FAMOUS OWNERS/DRIVERS

Probably the most famous Scimitar owner is Her Royal Highness Princess Anne.  Princess Anne has owned 8 Scimitar GTE's since 1970.

Above: 1970 - Princess Anne leaving Buckingham Palace in her loan Scimitar GTE, while her specially ordered green Scimitar was being prepared.

Above: Princess Anne owned her first Scimitar in November 1970.  It was purchased for her by her parents for her as a joint 20th Birthday and Christmas present.
With a top speed of 120 M.P.H the Princess could get around quite speedily (as the Princess would find out later.....)

You can see some wonderful footage (27 minutes long) from 1975 in which Princess Anne visits the Reliant Motor Company in her second Scimitar GTE and tours the Reliant factories:

http://www.sporting-reliants.com/Royal_Visitor.htm

Princess Anne has owned 8 Scimitar's in total and still owns a 1989 Middlebridge Scimitar.

Above: Norman Wisdom poses in his newly acquired Reliant Sabre Six.

Above: In 1969 Actress Rita Tushingham poses proudly besides her new Scimitar GTE SE5.

Above: 1969, Mike McGear, of the pop group "The Scaffold" was one of Britain's most devoted Scimitar owners.  (Mike's real surname is McCartney, yep, he is Paul McCartney's actual brother!)

Above: The Triplex Ogle GTS (Glazing Test Special) was driven for two years by the Duke of Edinburgh, which apparently  replaced his 3-litre Lagonda.

See "Prototypes" for more info on the Triplex Ogle GTS

Above: 1970, Bobby Moore opens the Earls Court Motorshow and tries out the Scimitar GTE for size.

 Above: The Duke of Kent with his Scimitar GTC.

Prince Edward also owned a Scimitar GTC for a short while.

Above: George Lazenby uses a Scimitar GTE as his personal car in the film "Universal Soldier", and features in a high speed chase being chased by a 3.8 litre Jaguar Police car.  The Scimitar gets away!!

(See the footage in Cars in Film)

Above: David Nixon in 1971 with his new Scimitar GTE SE5

Above: 1972: Dec Cluskey of "The Bachelors" pop group, shown here with his 2 year old daughter Victoria.

Above: Earl Alexander of Tunis - Scimitar GTE SE5a in 1972

Above: Hughie Jones from the folk group " The Spinners" in 1972 in his new Scimitar GTE SE5a and again in 1974

Above: The ex-Hughie Jones' modified Scimitar registered "ELV 11L" came up for sale on Ebay a while back.  I never saw if it sold, but I would be interested to hear from the current owner.

Above: 1973, Stuart Hall, the well known ex-commentator for the BBC's 'Its a Knock-Out', traveled all over Britain in his SE5a organising the bizarre sporting contests.

Above: 1973, International Wrestler 'Mick McManus' with his new Scimitar GTE SE5a

Above: Leonard Parkin - (ITV News Reader/Journalist) in 1973

Above: Noel Edmonds in 1973 with his new car - a Scimitar GTE SE5a.

Above: Graham Hill with his golden retriever "Honey" in the back of a Scimitar GTE.  Graham was giving advice on driving in the snow and ice and highly commended the Reliant Scimitar in 1975.

Above: Dickie Davies the TV Sports Presenter, collecting his new SE5a Scimitar GTE in 1974.

Above: Nick Moran: Star of film Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels with his 1972 SE5a

Above: Mat Irvine: As a Visual Effects Designer, Mat worked on many TV programs including Dr Who, Blake 7, Tomorrows World, QED an loads more!  He is also a judge on the Robot Wars program.  

Mat is the author of 'Dr Who - Special Effects' and 'The Science of the Cosmos' books and his new book 'Creating Space' is out now!!

Read all about Mat's amazing career and his hobbies on his website:

http://www.smallspace.demon.co.uk/Biog/biog.htm

Other famous past and present owners include:

• Dennis Spicer - (Famous Ventriloquist) - Owned a Reliant Sabre Six
  

• Nick Hewer - (Alan Sugar's right hand man in The Apprentice) - Scimitar GTE
  

• Oliver Heath - (Changing Rooms Designer) - Scimitar GTE SE6a
  

• Ken Dodd - (Comedian) -Reliant Sabre Four
  

• Danny Williams (Singer) - Reliant Sabre
  

• William Roach (Actor - Ken Barlow) - Reliant Scimitar GTE SE5a and a SE6a
  

• Barry Sheen - (Motorbike Racer) - Reliant Scimitar GTE
  

• Patrick Mower - (TV star, currently starring in Emmerdale used a Reliant Scimitar GTE for a while, which he gave away to one lucky reader in the July 1st-7th, 1972 edition of TV Times).
  

• Roger Glover - Deep Purple - Reliant Scimitar GTE
  

• Keith Emerson - Emerson, Lake and Palmer - Reliant Scimitar
  

• Les Walker - Warm Dust - Reliant Scimitar
  

• Roger Cook  - Journalist -  Numerous Reliant Scimitar GTE's, (one fitted with Westlake engine!)

I am looking for pictures of Stars with their Cars, so email me if you have any pictures or further information on the above people, or where the cars are now??.  Cheers :o)

Contact me at:  

dave_poole8@hotmail.com