Few street-legal cars are as extreme as the Ariel Nomad, and if you like the regular versions, then you will definitely love the new Nomad R range-topper. It uses the 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine powering the 2015-2017 Honda Civic Type R, with a supercharger bolted on. As a result, it delivers 335 brake horsepower and 329 Nm of torque.
That may not sound like much, considering
that we have hatchbacks that are way more powerful, but this is a very light
vehicle, so the 0 to 96 km/h sprint takes a mere 2.9 seconds,
whereas flat-out, it will do 195 km/h. Other highlights include the
six-speed manual transmission with pneumatic shifts and rear-wheel drive with
limited-slip differential.
As we’ve come to expect from lesser
versions, the Nomad R is very, very engaging. It brings smiles both in
straight-line acceleration and around corners, although to get the most out of
it, you will have to work the steering, as there is not much weight over the
front wheels because the engine lies behind the seats.
There are only two things that keep
enthusiasts away from it: the first is the starting price of £ 77,400 in the
United Kingdom, or US$ 102,460 at the current exchange rates, and the second is
the limited production run of just five examples.
