RELIANT SCIMITAR GTE (1968-86)

WHY YOU’LL WANT ONE

It’s the cheapest way into a classic shooting brake, and it sounds great

Leave all your preconceptions about Princess Anne, overheating and iffy build quality at the door, please. I’ve owned my SE6a for nearly two years and while it hasn’t been entirely trouble-free, it’s definitely worth the smidgen over £5k that I paid for it at a Brightwells auction – and you can still get similar examples for well under our £5k budget.

Another SE6a in decent condition went under the hammer earlier this year for £3650 and you’ll find similar examples in our classifieds – just be patient and wait for one in the right condition, because putting a rough one right again can be a fairly involved process.

Even though GTE values have been quietly creeping up over the last few years they still offer astonishing value for what they are. You’ll need at least the same amount again for a three-litre Capri in the same condition.

ENGINE 2994cc/V6/OHV POWER 135bhp@5500rpm TORQUE 172lb ft@3000rpm MAXIMUM SPEED 118mph 0-60MPH 8.6sec FUEL CONSUMPTION 22-32mpg TRANSMISSION RWD, four-speed man + o/d ENGINE OIL Castrol Classic XL20w/50 – 5.4 litres GEARBOX OIL Castrol Manual EP80 – 2.1 litres