Revealed today, the new sports car may look similar to those before it, but the British manufacturer says this is near enough an all-new machine – with just three components carried over from the previous generation.
Powering it is a Honda K20C engine, as found in the latest Civic Type R, paired here with a six-speed manual gearbox. The turbocharged 2.0-litre, four-cylinder unit produces 320 bhp and 420 Nm of torque – capable of taking the Atom 4 from 0-60 mph in 2.8 seconds and on to a 162 mph top speed.
Housing that is a chassis that has been designed entirely in-house by Ariel and is 15 per cent stiffer than that of the outgoing car, with the total package weighing a mere 595 kg.
Figures like that could create a challenging machine to drive, but there’s been no skimping on handling-focused parts to keep all that performance on the road. On-board Bilstein dampers feature, while a revised steering rack improves all-round usability – making the Atom more approachable than ever.
As standard, the Atom 4 sits on 16-inch alloy wheels at the front and 17-inch units at the back – although these can be optionally replaced with carbon-fibre units, which weigh 50 per cent less. Regardless of the choice, high-performance Avon ZZR tyres are fitted from factory.
Don’t expect a whole lot in terms of luxury equipment, though – this is, after all, a track-focused car. Daytime running lights now feature, as do LED indicators. There’s also the ground-breaking introduction of individual seats, rather than the single-mould twin unit of old. How high-tech is that?
The all-new Ariel Atom 4 will be available to order in late 2018 with a starting price of £39,975. First deliveries are expected early in 2019.
