The Ariel Nomad has made its online debut and will be shown to the audience for the first time next month at 2015 Autosport International. The reveal comes as a surprise as we weren’t expecting an off-road buggy from Ariel Motor Company but the car is real and can be described as the Atom’s rugged sibling. It’s still a two-wheel drive vehicle but benefits from a much increased ground clearance and rides on a set of chunky tires capable of tackling various types of difficult terrain. The Nomad also comes with a complex rollover protection system, a long-travel suspension and a reinforced chassis.
The 2015 Ariel Nomad prototype has 15-inch alloys wrapped around in 235/70 tires but the production-spec car will be offered with several wheels & tires. Although not confirmed, motivation reportedly comes from a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine sourced from Honda and developing around 200 bhp (149 kW). The output is channeled to the wheels via a Honda-derived 6-speed manual transmission.
Tipping the scales at around 600 kg (1,543 lbs), the Ariel Nomad will get a limited-slip mechanical slip differential as standard but more high-end setups will be offered for those willing to pay more than the estimated starting price of just under £30,000.
Source: Ariel Motor Company
