Would you believe that the Ariel Atom is already 25 years old? It’s true—the first Atom debuted at the turn of the millennium, and it’s been tearing up tracks in the UK and Europe ever since. Now, a quarter century of success later, Ariel has introduced its most powerful version of the iconic Atom to date.
Ahead of this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, Ariel debuted the new Atom 4RR. The 4RR packs a powerful turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine borrowed from the Honda Civic Type R and gets even more aerodynamic goodies for better performance on the track.
With upgraded internals and optimized oil and fuel systems, Ariel pumped the 4RR’s four-cylinder engine to an impressive 525 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. That’s 125 hp more than the standard Atom 4R—and 25 hp more still than the infamous Atom V-8.
With that extra output in tow, the 4RR should be even quicker to 62 miles per hour than its sibling; the Atom 4R already gets there in 2.7 seconds and races on to a top speed of around 170. Unfortunately, Ariel hasn’t provided all the performance figures just yet.
A massive Formula 1-style splitter adorns the front end of the car, while an equally sizable wing juts up from the rear. Plus, there are two hulking intakes just behind the seats for even better airflow to the engine.
Ariel will only build 25 examples of the Atom 4RR, and pricing won’t be released until a later date. But with a powerful new engine and a boatload of additional equipment, there’s a reason Ariel says it’s for “serious track drivers” only.
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