Have you ever been sliding around a racetrack in your super-light, super-fast Ariel Atom sports car and found yourself thinking "Hmmmm. I like this, but what I'd really like is an off-road version..." Yes? Really? Well, you're in luck. Ariel has just announced production of its first off-roader, the Nomad.
Based heavily on the same chassis as the Atom, and using many common parts including the steering and instruments, the Nomad is a light (just 670kg) rear-drive off-road buggy powered by a 2.4-litre Honda engine lifted from the Accord. Ariel has tweaked the engine to produce 241hp and 300Nm of torque, and that, combined with the weight, is reckoned to be able to allow the Nomad to compensate for the lack of heavy, power-sapping all-wheel drive. Hilariously, Ariel reckons it will sprint to 100km/h in under four seconds, even when off-road.
Obviously, all the suspension has been beefed up to cope with the stresses of off-roading, and this is the first Ariel product for which you will be able to purchase optional doors, windscreen and roof. In spite of appearances, it is actually road legal too.
Ariel's founder, Simon Saunders, told us that "there are things that we can do at low volume that you simply couldn't contemplate with mass production. We understand niche markets and we understand customers' demands completely. Everything we have learnt from the Atom has gone into Nomad and it shows. Nomad is Atom's tough brother and a continuation of our 'serious fun' philosophy. If we can put a smile on people's faces, on road or off it, we have done our job."
Henry Siebert-Saunders, Simon's son who headed up development for the Nomad, added: "It's a bit of a moment for us. It will be the first Ariel that has a roof and doors."