The Bond Bug, a microcar with a wedge-shaped design, was created by Tom Karen of Ogle Design for Reliant Motor Company. Featuring two seats and three wheels, it replaces conventional doors with side screens and a lift-up canopy. Production took place from 1970 to 1974, initially at Bond Cars Ltd factory and later at Reliant’s Tamworth factory.
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The Bond Bug utilized a new chassis designed by chief engineer John Crosthwaite, along with components and running gear from the Reliant Regal and Reliant Robin 750. The initial concept involved modifying a Regal car by shortening its rear to align with the rear axle.
The car has a 700 cc four-cylinder Reliant light-alloy engine in the front. The 700 and 700E models had 29 bhp (22 kW; 29 PS) at launch. The 700ES model had a new cylinder head that increased the compression ratio to 8.4:1. This gave it more power (31 bhp or 23 kW or 31 PS) and torque than the other models. The Bond Bug 700ES also had improved seats, additional padding, twin mudflaps, an ashtray, a rubber bumper, and a spare wheel. Podkin captured these impressive photos of Bond Bugs in the late 1980s to early ’90s, at car shows and Bond Bug meets.
