Ariel Nomad 2 launched with new engine and features

Ariel Motor Company, the UK-based low-volume manufacturer of mad-cap lightweight road and track cars, has launched the all-new Ariel Nomad 2 — a rugged, off-road sports car with an exposed cockpit.

The company says the evolved design language of the second-generation car it describes as “good to be driven to the shops, and then on a WRC [World Rally Championship] rally stage” is instantly recognisable when compared to the outgoing model.

It has a ground-up design featuring only three carry-over parts from the original car. The basis of the Nomad 2 is an all-new tubular chassis that features larger and 60% stronger 63.5mm and 51mm diameter main and diagonal tubes than the previous Nomad. Each tube also acts as built-in roll-over protection.

The Nomad 2 entry/egress opening is larger, while a longer wheelbase provides more cockpit space. It also has 50mm extra track widths and 48/64 degree approach/departure angles, respectively, and features an all-new suspension, steering, brakes, electronics, seating and instrumentation.

The cockpit, with new switch gear and a full-colour TFT display and rear camera, is designed to be washed, with drain holes in the floor to let water out, and no material trim. Two lightweight seats from the Atom 4 with potential to accommodate full race harnesses for competition or serious off-road use are available as are carbon-fibre options.

Ariel says when designing the Nomad 2, the brief was to broaden the accessibility of the car’s performance for confidently exploring the full extent of its capabilities. At the heart of the Nomad 2 is the new Ford 2.3l four-cylinder twin turbocharged engine from the Focus ST.

The engine has been tuned to output 227kW and 518Nm with a performance potential of 3.4 seconds from 0-100km/h, and the option of a switchable Electronic Control Unit allows drivers to choose from three different engine maps for various terrain applications.    

As standard it is fitted with a six-speed manual transmission and a limited slip differential, optionally a six-speed paddle change Quaife sequential gearbox and a hydraulic handbrake. 

Coil-over aluminium dampers made specifically for the Nomad 2 are fitted as standard with Eibach dual-rate springs, while specialist Ohlins TTX dampers and springs are offered as an option. A further off-road, full-race option of Bilstein two-stage dampers is available but a larger radiator, two-and-a-half times the size of that in the original Nomad, is fitted standard to extend the Nomad 2’s capability in harsher and hotter environments.

It also has a larger fuel tank, which has been increased to 70l, or 40% more than the previous model, for a range of more than 880km, and an adaptable rack system at the rear that allows the carriage of removable, waterproof luggage boxes, up to two bicycles, loose luggage, a spare wheel, or a combination of items. A winch with a load rating of 1,588kg is also available. 

As with all Ariels, every Nomad 2 will be built to order by a single technician, who takes the car from the bare chassis to a final test drive before signing it off and placing their personal nameplate on it. With far more than 100 options, Ariel says it can tailor-make each Nomad 2 to every customer’s exact requirements, ensuring no two cars will be the same.

The Nomad 2 is priced at R1,572-million (£67,992).