Can you believe it’s been 25 years since the first Ariel Atom redefined the concept of power-to-weight in a road car? A lot has changed in the automotive landscape since then, but the exoskeletal sports car from Somerset has only grown faster, sharper, and more insane. To celebrate a quarter-century of lightweight lunacy, Ariel has launched the Atom 4RR, the most powerful model in the lineage, and I really want to know what that feels like.
We already saw the 400-horsepower Atom 4R in 2023, so what does the second R stand for here? Well, for the Atom 4RR, Ariel’s taken the same sort of two-liter K20 turbocharged four-cylinder engine found in a Honda Civic Type R and built it up to a whopping 525 horsepower. That’s 25 horsepower than the liquid-insanity Atom V8 and 125 horsepower more than the Atom 4R. Add in 406 lb.-ft. of torque, and this anniversary special is putting out weapons-grade punch.
Of course, part of what makes the Atom special is its curb weight. While no official figure has been released yet for the Atom 4RR, don’t expect it to deviate dramatically from the Atom 4R’s curb weight of 1,543 pounds. Yes, pounds, not kilograms. The results should be outrageous, although mum’s the word on performance figures until later this year.
Still, it’s not hard to imagine the profound effect 2000s supercar power would have in a car that should weigh less than a Geo Metro. We’re talking about a likely power-to-weight ratio that’s probably U.N.-sanctionable. Remember the Atom that nearly took Jeremy Clarkson’s face off on “Top Gear“? That one was claimed to have 300 horsepower. With an extra 225 horsepower, a full-face helmet seems like a good idea, or at least a good set of ski goggles and some botox.
Plus, compared to a standard Atom, the 4RR gets enormous wings and side scoops and endplates the size of small continents. It somehow manages to look more insane than most single-seater racers, which tracks given the promise of mind-altering, perspective-warping performance.
Sadly, only 25 Ariel Atom 4RR examples will be made, but given how a rather small number of well-heeled adrenaline junkies will take a look at this and want to enjoy it to the fullest, you might actually have a slim chance of getting one. Want to check it out in person? It’s making its public debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed next week, and we’ll be keeping our eyes out for it on the grounds of the festival.
Top graphic credit: Ariel Motor
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if Jeremy tried that one today it might actually rip the skin off his face….
those crazy lucky 25 mfers…. hope they get scared as they deserve
But!
Can it tow a boat?
I really want to see a comparison of this and a properly-built and sorted V8 Exocet.
This looks like an amazingly fun way to die. (Not because it’s dangerous, I refer only to my skills.)
If you take corners like you shoot, yup, you are gonna die. And we all know how good a stormtrooper protects. And you are cannon fodder. Your chances add up to less than zero
To my eye, the rear tires look maybe 255mm wide. Getting 425hp to the ground would probably overwhelm those tires pretty fast. Expect to be sideways a lot, and buying tires often.
I’d gladly add 200-ish lbs for a streamliner body with 1/4th the aero drag and a bit of trunk space, and just barely enough downforce for stability at whatever top speed it will reach in that guise.
You’d have a 70+ mpg highway capable hoonabout that is inexpensive to run, usable as a daily, semi-practical, with 90%+ of the fun and insanity retained plus the bonus of faster straight-line acceleration at triple-digit speeds.
With all the open bodywork, it seems like you might be able to swap such a shroud on and off at will. An interesting engineering challenge.
I was scared to share the highway with Karen in her SUV in my Miata, no way I’m taking this on I-75.
Put a little rally flag on it and some bright colors around. The good part of driving something like this is that once you’ve been seen you stay seen.
I always love these human sized RC cars.
Looks like a face ripping good time!
Maybe you’ll be able to fit it into the back of the Ssangyong Rodius.