2019 Ariel Atom 4

Highlights

• Madcap exoskeletal thrill machine
• Only 3,200 miles from new
• 0-60 mph in 2.8 secs
• Immaculate condition
• Fully road legal, registered and IVA tested

Overview

Less, they say, is more – and in the case of the Ariel Atom, that’s certainly the case. It may be as minimal as motoring can get, but when it comes to performance, sheer lunacy abounds.

Imagine sitting in a birdcage and being fired out of a cannon… that, essentially, is what the Atom is all about – although you’re supposedly in control of the situation. That’s easier said than believed, though, as if you’ve ever driven an Atom you’ll know that there’s only one way to drive it: flat-out. It’s an experience like no other – life-affirming and slightly terrifying, but in a good (and utterly exhilarating) way.

Amazingly, Ariel has been going for over two decades now, proving that there are more than enough of us certifiable idiots out there who are brave enough to buy one – and the good news is that ever since the very first Atom fired into orbit on our streets, the company has always used Honda engines. That means minimal trouble, impeccable reliability and an ability to rev to ridiculously high spin cycles, the accompanying soundtrack being just another way in which the Ariel touches every single one of your senses.

This one is an Atom 4 – the first generation to use a new exoskeleton (for it’s hardly a body), and equipped with a turbocharged 320bhp engine from the most recent generation of Honda Civic Type R. Built for its first of two owners in 2019, both have kept the car as a plaything meaning it has covered minimal mileage – the odometer shows 3,177 – meaning it’s about as close to a new Atom 4 as you’re going to find.

History and documentation

• UK V5C
• MOT May 2025 – no advisories
• Genuine 3,177 miles
• One previous keeper
• Build plaque showing the car was hand-built by Adam Charles at Ariel Motor Company Ltd
• Original Ariel owners pack in presentation folder
• Autotrac Tracker (Insurance approved)
• Ariel Motors used vehicle order form from previous keeper
• Battery Optimiser/Trickle Charger
• IVA tested
• UK type approved and registered

Interior

• Detachable light weight seats
• Both standard and wide fitment driver’s seats are provided
• Quick release removable steering wheel
• Carbon fibre instrument panel
• Track day lap timing gear
• 12v auxiliary feed with USB socket
• Two-inch seat belt harnesses with alloy chest adjustment
• Clutch and passenger footrests

Exterior

• Super-lightweight exoskeleton body
• Red panels on silver chassis frame
• Carbon-fibre front Aerofoil
• Carbon-fibre rear Aerofoil
• Rear fog/reverse/number plate tail tidy
• Silver powder-coated chassis
• Matching silver powder-coated wheels
• Locking fuel cap
• Standard screen panel and aero screen
• As-new condition throughout

Mechanical

• 2.0-litre turbocharged K20C1 Honda engine
• 320bhp
• Six-speed manual gearbox
• 0-60mph in 2.8 secs
• Limited slip diff
• Three-stage variable turbo boost controller
• Baffled engine oil sump
• AP Racing four-pot Callipers
• 290mm brake discs front and rear
• Stainless-steel fittings on brake and clutch lines
• Cockpit-adjustable remote brake bias
• Bilstein MDS two-way adjustable dampers with two-piece springs for road and track settings
• Avon ZZ road wheel and tyre package

Summary

A happy motorist has flies in his teeth, and you’re sure to catch a few of them at the wheel of this spectacularly amusing, featherweight flying machine.

Essentially a very powerful engine with as little as possible attached to it, the Atom delivers hypercar levels of acceleration allied to a level of engineering brilliance that belies its dimensions. It’s designed to be as light and as quick as possible, but at the same time it’s supremely well-made. This one is almost as good as new – and with a waiting list for a factory order, it’s a super-rare opportunity to get yourself behind the wheel of an Atom 4 without any need to wait.

To arrange a viewing, please request this in the Q&A section. You can click through to the seller's profile and use the 'Email Me' function to arrange a viewing privately. This seller is located in Warwickshire.