The Ariel Nomad Is The Atom's Crazed Off-Roading Cousin

Imagine you run a highly-specialised sports car company. Imagine you’ve slotted numerous engines into your stripped out, track-focused creation, and have given it more than enough power to scare the bejesus out of the bravest drivers. What do you do next? For the people at Ariel, the answer was to stick a set of chunky off-road tyres on its ‘Atom’ circuit weapon, jack it up, and create this incredible mud-plugging sister version: the Nomad.

That description is perhaps a little disingenuous, however, as the Nomad represents and incredibly comprehensive transformation. That familiar Atom skeleton has been extended over the cockpit to give rollover protection, while long-travel Bilstein dampers have gone in at each corner, plus double unequal length wishbones front and rear. It’s been extensively tested in a variety of different locations, including on WRC stages.

As with many versions of the Atom, power comes from a Honda unit, this time a 2.4-litre four-cylinder - the same engine formerly available in the Accord. In the Nomad, it’s good for 235bhp and 221lb ft of torque, all of which is sent rearwards.

Despite the chunkier tyres, beefier suspension and extra skeleton tubing, it weighs just 670kg, meaning it’ll do 0-60mph in just 3.4 seconds. Although it’s meant for rougher terrain, it is still road legal.

So, how much for all this rear-drive off-road fun? £30,000. Sign us up.