ariel atom

Before we get into the actual meat and potatoes of this review, please know that the absolute absurdity of the Ariel Atom 3 is not lost on us. It starts out as a sordid collection of mild steel tubing and a somewhat unassuming 2.0-liter K20Z four-cylinder engine mated to a six-speed manual, both pulled from the Honda parts bin. Throw in some fiberglass and a smattering of carbon fiber, four wheels, two lightweight racing seats with four-point harnesses, a steering wheel and some pedals, and that's just about it, save the optional windshield.

When it comes to power and lightweight, enough is never enough. And so, Ariel (finally) gives us the Atom 500 V8, an 1,102-pound roadster boasting the highest power-to-weight ratio (1,000 hp-per-ton) of any production car to date. How does Ariel do it? It starts with the engine and gets more insane from there.

Ariel, our favorite purveyors of minimalist motoring this side of a Se7en, are reportedly working on an all-new vehicle that won't be powered by a standard engine and would "break new ground in the same way that the Atom first did."

The term "F1 car for the road" is as clichéd as "Darth Vader's new ride," but it's hard to look at the Racer X Design Formula RZ without drawing a comparison to open-wheeled track tools, along with the KTM X-Bow and K07 Spyder.

We've lost track of how many times we've watched Clarkson's track test of the Ariel Atom. It solidified the Atom's place in the track-day hierarchy, impressing with its insane speed, lateral grip and face warping abilities. But for those of us not content to look like a blowfish in full attack mode, Ariel has begun offering an optional windscreen on the Atom, eliminating the need for a helmet.

The new polycarbonate windscreen is semi-frameless, can be detached via five fittings and even includes wipers and a washer system to clear off the bugs that would have otherwise wound up on you and your passenger's forehead.