have been a couple of the only similarly sized vehicles within the same price point though.... Do you know what the Kitten sold for (roughly) when this one was bought? According to Autocar, the Pony started at GBP3075, but I have dug about and cannot find a reference to the Kitten except for it's launch price in 1974 - some GBP500 dearer than the 850cc Mini at the time, apparently. I know the UK was strongly encouraged at the time by Maggie to Buy British, but it would be interesting to see just how big a difference there was. I'd certainly drive a Kitten over either a Pony or Yugo if there was only 500 quid difference!
Don't forget that back then 500 quid was a lot of money. That worked out to about 13% more, and for many, that 13% made the difference between buying a new car or buying a used one.
I have no idea how the Reliant drove, but we did get the Pony here in Canada. The upper trim level with the larger engine was quite engaging to drive. Even the base car with the 4 speed manual was a bit of alright on the road. Taken for what they were, they were not bad cars at all
@@michaeltutty1540 Granted regarding the economics, although with hindsight I maybe should have added that a) I would have preferred a Mini over the Yugo and Pony if it came to that and b) (although I have not looked their prices up), I would have preferred the reliability of the Japanese vehicles over any of the others - even though they rotted faster..
As I mentioned, the Mini was 500 quid cheaper than the Reliant at it's launch but I couldnt find the price of the Kitten when she was near end of production to compare it again. I DO know that even though the Mini was still beloved by the masses in 1981/2, it was passé and had not reached the cult status it has today, so just another workhorse. I have a Mini and putting a weekly shop in it for four people is an absolute laugh....unless you are one of the passengers who has to get out and walk because there isnt enough room for you after the groceries are stacked on the back seat!
I've owned both a 100A Cherry and a 1981 Charade and both were cheap and cheerful little vehicles despite their propensity for dissolving under you like a Disprin in water. Both were basic but reasonably well equipped as Japanese cars of the early 80s were apt to be - as well as very economical to run. I have driven a Yugo around 100 miles and that's enough for me. I drove a Pony back from up north for a mate of mine who had bought it and when he asked me how it went, he did not like my answer. I said two very short sentences - "I'm glad that's over" and "I'm glad it is your vehicle, not mine". It was simply the most miserable trip I had made in a vehicle to that point, although I had not driven the Yugo or a Lada at that time.
All I can say is that if the Pony wasn't bad in Canada, then you blokes must have got a different shipment to us down here in New Zealand! The Pony had a lot of potential but was let down so much by poor quality of 1) workmanship, 2) attention to detail and 3) standard of fittings / finish. The one I drove was 5 years old, had 16,000 kilometres (10k miles) on the clock and although the vehicle looked as immaculate as you'd expect it to, it drove like 316,000. The amount of rattles it had was worrying, the dashboard plastic and its constant creaking made a lovely counterpoint to the rattle inside the gear knob, the sun visor kept swinging down into my line of sight, the handbrake button shot off under the dashboard after the first hill-start I did and it lacked any feel in the steering except you knew when you turned the wheel more than five degrees off centre, because the car rolled like a 30 foot boat with a narrow beam.
It should have turned me off Korean vehicles for life, but I have owned a Daewoo Cielo that my wife and I bought new and then sold after 6 years (and 85,000km - 52k mikes). I could write up another whole page on that car - a lot good and a similar amount bad - but can sum it up in one line: If you buy cheap, you get cheap.....and I guess that's the same with the likes of the Pony / Yugp / Lada etc.
A Reliant Kitten overtook me once at well over 70 mph !!!!!!! It sounded as though someone had put a very high powered motor bike engine in it. I expected it to be upside down in a ditch a few miles up the road !!!!!! 😂
Wonderful little car, was LMAO when sun visor was proposed to be the airbag. Those cars only real safety feature was the driver paying extra attention to traffic around them 🙂I still believe that classic cars can make one a better driver.
I remember my friend got hold of a van in early noughties, he got it free, wasnt running, took the head of and number 3 piston had a brussel sprout sized hole in it, he ended up giving it to a guy who put a bike engine in it and grass tracked it a few years before it falling into disrepair and being scrapped (insidentally he turned it into an estate because of the regs ie no commercials ;) ) the dinky closing handles are just mini ones aswell as the correctly identified maxi/marina/allegro opening ones and i believe the wheels look like KN's not to be confused with the filter people, keep up the great work ian :)
My grandad had one of these for many years, surprising just how much fun they are!
My maths teacher had one of these, estate like this one. It was blue, with bits of the tailgate interior falling apart.
What a great little car. I started my career in 1982 at a Ford Main Dealer, the wife of one of the senior managers had a chocolate brown Kitten. Whenever someone brought it into the workshop, the place erupted into a fair imitation of a cats home! What you now need to test is a well sorted Rialto, arguably the best of the three wheeled range.
love the way the left viper works without removing any water at all like its not touching the windscreen.
That's the old Hubnut we know and love, getting excited about odd little cars. Bloke across the road from me has a yellow Kitten with a tuned Cosworth engine in it.
I had a Kitten saloon which I found out was one of 3 prototypes and a Kitten van. Van had round headlights car had rectangular. Loved both, heaters were not good but economy was brilliant! Thanks for the review!
I had this in India named as Dolphin and a 5 door version named Montana , manufactured by
Sipani Automobile India
Awesome small car with engine All Aluminium ie both engine block and Head.
I used to get a fuel efficiency of 23kmpl .
There was an minor accident,a truck hit the rear at a slow speed .Nothing happened luckily.
Awesome small car.
It has a full steering and was easy to make a full turn.
God I miss seeing cars like the Kitten around. Another great little drive Ian, you're putting content out thick and fast of late, or maybe I'm just watching more than usual, either way it's great viewing!
If I had one I wouldn't be able to stop myself from doing U-turns everywhere, that turning circle is hilarious and I don't think the novelty value would ever wear off.
Talking of Reliant Foxes, I saw a rough looking one being transported on a trailer recently, somewhere in Lincolnshire. I wonder if it's being rescued.
You didn't mention the weight of the Kitten which contributed a lot to it's fuel economy : modern cars are so heavy these days and consequently use more fuel . I remember seeing them on the roads in the seventies and eighties and they always seemed to be a dull brown colour but I suppose that was a popular shade then !
What a delightful vehicle! The engine sounds just like Foxannn's!
A shame it was not popular, and rare as well.
Love that maneuverability!
Wonderful test drive and review, thank you very much!
Not my cup of tea but can still appreciate it for what it is.👍👍👍👍
Wow, that showroom is SOMETHING!!!! amazing stuff! And I always had a soft sport for the sweet little Kitten! fantastic video!
That wiper might not overlap, but seems to miss about 50% of the left ones window....
my friends just bought one in essex, ive only seen the photos thus far, its white with a blue stripe down the center over bonnet and roof etc, new custom interior so its a bit brighter inside, think he said it was a later 78 model, its his weekend car, his daily is a blue robin! hes had a few, had this blue onemost of the 20 years ive known him. im not able to have a classic anymore, previously had a zephyr and a mk2 cortina, but id love to have a reliant and consider1 if things changed!
joys of self employment and living in london with all the ulez zones etc!! and having a car and van already!
Years ago I remember seeing a racing Kitten, 4 wheels, somewhat modified, with a very low stance giving other much bigger and more sophisticated racers a very good run for their money. I recall it finishing second or third in a race at Thruxton, to the great astonishment of the track commentator.
That looks like great fun indeed. A very interesting bit of kit. We never saw these on this side of the Atlantic, which is not surprising. For one, there is no way that could pass the safety tests to be able to be sold. Still, a really neat little car.
Nice example. The colour is the same as my little Fiat 127 was. A very similar class of car but the performance was outstanding from its little 903cc engine. I can't remember if you've ever done a 127 before. If not I'm putting in a request. There's probably not many left they were clearly built for the residents of Turin only.
people still do this childish shit? wow...
@@danielmoukli4590 like trolling you mean?
Yup, I've done a 127 Sport. It was incredible.
@@HubNut I'll have to find it
Back in the eighties I was unfortunate to be talked into purchasing a Reliant Kitten, quite a late onewith the bigger engine. The unfortunate bit was the soluble chassis and fragile gearbox. Fortunately I was/am a steel fabricator/welder and quick enough to keep up with the rot.The body suffered badly with the gelcoat cracking Aside from that it was a nice car and I sold it after about 2 years and made a reasonable profit, after which it disappeared off the DVLA list
I was holding my breath when you turned next the skip. What a cracking little car.
Awesome v log really loved all the mechanical noises
great video and thanks for the ride! i thought were going to do a cheeky little wheel spin when you pulled out of the junction at 15:29
My dad had a Reliant Robin as he kept failing his driving test LOL and the best one is in 1987 when we had the last big Storm he got caught in it on the M25 but somehow got home from Work safely LOL , Good news is he did pass his test on the 6th attempt ha ha
Also 0-60 in 17 secs and top speed of around 80mph not bad as thats nearly the same as your Matiz spec wise lol
The thing was in the early 70s if you wanted a small car that was made in Britain your choice was the Mini and Imp, however you had the Fiesta then the Sunbeam if you still did not trust fwd and then came the Metro, so the market was very crowded by 1980.
Love this car, would like to see a Robin 65 or BN Robin review, also a Bond 875. Hopefully someone can offer you them
I remember seeing one or two of these about as a kid in the late 80s and thinking how curious it looked. So glad to find a proper review of one.
The sun visor is my airbag sounds like a prog rock album title
Reminds me of a miniature plastic VW polo bread van
Awesome. I have very fond memories of my Reliant Kitten. It was amazing how fast you could get around in a Kitten, it really was excellent around town. (I'm 6'5" btw, and managed to fit in without too much bother).
Contemporary advice for Herald/Spitfires was to get moving before pulling full lock. Apparently the full lock could put a strain on the clutch accelerating clutch wear during the slipping stage. For big city driving the size would be an advantage, "mid engine" good handling. Love it.
Another great test Ian!
I'd have one of these for buzzing about in, except the roads in Sheffield would probably break it as well as me!
Imagine a more peppy engine and a 5 speed box.... that would be awesome. It's probably a bit too late to the party and that's why they didn't sell so well?
They make sense today. Cheap as chips in all respects.
A great find, and that garage.... takes me back!
The inside is very stylish I think. I'd love one or see one on the fleet. Here in my town (in Holland) there are still 2 on the road by an elder couple.
Excellent economy car. Reliant did built some amazing cars in their own way. Crazy economical.