No skeletal frame for new model
Lightweight sports car manufacturer Ariel has told PistonHeads it is considering building a new lightweight sports car away from the mould of the Atom.
Plans for the new car are still in their infancy, but Ariel boss Simon Saunders told PH that a new and ‘interesting’ model was being discussed that would break new ground in the same way that the Atom first did.
Saunders believes the future of the car industry lies away from the combustion engine, and will therefore be looking to new technologies such as fuel cells and electric powertrains for his company's new project.
Ariel had harboured plans for a new minimalist supercar built around a massive 12-litre engine, producing in the region of 600-800bhp. That project has been shelved even before the number of engine cylinders was decided upon. Instead Ariel's new car will focus on maintaining the company’s key principles of lightweight construction and maximum accelerative performance through the use of innovative new technologies.
V8 Atom will produce 500bhp
The new model will depart from the exposed skeletal structure of the Atom and adopt a more recognisable form, although Saunders insists the new car will not be a conventional mid-engined sports car and will still be made in low numbers to help maintain the firm’s flexibility. 'We don’t want to take on the established manufacturers' he says. 'We will use our knowledge from building the Atom to produce a car for a totally new segment.'
Development of the new Ariel sports car is still several years away, however, and in the meantime the firm is forging ahead with its plan to introduce a new version of the Atom, using a 3.0-litre, 500bhp V8 engine. It is also exploring the possibility of returning to the roots of the Ariel name with the production of a motorcycle.