Spotted: Dutch Reliant Rialto

Posted on 23-03-2014 at 11:14 by maru – 27 Comments”

The Reliant Robin was famous for his inability to keep it upright through a turn to save. You could say that the brand after this cheeky design ready to go would be with tricycles, but no.

The Robin was in 1881 replaced by the Rialto. The round shapes were straightened out, that the car is also slightly longer. The 850 cc aluminium four-cylinder with eight valves yielded only 40 hp / 63 Nm, but it is also not necessary at 436 pounds and three wheels. Fortunately, the drive on the rear wheels, what the Rialto to be a fun toy at lower speeds. With four gears touch, you also not quickly lost count.

The Rialto is no snelheidswonder, and that is very good with his small trommelremmetjes. A top speed of 128 km/h is theoretically possible, but then you have no curves to encounter. However, had the better aerodynamics provide more stability at higher speeds for all three body styles: a sedan, a station wagon and a van (wagon with dense achterramen).

For a car of 144,8 cm wide (length: just 337,8 cm), it is much more convenient to have a single large windshield wiper in place of two small ones. Less parts to break, so this they have also applied. Also, rust will not cause problems for the other cart thanks to a galvanised chassis and fibreglass body.

Although the Rialto in oblivion is touched, we have him to thank for the fact that Robin, a return was made in 1989. Until 1998, they were still next to each other sold, and then the Rialto stage had to leave. Fortunately, we have in the Netherlands, in any case, one more instance to remind us of a branch of the automotive history in which the corners of the mouth, every time of up curl.

View the spot HERE on Autojunk.