The relentless quest for automotive safety and improving the characteristics of the vehicles has been around since the dawn of the motoring age. It is widely known that cars are dangerous contraptions that can even become outright death traps if not engineered and fixed correctly.
So manufacturers often try to make them safer and more stable for the sake of their customers. Unfortunately, despite all of those efforts, there are examples of brands completely failing to do so. Unfortunately, they introduced unsafe and even downright dangerous models for their drivers. Whether for their performance, lack of safety features, or bad engineering, these cars are unsafe at any speed. Find out which models are dangerous here and approach them with the utmost caution.
Reliant Robin
Mostly unknown to the automotive public outside the United Kingdom, Reliant has been producing cars since the 1930s and three-wheel vehicles since the early ’50s. In those days, owning a car in the UK was a big deal. Prices for new vehicles and insurance were out of reach for many potential customers. It sounded reasonable but was less popular than Reliant hoped. The reason was simple: a three-wheeled car needed to be bigger and faster. But it was terrible. So as the economy recovered and people were finally able to buy a proper car, Reliant’s proposition was simply obsolete (via History Press).
However, since the car was very compact and cheap, it had its customers. This was especially true when the company introduced a van version, which proved very practical in city traffic. In 1973, Reliant introduced the Robin just before the oil crisis, which immensely helped sales. With its 850cc engine and around 50 hp, Reliant Robin weighed just under 500 kilos, which made it surprisingly agile and fuel efficient. However, the three-wheel configuration was a disaster in tight turns. The Robin was known to flip over if the driver took the curve too fast. Reliant Robin was presented to the global audience in an episode of the popular motoring show “Top Gear,” where presenters made fun of its ill-handling and capabilities.