The Ant was initially designed for export to Greece and other Mediterranean and middle east countries. Due to its versatility, it also found an English market.
Reliant Engineering Ltd. was established in 1935 to make 3-wheeled delivery vans powered by Austin Seven engines. In 1953 they brought out their first passenger car--the Regal.
In 1953, Reliant Engineering Co. brought out their first passenger car–the Regal. Reliant chose this name in recognition of the Coronation of Elizabeth II, also in that year.
In 1962, the Renault 4CV was replaced by another back-to-basic car, the Renault 4. It was no secret that the “r4" was aimed at giving the Citroën 2CV some competition.
In 1898, Alfred Renault, choosing not to go into the family button business, built a small car in a workshop in the garden of his family’s home. The “Type A” was shown at the 1899 Paris Salon.
The 4 cylinder Renault Alpine 310 was launched in 1972. Some consider the Alpine one of France’s best kept secrets–it was a more practical and cheaper alternative to a Porsche 911. The v6 engine, introduced in 1976, allowed the a310 to rival the best sports cars in Europe.
In 1956, Renault announced the Dauphine, a 4CV development. The mechanics are similar to those of the 4CV, but the body is a 3-box type. It has a welded stress-carrying center section to which the front and rear assemblies are bolted.
Deutsch-Bonnet was a partnership between Charles Deutsch and Rene Bonnet that began in 1938 to build race cars. D-B cars were very successful on the racing circuit and dominated the world’s race tracks through the 1950s and early 1960s.
This company began in 1938 under the name New-Map and was better known for manufacturing motorcycles. While the microcar was somewhat of a novelty, it quickly found favor in the harsh post-war period.
Rover announced one of its most radical production designs in 1963, the Rover 2000. The Rover 2000 had futuristic looks, using an innovative unitary bodyshell which then had unstressed body panels bolted onto it.
Robert and Raul de Rovin began building cyclecars and motorcycles in the 1920s. After World War II ended, the French government encouraged the development of economy cars to get the nation moving again after the devastation of war.
