CAR OF 1975 RELIANT KITTEN

From a small bird to a small cat… Reliant’s Kitten was an attempt to extend the appeal of the Robin to those who appreciated their cars with a full complement of wheels. Clearly based on the tripod Robin, which had been introduced in 1973, fitting two leading wheels, mated to a Lotus-inspired double wishbone front suspension, increased cabin space and gave somewhat better handling than a Robin could boast.

Available in both saloon and estate, a van version appeared in 1976, thus giving Del Boys everywhere something new to aspire to. Production ended in 1982, at least in the UK. But in Bangalore, India, Sipani Automobiles continued to make them until the 1990s, albeit known as the Dolphin (because the standard colour was light blue). There was even a four-door version known as the Montana. They proved to be surprisingly adept rally cars.