The Ariel Atom-based lightweight rough-roading Ariel Nomad was launched this week at the Autosport International show in the UK.

BORROWING HEAVILY from the design of its lightweight, racer-for-the-road sibling, the Ariel Nomad is a buggy designed to eat up dirt, mud, rocks, hills, rivers, and more…

The Nomad runs a 2.4-litre iVTEC four-cylinder Honda engine which makes 175kW at 7200rpm and 300Nm, matching the oomph of the supercharged 2.0-litre Ariel Atom – that’s enough ‘go’ to hit 96km/h in just 3.4 seconds. Wow. This is mated to a six-speed gearbox getting power to the rear-wheels only.

The featherlight Nomad weighs just 670kg which is unbelievably impressive given the structure has been strengthened to cope with rugged use (and is basically a cage), carries bigger wheels and tyres than an Atom, long-travel suspension, nudge bars, winches, carriers, and polyethylene bodywork, although carbon-fibre is a cost option. As Arial says, “It’s what is needed and nothing more”.

The Ariel Nomad measures 3215mm long, 1850mm wide, and stands 1425mm tall, it boasts 304mm of ground clearance and and approach angle of 71-degrees and a departure angle of 82 degrees. Like the Atom, Ariel will limit production to just 100 units each year and with pricing from£27,500 it’s likely the Ariel Nomad will be snapped up. It’s unlikely the Atom will make it to Australia, although there’s likely to be a few fans who’ll privately import them for off-road racing. We would.

According to Ariel, it’s put the Nomad through its paces off-road and across WRC stages to ensure the rear-drive rough-roader is every bit as capable off-road as a true four-wheel drive. And the videos of the thing testing show that it’s hugely capable when the going gets rough, dirty and slippery.