Ariel launches 'Ace of Diamonds' special edition

Atom 4 not flamboyant enough for you? Ariel's bike division has you covered

You don't have to be into bikes to appreciate the beauty of engineering packed into Ariel's new Ace of Diamonds motorcycle. Due to be unveiled at this week's Motorcycle Live at the NEC, just 10 examples of the gorgeous special edition model are due to be made, each priced from £19,982.

What does that money get you? A stunning single-part frame that's CNC machined from a single piece of aluminium and comes bolted to a curving bodyline and 1,237cc V4 Unicam Honda engine, that's what. The motor, sourced from Honda like Ariel's road car engines, produces 175hp at 10,000rpm and 97lb ft of torque at 8,750rpm. Power goes to the back wheel via a six-speed manual sequential gearbox and the manufacturer quotes its 0-60mph time as 2.9 seconds, along with a 165mph top speed.

However, what is likely to draw customers to the Ace of Diamonds over the standard bike is the additional development of its frame, which makes gains in rigidity and also features fewer machining lines. Company boss Simon Saunders said this change emphasises Ariel's "slightly obsessive" attention to detail. We'd agree with that. He said "To most people [the new machining lines are] not noticeable, but for us and our customers it's this sort of detail that is important."

Ariel's engineers have also given the Ace of Diamonds a new steering head angle of 23.5 degrees, although it can be altered during the build process to suit each customer's requirements. Buyers can also specify their own colours for the bike's bodywork and each comes with a unique plaque.

Since every bike will be made to order, there's a fair amount of customisation on offer. Tom Siebert, Ariel Ace production boss, said "Every bike is tailored to each customer and each of those customers becomes a friend and part of the Ariel family. When we build an Ace it is not a motorcycle, it's your motorcycle. The Ace of Diamonds is a celebration of both our and our customers' journey".

Production is due to begin in March with first deliveries due in March. Just in time for the warmer weather to return.