THE RELIANT SCIMITAR GTE – A CELEBRATION

When Reliant announced the GTE to the press in August 1968 there was, quite simply no other British car like it. The MGC GT may have been over £400 cheaper and had a similar sized engine to the Scimitar’s 3-litre ‘Essex’ unit, but it was less well-appointed. Nor was it in any way a full four-seater. The Ford Capri 3000E lay a year in the future (and had only two doors), as did the Gilbern Invader Estate and the Volvo P1800ES...

As for a large UK-built estate car, the new Triumph 2.5 PI would be available as a station wagon by early 1969, but it is unlikely the potential GTE buyer would have looked at a Ford Zodiac Mk. IV ‘Farnham’ or a Vauxhall Victor FD 3300. They were quasi-American barges for the pub landlord market while Reliant aimed the Scimitar at ambitious young barristers and architects.

The Tamworth concern had first considered a three-door Grand Tourer version of their Scimitar GT dates in 1965. In that year Ogle Design used the very handsome coupe as the basis for their one-off Triplex GTS (‘Glazing Test Special’) - a promotional vehicle for the glass manufacturer. The HRH The Duke of Edinburgh subsequently acquired this fine machine and in 1967 Reliant approached Ogle to create an estate version of the Scimitar.

As well as featuring distinctive new GRP bodywork, the GTE featured a completely new chassis combined with an extended track and wheelbase, plus a larger fuel tank. The rear seats had separately folding backrests with an armrest that could be pivoted to serve as a luggage barrier. There was a weight penalty of around one cwt over the GT, but the top speed was still an impressive 120 mph

At £1,759, the Scimitar was priced to appeal to those who might have looked at the Rover 2000TC or even the Daimler V8250. It was also a star of the 1968 London Motor Show, despite the presence of the new Jaguar XJ6. Motor thought “nothing at all has been sacrificed for versatility” Meanwhile, the sales copy modestly boasted “‘Only Reliant offers the benefit of a grand tourer and a capacious estate in one car able to take four adult passengers and their luggage in high speeds, in extreme comfort”.

Two years later, Car tested the GTE opposite the new Stag and concluded it was simpler and harsher than the Triumph – “more nearly a sports car that has been adorned with practical bodywork”. 1970 also saw Autocar evaluate a Scimitar with optional Borg-Warner 35 automatic transmission (a £122 extra) - “There is no denying it goes well and handles like a thoroughbred”.

Perhaps Motor Sport best encapsulated the Reliant’s appeal when they wrote “It is an estate-car for antique furniture and camping equipment rather than for pigs, muddy dogs or rusty tool-boxes”. The GTE was a true grand touring car, one with equal appeal to a Southampton property developer and HRH Princess Anne. And this writer’s favourite Scimitar moment is this very ‘1971’ cinematic car chase featuring a hirsute George Lazenby and an unfortunate police Jaguar S-Type…