Skip to main content

The All-New Ariel Atom 4 is a Civic Type R-Powered Rocket

Eighteen years ago, an independent British manufacturer introduced a viciously fast, ultra-light sports car known as the Atom. With its steel spaceframe and Honda-sourced, four-cylinder engine (some models received four-cylinders from General Motors), the Ariel Atom became an instant hit among track day enthusiasts.

Since its debut, not much about the Atom has changed. The car still embarrasses all manner of sports cars at the track and still looks like a skeleton car. With each new generation, Ariel added more power, stickier tires, more robust brakes, and beefier suspension components, but the recipe has largely remained the same. If it ain’t broke …

Related Videos

It comes as no surprise, then, that the fourth- generation Atom is a mere microevolution of its ancestor — at least on the surface. Ariel says the only components of the new Atom that are shared with its predecessor are the brake, clutch pedals, and fuel-filler cap.

Introduced at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, the Atom 4 is powered by a turbocharged K20C engine, otherwise known as the Honda Civic Type R motor. With 320 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque on tap, the Atom 4 is 10 ponies and 78 lb-ft more potent than the supercharged version of the Atom 3. A six-speed manual gearbox and limited-slip differential deliver power to the rear wheels.

Ariel says the new Atom weighs just 1,312 pounds, meaning a power-to-weight ratio of just over four pounds per horsepower. For reference, the 710-hp McLaren 720S has about the same ratio. Zero to 60 mph takes just 2.8 seconds and 0 to 100 mph is a 6.8-second affair. Once again, those figures are supercar quick, and from experience, the lack of a windshield or body panels makes the Atom feel much more rapid than any supercar.

The Atom 4 makes the switch to larger diameter steel tubing, resulting in a 15 percent stiffer chassis. Ariel also found more space between the seats and redesigned the cockpit to include a digital driver display. A more aerodynamic engine cover and single-exit exhaust system make the Atom 4 slipperier, though the car is also the first version to produce downforce without wing accessories. Standard brakes are 10.9-inch front discs and 10.0-inch rears, but an 11.4-inch front setup with four-piston calipers is available. Other options include carbon fiber wheels that save 35 pounds.

U.S. market pricing has yet to be announced, but we anticipate a starting figure around $50,000.

Editors' Recommendations

BMW just made a critical (and expensive!) change to its M series X5 and X6
BMW's X5 M and X6 M: Hope you’re ready for the electrified future, because it’s arrived
2024 BMW X5 M and X6 M Competition parked in front of a glass building in the desert with mountains in the back.

After seeing the changes that BMW made for the 2024 X5 and X6 midsize SUVs, we were expecting to see similar changes for the high-performance M variants. As we expected, the X5 M Competition and X6 M Competition arrive with similar changes that include updated exterior designs and new tech features. More importantly, the X5 M Competition and X6 M Competition mark a new era for BMW’s M-badged vehicles, as they’re the first to come with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system that supplements the V8.
Let’s start with the SUVs’ engines. Both come with a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 that’s heavily revised compared to the outgoing models. The S68 is rated at 617 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque. The mild-hybrid system consists of an electric motor that’s integrated into the 8-speed automatic transmission’s housing. It adds 12 horsepower and 147 pound-feet of torque. The 48-volt system also acts as a starter generator for the SUVs.

Previous

Read more
The 6 best sports cars under $50K: Get an amazing ride without breaking the bank
These six cars prove that you don’t have to be a millionaire to get a fun sports car 
affordable sports cars under 50k 2023 nissan z 2

Everyone thinks that they have to win the lottery to get into a sports car, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Sports cars come in all shapes and sizes. As long as you’re willing to compromise on performance and size, you can get into a sports car at a relatively affordable price. 
Sure, most sports cars that cost less than $50,000 aren’t nearly as powerful as those with six-figure price tags, but that doesn’t make them any worse. Plus, there’s nothing like pushing a small, underpowered car to its limits. It certainly beats trying to stay in control of a high-powered machine. If you’re looking for cheap sports cars on a budget of $50,000, here are our top six choices.

Toyota GR Supra 2.0 – $45,135 
The six-cylinder Toyota GR Supra may get all of the praise, but the four-cylinder version of the sports car is mighty impressive. The turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder delivers 255 horsepower. That may not sound like a lot, but the GR Supra 2.0 can still get to 60 mph in roughly 4.5 seconds, which is mega-quick. Plus, it feels nearly as quick around corners with handling that’s just as sharp. The GR Supra 2.0 is proof that more power doesn’t necessarily result in a substantially better sports car.

Read more
The 10 most expensive collector cars in the world
Forget about six figures — these seven-, eight-, and nine-figure collector cars drew a lot of attention last year
1955 Mercedes-Benz SLR “Uhlenhaut Coupé” overhead image with the gullwing doors open from behind in a white studio.

Last year was a great year for automakers. Luxury brands like Rolls-Royce and Bentley saw their profits skyrocket. The rich got richer and decided to spend more money on cars than ever. While most people were having a hard time finding a car or worrying about how they would be able to afford a large dealer markup, collectors spent ludicrous amounts of money on classic cars.
According to Classic.com, the top 10 most expensive collector’s cars that sold at auction last year represented a total of $250 million in sales. The most "affordable" car sold at auction for $7,595,000, while the most expensive one was $146,588,400. These are the top 10 most expensive collector cars that sold at auction in 2022.

1954 Ferrari 375 America Vignale Cabriolet – $7,595,000
Ferrari was a much different automaker in the 1950s than it is today. The Italian marque focused a lot more on grand tourers back then, and the Ferrari 375 America is an excellent example of that. The 375 America featured a detuned version of the Lampredi engine from the 375 MM racecar and arrived as a replacement for the 342 America. It was built in incredibly low numbers, as Ferrari only built 10 375 Americas, though two more vehicles that started off as 250 Europas were converted at the factory later on. Buyers had their choice of a few coachwork upgrades from Pinin Farina and Vignale, but what makes this car so special is that it was the only vehicle to have coachwork done by Vignale and be a cabriolet.
This car’s history is also remarkable. The vehicle was personally sold by Enzo Ferrari to Bianca Colizzi, film director Giuseppe Colizzi’s daughter. Remarkably, the vehicle has matching numbers for its engine, gearbox, rear axle, and bodywork. Additionally, it still has its original factory hard top.

Read more