Car manufacturer Ariel has revealed photos of its next-generation Atom sport car series. The vehicle will be present at the Goodwood Festival of Speed starting in a few days.
Reportedly, there is very little in the vehicle left over from the previous generation. There is the old fuel tank cap and both the throttle and brake pedals – but that would be all. Most parts have been either redesigned or replaced altogether. With that in mind, it is curious how strongly the general outlines of the vehicle resemble its previous iteration.
Despite the fact that the new vehicle has a part-carbon body, it still manages to be 15% more structurally rigid than its predecessor. Its aerodynamic performance has also reportedly made a big step forward, although no data is being provided by the manufacturer to back up the claim.
The rear-driven Ariel Atom packs a two-liter turbocharged engine the kind of which comes with the Honda Civic Type R performance series. Reworked and optimized by Ariel in terms of control firmware, the unit can deliver up to 320 hp (239 kW) and 420 Nm (310 lb·ft) to the six-speed manual transmission.
The car accelerates from a standstill to 100 km/h (62 mph) im mere 2.8 seconds and can ultimately achieve 261 km/h (162 mph).
Options include hi-end shock absorbers by Öhlins and lightweight carbon rims.
The new Ariel Atom costs U.S. $52,900 and above.
Photo: motor1.com