Reliant Rialto
| Reliant | |
|---|---|
 Reliant Rialto SE (1989)
|
|
| Rialto | |
| Sales designation: | Rialto / Rialto SE |
| Production period: | 1981-1998 |
| Class : | Microcar |
| Body versions : | Hatchback , station wagon , van |
| Engines: |
Petrol engines : 0.85 liters (27.6-29 kW) |
| Length: | 3380-3410 mm |
| Width: | 1450 mm |
| Height: | 1400 mm |
| Wheelbase : | 2159 mm |
| Empty weight : | 450-475 kg |
| Previous model | Robin |
| successor | Robin Mk. II facelift |
The Reliant Rialto was a three-wheeled microcar that the Reliant Motor Company produced from 1981 to 1998 as the successor to the Robin model.
When the sales of the Robin collapsed in the late 1970s , a more modern successor with a wedge-shaped body and the rectangular headlights of the Austin Metro was constructed . The chassis was galvanized for better rust prevention. The four-cylinder in-line engine with a displacement of 848 cm³ developed 40 bhp (29 kW) with a compression of 9.5: 1. In late 1981 the station wagon came out at £ 2,974 and the van cost £ 2,769. Annual UK road tax was £ 28 on a Rialto versus £ 70 on a four-wheel Mini .
As early as March 1983, the Rialto Mk. II came with an "HT-E" engine with a compression ratio of 10.5: 1, which was more economical than its predecessor ("E" stood for Economy), but only 37.5 bhp (27.6 kW) delivered.
In September 1986 there was a Rialto SE , which again had the well-known engine with 40 bhp (29 kW) power. Despite these measures, the factory found that the fan base was not as enthusiastic about the Rialto as it was about the Robin. In 1989, the work brought out a new Robin, which was placed alongside the Rialto, which was considered the noble version of the three-wheeler. The Rialto production lagged along with that of the more popular Robin until 1998 and was then discontinued.
Web links
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- Pither, Don: Reliant Regal & Robin . Sutton Publishing Ltd., Stroud 2001, ISBN 0-7509-2521-3 .
- Reliant Motor Ltd .: Reliant Rialto 2 - All Models Owner's Handbook . Reliant Motor plc, Tamworth 1984.