We warned you it was coming, the light weight sports car builder, Ariel, has just released a ridiculously powerful version of their open cockpit two-seater, the Atom 500. Although the V8 is quite small, displacing only 2.4 Liters, the blown five valves per cylinder design and 10,000 RPM capabilities means that there is more than 500 HP on tap. The 6 speed Sadev sequential gearbox will get a lot of use in the Atom 500, it features flatshift capabilities, paddle shifters as well as launch control.
Like the old Pirelli slogan says: “power is nothing without control,” so in order to get the Atom 500 to stick to the road, the vehicle’s engineers had to fit and F1 inspired aerofoil to the nose as well as a GT sized rear wing. Stopping power is provided by a foursome of Alcon four-piston brake calipers housed inside of lightweight Dymag magnesium wheels.
The power to weight ratio of the Atom 500 is almost unheard of for a road car, over 1000 HP per ton. If you thought the old Atom was absolutely amazing, the 500 should be nothing short of insanity.
Press release after the jump.
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The Ariel Atom reached it’s third generation. Quite similar with the previous Atom, the new model features numerous changes.
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Looking like the creation of a retired scaffolder with an engineering passion, the Ariel Atom is more akin to contemporary sculpture than anything else. Study the beauty of the welding, where tubes meet for example; then step back and ponder the whole machine. Perhaps Mad Max springs to mind? Whatever, this has to be one of the most outlandish sportscars ever.
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