ST (1961)

The name "Sabra" was evidently used because it means "born in Israel". In 1960 Yitzak Shubinsky launched an Israeli-made car at the autoshow in New York. It was a very small, low powered pick-up truck. At the show Shubinsky realized that it was a futile attempt, and set forth on a new project.

He bought the rights to use an Ashley body on a Les Ballamy chassis. He agreed with Reliant (who had helped producing the "Carmel" and the "Sussita") that Reliant would bring body, engine and chassis together in a convertible sports-car. The engine was a Ford 1703cc. Reliant agreed and was authorized to deliver the first 100 cars to the USA.

In 1961 at the New York autoshow, the first Sabras were displayed. Reliant produced the first 100 cars, their VIN-plates marked "AUTOCARS COMPANY LIMITED HAIFA ISRAEL", though they were actually made in UK. The rest of the cars were produced in Israel, but only 41 of those got exported to the USA.

In 1964-1968 some 81 cars—a quarter of the Israeli production—were exported to Belgium; no one knows why. Worldwide, over 100 Sabra cars are traceable, over twenty of them in Belgium.

(http://en.wikipedia.org)