Here’s one you don’t see every day, certainly not in the U.S. and not even in its native UK surroundings. The 1988 Reliant Scimitar Turbo has a turbocharged four-cylinder taken from a Nissan Silvia that was good for 135 b.h.p. and could reach a maximum speed of just under 130 m.p.h. The turbocharged models were recognizable based on their large rear spoiler, but production was kept fairly limited due to poor take-rates of the Scimitar in both naturally-aspirated and turbocharged form. Find this recently imported oddball here on craigslist in New Mexico for $14,500, which the seller claims is one of just 50 built with the higher-output engine.

There were high expectations for a new British sports car when plans to unveil this two-seater with a famous name were rolled out. Unfortunately, from the awkward styling to the decidedly un-sexy initial engine offerings, the Scimitar was anything but a hit. The design was hard to reconcile, lacking any sort of symmetry, with low-cut doors and tall side- and front-window glass, a look you don’t commonly associate with a convertible that typically sports a rakishly-low windshield. The taillights look like they are lifted right of a Mercedes sedan of the same era, and in general, the Scimitar was a hodge-podge of parts from various manufacturers’ bins.

The interior was no better, full of cheap, gray plastics and seats that were unbecoming of a sports car. The shocking part of all of this is who the original designer was:  Giovanni Michelotti, the man responsible for iconic designs including the Triumph TR4 and Spitfire, the BMW 2002, and the Renault Alpine A110. For such an impressive resume, it truly is a head-scratcher that this is the design he concocted for the Scimitar. It makes you want to ask what was going on in his life that this was the end product. Perhaps he was tied to a limited budget, or an overall design that relied on spare parts rather than a blank check for total ingenuity.

Thankfully, the upgraded engine did liven up performance considerably over the standard engine offering, a Ford-built overhead cam CVH. While this engine did feature a hemispherical combustion chamber, it was a raucous affair, and a far cry from the smooth power of the Nissan-built turbocharged mill. Regardless, like so many other cars that take a while to find their footing, it didn’t take long for the Scimitar to be relegated to obscurity. Despite these faults, I do find it charming to some extent, and to own the only example in the U.S. will likely appeal to some collectors who march to the beat of a different drummer. Just don’t ever damage the glass on the rare, factory hardtop.