Ariel planning all-new alt-powered vehicle

[ErikStenger]

Ariel, our favorite purveyors of minimalist motoring this side of a Se7en, are reportedly working on an all-new vehicle that won't be powered by a standard engine and would "break new ground in the same way that the Atom first did."

According to Ariel's head Simon Saunders, the new model will be a significant departure from the Atom, nixing the exposed tube-frame chassis and mid-ship powerplant. Those decisions have allowed Ariel to look at new drivetrains – including fuel cells and electric motors – but Saunders insists that the company's core philosophy of light weight and spine-crushing acceleration won't be compromised. Additionally, Ariel has no intention of competing with the world's largest automakers. Speaking with PistonHeads, Saunders said, "We don't want to take on the established manufacturers. We will use our knowledge from building the Atom to produce a car for a totally new segment."

Although plans for an all-new model packing a 12-liter engine producing between 600 and 800 hp have been shelved, Ariel is currently working on another Atom variant equipped with a 500 hp, 2.4-liter V8 aimed to compete with the Caterham R500. And if that wasn't enough, Ariel is also contemplating a return to its roots with production of a new motorcycle.

The base price of an Ariel Atom 3 is $65,000
The base price of an Caterham starts at $29,580

Caterham website: http://www.uscaterham.com/
Ariel Atom website: http://www.arielatom.com/

 

[ErikStenger]

More details on the 500-hp Ariel Atom 500 V8

When it comes to power and lightweight, enough is never enough. And so, Ariel (finally) gives us the Atom 500 V8, an 1,102-pound roadster boasting the highest power-to-weight ratio (1,000 hp-per-ton) of any production car to date. How does Ariel do it? It starts with the engine and gets more insane from there.

The heart of the Atom 500 is a Russell Savory (RS Developments) 2.4-liter V8 equipped with five valves per cylinder, a dry sump and a supercharger (no supercharger in the U.S.) 500 hp is available at a screaming 10,000 rpm, with power being delivered to the rear wheels through a six-speed sequential Sadev gearbox.

At each corner, Alcon four-pot brakes are nestled within Dymag magnesium wheels, with carbon fiber used liberally on the wheel arches, underbody tray, rear wing and formula-style front aerofoil. All told, the Ariel Atom 500 V8 will hit 60 in under three seconds, blow past 100 mph in less than seven seconds and can be yours for... no word yet, but expect pricing to be released shortly.

http://www.arielatom.com/specs/atom-500-v8