Scimitars are a very British thing, and in particular the GTE. Quirky, innovative and very individual, the Scimitar remains an oddly under valued car.
Launched in 1969, the Scimitar GTE changed the motoring World as the first 120mph four seater ‘sports grand tourer’. Designed by the eclectic designer Tom Karen, built in Tamworth, England using a fibreglass body and Ford V6 running gear, and yes it’s from the same company that produced those funny three wheelers, most famously the British TV series Only Fools and Horses (Del Boys’ yellow van) and other fibreglass bodied commercial vehicles.
A car that was a lifelong favourite of the Royal Household, with Princess Anne owning eight over her driving career (project #2 is the first Scimitar GTE that she drove before owning her own).
Practical, stylish and a very rare sight on British roads these days, the Scimitar GTE really is a special car.
XRF 976H is one of three Reliant Press cars. It features in various Reliant publications and was loaned to the Princess whilst her first Scimitar, a 20th Birthday gift from the King and Queen, was being built to her specification.
XRF 976H was bought as a rolling chassis with V5 and is currently awaiting a rebuild to original factory specification as shown above
(Silver car with black interior, Essex 3 litrem four speed manual with no overdrive, MAG Industries GT alloy wheels which are commonly known as ‘Princess Anne’ wheels)
The Chassis
Designed by John Crosthwaite
(Race car engineer and specialist chassis designer, worked for John Cooper Cars, Lotus Engineering,
Indianapolis 500 and BRM British Racing Motors alongside endless major names of the time
both on the engineering side and the drivers)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Crosthwaite
The Body
Designed by Tom Karen
(Ogle Design, Raleigh Chopper bicycle, Bond Bug car, ‘Marble Run’ 1980s children’s toy,
Bush Radio TR130, Luke Skywalker’s Landspeer from the film Star Wars)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Karen
The Factory
Tamworth, Staffordshire, England.
https://www.britainbycar.co.uk/tamworth/379-reliant