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Riley RM

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Riley RMA

The newly designed Riley 1½ litre RMA saloon was introduced in August 1945 with the 2½ RMB saloon following in November 1946. These saloons were at once liked for their graceful and flowing lines, well appointed & comfortable interiors, brisk performance and good road manners - all of which impressed the motoring journalists & road testers of the time. The elegant bodywork was mounted on and ash frame and sat on a sturdy steel chassis. Steering was by precise rack and pinion and the front suspension was by torsion bar and wishbone. Engines used a twin camshaft arrangement that operated the inclined overhead valves by short pushrods.

From 1948 two new body styles were available on the 2½ litre models. These were the Roadster (RMC) and the Drophead Coupe (RMD) and these remained in production until 1950. Styling changes were made in 1952 which included the fitting of full width bumpers and a larger rear windscreen, as well as some improvements to the cars mechanical side such as fully hydraulic brakes. From this point the 1½ litre car was dubbed RME and the 2½ litre car RMF. In 1953 the 2½ litre ended production when it was replaced by the Pathfinder, but the 1½ litre continued to be made until March 1955.


 

Specifications

Model

RM 1.5 Litre Saloon

RM 2.5 Litre Saloon

Years Produced

1945-1955

1946-1953

Body Type

4 door saloon

4 door saloon, 2 door roadster & Drophead

Length

14ft 11in

15ft 5.5in

Width

5ft 3.5in

5ft 3.5in

Weight

2968lb

3360lb

Engine

1496cc 4 cylinder inline

2443cc 4 cylinder inline

Power

54 bhp @ 4550 rpm

100 bhp @ 4400 rpm

Torque

76lb ft @ 2500 rpm

134lb ft @ 3000 rpm

Gearbox

4 speed manual

4 speed manual

Driven Wheels

Rear

Rear

Brakes

Hydro-mechanically operated drum, all hydraulic from 1952

Front Suspension

Torsion bar & wishbone

Torsion bar & wishbone

Rear Suspension

Leaf spring, live axle

Leaf spring, live axle

 

Performance

Model

RM 1.5 Litre Saloon

RM 2.5 Litre Saloon

Top Speed

76 mph

95 mph

0-60 mph

25.0 seconds

16.5 seconds

Fuel Consumption

25 mpg

22 mpg

 

Useful Links

Riley RM Club

Riley RM books at Amazon.co.uk

Riley Motor Club

Norwegian Riley Register

Gallery