Premium Collection

Facts: The Austin Somerset replaced the Devon in the Austin lineup and it’s swoopy styling was aimed at the American market where the Devon had been such a success. It was a big car with a separate chassis and with only 1200cc and around 40 bhp progress in a Somerset was leisurely with a 0-60 time of 36.6 seconds. Performance was not helped by poor quality petrol in the early 1950s. Nevertheless , in a production run of only 2 years, more than 170,000 Somersets were produced although there are very few left in the UK a now.

Facts: As sales of the Scimitar GTE declined, Reliant believed that there was a gap in the market in the late 70s with the imminent demise of British Sportscar stalwarts such as the MG Midget, MGB and Triumph Spirfire. Unfortunately for Reliant, the advent of the “hot hatch” in the form of the XR2 and Peugeot 205 GTI dampened enthusiasm for cramped two seaters with draughty and leaky hoods. Launched in 1985 , Reliant predicted sales of at least 2000 cars per year but sadly only around 1000 were ever made.