Scimitar GTE SE5a     AOE 59K

The Scimitar GTE was launched at the 1968 Earls Court Motor Show and has the distinction of being the first sporting GT estate car. Ogle’s ground breaking, practical and very attractive design provided a grand tourer with four usable seats, a huge luggage space, and a 120mph top speed. There was simply nothing else like it and it was such a run away success that it redefined Reliant for the next two decades. In October 1971 after incorporating numerous improvements to the car the SE5a was launched. Gone was the Coupe like flat dash replaced by a molded ABS facia and there was new ventilation and heating, front seat belts, new rear lights and a rear wiper. The front lights were raised two inches and the 3 litre engine now produced 145 bhp giving a top speed of 125mph. The SE5a went on to become the most successful of all the GTE variants ever produced.

AOE 59K is an early example of the GTE SE5a. There is some history with the car with numerous old bills, receipts and MOT from previous owners going back to the 1990’s. Back in 1993 there was an agreed high insurance valuation for the car with covering pictures and at this time it was obviously somebodies pride and joy. Sadly over the following decades AOE 59K apparently deteriorated and was off the road for many years with parts removed and missing. In more recent times it underwent repairs and bodywork with a refinish of the paintwork in the previous original guards red. At the same time the interior was replaced with a full black period leather one.

The car has recently had a full service and check of mechanicals with new ignition parts and all oils being changed. It also had four new high speed classic tyres fitted to the optional period wolfrace wheels and has the benefit of a stainless steel exhaust and petrol tank fitted. This Scimitar is now ready for the road and on test drives very well in all 5 gears, believed to be a type 9 gearbox conversion, with all the gauges working including the clock. The GTE is still a very underrated classic car by many but their discerning owners continue to enjoy the advantages of a hatchback with the performance and handling of a true sports car

AOE 59K comes with an original jack and a tool kit, a copy of the original handbook with period autotests and publicity features together with a rare official Reliant workshop manual.