Reliant Ant
| Reliant | |
|---|---|
 Reliant Ant / TW9
|
|
| Ant | |
| Manufacturer: | Reliant |
| Production period: | 1967-1987 |
| Previous model: | Reliant shelf |
| Successor: | none |
| Technical specifications | |
| Designs: | Flatbed trucks , box trucks |
| Engines: |
Otto engines : 0.7–0.75 liters (20–23.5 kW) |
| Payload: | 0.5-0.8 t |
The Reliant Ant , also known as the Reliant TW9 , is a small three-wheeled delivery van that was built by the Reliant Motor Company in Tamworth ( England ) from 1967 to 1987 as the successor to the commercial vehicle versions of the Regal .
Like its predecessors, the Ant had a ladder-frame chassis made of rectangular tubes. In front, behind the single front wheel, a four-cylinder in-line engine with 700 cm³ displacement was installed, which delivered an output of 27.5 bhp (20 kW). The GRP driver's cab with an aerodynamically sloping front and round headlights that offered space for two people sat above the engine and front wheel. The rear wheels were driven. The top speed was 86.5 km / h and the fuel consumption was 8.1 l / 100 km.
The left-hand drive versions had a payload of 10 cwt (500 kg) and were primarily intended for customers in the Mediterranean region. The Greek partner MEBEA alone initially ordered 250 copies. The right-hand drive version was intended for Great Britain, whose payload of 16 cwt (800 kg) demanded a lot from the small engine. The target group were primarily municipal companies, and so there were also many structures tailored to their purposes. In addition to a flatbed truck and various closed delivery vans, a water truck, a garbage truck, a street drainer and a snow plow were also available. Even a sweeper with two (identical) motors was delivered. The purchase price for a chassis and cab was £ 451.
From 1972 a larger engine with 750 cc displacement was installed, which delivered 32 bhp (23.5 kW) power. MEBEA in Greece built the vehicle under license.
Despite all the advantages, only 1,229 Ant were sold in the first four years. Of the more powerful model from 1972 onwards, there were only 659 pieces in 15 years. A total of 1,888 copies (excluding the cars built in Greece) were produced. In 1987 production was discontinued without replacement.
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Pither, Don: Reliant Regal & Robin , Sutton Publishing Ltd., Stroud (2001), ISBN 0-7509-2521-3 .