Oh the memories.
I had a Regal, the fore runner of the Robin.
Got it from a scrap yard, when money was tight, and rebuilt it 'from the floor up'.
Simple chassis, easy to repair or replace.
The exhaust could be easily refabricated from electrical conduit and empty bean cans (Oh yes I did !).
Although they are referred to as 'glass fibre' this is not strictly true.
The resin used was the same, but instead of 'glass matting' as a base, to cut costs, they used a base of chopped straw. That's why they burn so well.
Easy to work on. The whole body was bolted to the chassis with a total of just 14 bolts. The original 600cc aluminium engine was actually based on the engine for an early portable fire pump (I forget the name at the moment).
Very economical on petrol. Cheap to tax, as a motorcycle with side car (motorcycle combination). Cheap to insure as well.
Don't believe what you see on the videos.
To roll over like that, they will have removed the shock absorbers and the balancing arm from the front single wheel. (I still have the Reliant workshop manual if any one is interested).
The 4 wheel version of the Reliant was the Kitten.
Before you laugh too much, just remember that they also produced a very desirable car alongside their 3 wheelers - The Scimitar - 4 wheel sports hatchback. 3000 cc Ford V6 engine. Very fast, very expensive.
For six and a half years, worked in a toolroom that was owned by a garage. They were agents for Reliant as well as BMC (2 miles down the road), so we saw all of the problems, returns and bodywork repairs to MINIs that had been standing for months, in open fields, before some 'mug' bought it, thinking it was a new car.
Mike