Ariel Atom Gets 525 hp Anniversary Special
The Ariel Motor Company has been producing stripped down, serious driver’s cars for 25 years now. Yup, for a quarter of a century, the brand has produced scaffolding-like chassises with grippy tires, powerful engines, and a lot of baked-in fun. Although the manufacturer does produce the off-road Nomad, most of these cars have been the street legal, yet track-focused Atom.
The Atom is the OG Ariel and has progressed through four generations over the past 25 years. There have been many iterations of this car including one housing a V8 behind the driver, which is nutty in such a small, lightweight car.
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Ariel Atom, the brand is taking the current Atom 4R platform, and further increasing power, performance, and of course exclusivity. Called the Atom 4RR, it’s the most powerful Atom ever, thanks to a heavily modified Honda 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine.
The brand has replaced and/or upgraded several components, while further improving the oil and fuel systems. The result? A monstrous 525 horsepower and 406-pound feet of torque. Considering the ridiculously lightweight Atom 4, with 320 hp, already goes 0-60 mph in 2.8 seconds with a top speed of 162 mph, we reckon the new 4RR will be blistering fast.
Just how quick and fast we don’t know yet. Atom states the technical specification and pricing for the Atom 4RR will be announced later this year. If you want one of these little monsters, better act fast as only 25 examples of the made-to-order car will be available.
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A 20+ year industry veteran, Mike rejoins the AutoGuide team as the Managing Editor. He started his career at a young age working at dealerships, car rentals, and used car advertisers. He then found his true passion, automotive writing. After contributing to multiple websites for several years, he spent the next six years working at the head office of an automotive OEM, before returning back to the field he loves. He is a member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC), and Midwest Automotive Media Association (MAMA). He's the recipient of a feature writing of the year award and multiple video of the year awards.
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