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Hell's bells: Ariel confirms 532hp Atom 4RR

Just 25 to be made, coming this year - and with a very special Honda 2.0-litre engine 

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It’s now a quarter of a century since Ariel first brought us the Atom. Its first cars were Rover K Series powered (the other K Series), before switching to Honda power for the second generation in 2003. The switch was a match made in heaven, and probably why the Honda-Ariel relationship continues to this day: a superlight, hyperactive sports car was the perfect match for a range of crazily high-revving, durable four pots that were usefully more powerful than before. That also responded well to supercharging.  

To mark 25 years, Ariel is producing a maximum of 25 units of what it’s calling the Atom 4RR. Like the Atom 4R, it’s powered by the 2.0-litre Honda turbo that’s seen in the Civic Type R, only unlike the Atom 4R it’s rather more powerful: Ariel claims 525bhp, or 532hp. In an Atom! That probably explains the ‘maximum of 25 examples’ - they might not find enough folk mad enough.

Specifics haven’t been confirmed just yet, but we’re told to expect ‘a host of internal changes and new components’; you’d have to imagine that 200hp over stock - and 265hp per litre - would require forged vitals for the engine, plus some spicy valves and cams as well as a very serious turbo upgrade. The oil and fuel systems are being ‘optimised’ for the 4RR. It’s going to need plenty of super unleaded to make more than 530hp and 400lb ft, surely.

Exact tech spec and pricing will apparently follow later in 2025. But what more does anyone really need to know? Expect it to feature as standard a few of the extras found on the 4R options list as well as a couple of bespoke bits - those side intakes look very serious indeed - and for a price to surpass any previous Atom by some way. The V8 was £150,000 back in 2010 - this surely won’t be any less than that. ‘The circuit-focused model will enable the most serious track drivers to explore the limits of the lightweight Atom, while utilising the full extent of their driving skills’, says Ariel. Bring it on…

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• 2023 Ariel Atom 4R | PH Review
  
• Mazda MX-5 vs. Toyota GR Yaris vs. Ariel Nomad

[PorkerHam]

That's going to be a whole new definition of insane........

[McRors]

I think for this, PH needed to allow people to award a 6th star. Utterly bonkers. If only I had the money or skill….

[Fastlane]

Absolutely fabulous! I'm guessing £180-200k, bearing in mind a well specced 4R is £150k. Can't wait to see one at the factory when I'm next up there.

[rossub]

Power to weight?

[herebebeasties]

Mental, but somehow less appealing than the previous V8 special edition they did, which is just so very right-looking.

[The Pistonsdead]

McRors said:

I think for this, PH needed to allow people to award a 6th star. Utterly bonkers. If only I had the money or skill .

+1

[SR]

The article says circuit focused, is it still road legal?
What a weapon! I’d love to possess the skills to be able to drive one of these at the limit.

[Mr-B]

rossub said:

Power to weight?

Officially stloads. Or IIRC from another article way in excess of 700bhp/t

[Djtemeka]

I can’t see how this will put that power down.
It won’t be faster that the standard R surely?

[kambites]

Djtemeka said:

I can t see how this will put that power down.
It won t be faster that the standard R surely?

0-60 probably not, but past about 100mph I suspect it'll be considerably faster.

[kambites]

Mr-B said:

rossub said:

Power to weight?

Officially stloads. Or IIRC from another article way in excess of 700bhp/t

If it's the same weight as the "standard" Atom R, it'll be closer to 900 without a driver. Obviously a driver adds quite a lot of weight, in proportional terms, to an Atom! With me driving it it'd still be knocking on 800bhp/tonne though.

[redroadster]

Fab bonkers car ,there's a tuned 1000 bhp atom knocking about frightening passengers to death lol .

[GTRene]

looks like fun for a track car

[MDifficult]

Having driven my own Atom with 330bhp and been a passenger with the factory test driver in a 4R around Anglesey, I can reliably inform everyone that this is going be absolutely *BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEPEDY-BEEP*-ing mental.

25 people are going sh@t their pants inside out. Marvellous!

[TheMilkyBarKid]

Isn t this pretty much at the same power to weight ratio of a late 70 s/early 80 s (I.e. pre-turbo) F1 car?! I actually can t see that being very pleasant on the road? On a track on the other hand

• if I had any talent .

Edited by TheMilkyBarKid on Thursday 3rd July 23:02

[ChocolateFrog]

The visual changes do it no favours.

Still way down the desirability chart compared to the V8, that would be in my lotto win garage.

[Terminator X]

Bonkers

TX.

[chirurgus]

I’m sure this is absolutely crazy to drive, but I’d take a Radical RXC for the track and a Nomad for the road.



(in my hypothetical world where I have infinite garage space, as well as unlimited time and disposable income)

[Corkys]

My 350bhp Atom 4 is mad, this is going to be insane. Can’t wait to see it.

Love it. Like said above, we need a 6th star rating.

[Andy83n]

Utterly brilliantly bonkers.

It'll be like one of those toy cars you see being flogged in Hamlets, spinning 360s and driving up walls.