Reliant Rialto
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Reliant Rialto | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Reliant Rialto Estate | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Reliant |
| Production | 1982–1996 |
| Assembly | United Kingdom: Tamworth, England |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | City car (A) |
| Body style | |
| Layout | FMR layout, with single front wheel |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 848 cc OHV I4 |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | Reliant Robin Mk. 1 |
| Successor | Reliant Robin Mk. 2 |
The Reliant Rialto is a three-wheeled car that was manufactured by Reliant Motor Company, replacing the original Mk 1 Reliant Robin in 1982. It featured a much squarer aerodynamic body, servicing panels, a single large windscreen wiper, a thicker fibreglass body, and altered interior, but the chassis, engine, and a lot of large components were carried over from the previous model. The improvements gave the Rialto improved high-speed stability as well as improved fuel economy.
The Rialto was the first Reliant to be designed by International Automotive Design (IAD UK Ltd), where previous Reliant models were generally conceived by Ogle Design.
The Rialto was built in a number of different configurations, including: a saloon, estate, van, hatchback, pick-up, and flatbed. Rialtos also came in a number of different series: the Mk 1 models from 1982 to 1983; the Rialto 2 series from 1983 to 1986; and the Rialto SE from 1987 until 1995 – the estate model was built in tandem with the Robin Mk 2 estate, which was introduced in 1992. The last Rialto model to be built was the 1997 'Giant' pick up.
Upon release, the Rialto had a 12-month waiting list in 1982, and was one of Reliant's best-selling models ever, but never gained as much praise[citation needed] as the better-known Robin. In the 1980s the Rialto was Reliant's only 3 wheeler model; production of the Mk 1 Robin ended in 1981, and its successor – the Robin Mk 2 – wouldn't materialise until 1989. Even after the introduction of the new Robin, the Rialto estate was available to order until 1996.
The idea of updating the Robin dates back to 1978, but by 1980 sales were slowing, and Reliant thought a simple facelift may have fixed this. Originally the Rialto was nothing more than a nose-end treatment with the same square headlamps and black grille. This was eventually rejected, as it was said the squarer front end didn't look good against the rounder body shape of the Mk 1 Robin.
A design by International Automotive Design was also presented for the Rialto: an entirely new model in the form of a larger 3-wheeled hatchback whose design was not dissimilar to the Mk 3 Ford Escort, even using the same front and rear lights.
In the end Reliant decided to save money by continuing to use the mechanical parts of the Mk 1 Robin, such as its running gear, but update the whole car with a new style of body, and rename it the Rialto.
The Rialto was designed to have a higher compression engine and high geared rear axle for the 1980s "motorway age", but because the company wanted to bring the car to market quickly, it was launched in 1982 using the same engine, gearbox, and axle line up from the original Robin. The mechanical improvements were ready a year later, when the car was relaunched as the Rialto 2.
Mk 1 Rialto
The Mk 1 Rialto series was available in three separate body styles: saloon, estate, and van. The range consisted of basic specification with a vinyl interior, and could be ordered with a list of choice optional extras. GLS specification cars which came with a clock, FM/AM radio, voltage gauge, cloth covered seats with extra matching cloth covered areas on the interior, extra thick carpets with a carpeted boot area, GLS decals, leather steering wheel, a spare wheel, and radial tyres. All cars had a dark green dash with dark grey door cards.
The sole available engine was Reliant's own four-cylinder 850 cc "red top" (so-called because of its red rocker cover) mated to a four-speed gearbox. This engine was carried over from the previous Mk 1 Robin, and produced 40 hp (30 kW), a top speed of 85 mph (137 km/h), and fuel consumption of up to 60 mpg (imp). The most recognisable feature of a Mk 1 Rialto is the thick stripe which runs front to rear, in either gold, graphite, or silver –according to body colour.
