V8-powered Ariel Atom 500 could cost at least $160k
Ariel Atom 500 V8 - Click above for a high-res image gallery
Even with the stock 300-horsepower Honda four, the Ariel Atom is a verifiable supercar-slayer. So when the British track-car manufacturer announced they'd be building a bonkers 500hp V8 version, our interests were piqued, to say the least. But if you were expecting a bargain, think again. The latest reports, quoting Ariel's CEO Simon Saunders, indicate that the V8-powered Atom 500 will cost a very supercar-like £100,000, or about $160k in American greenbacks. At least.
That's about three times the price of the four-cylinder Atom 300. So why the huge price increase? Well, for starters, earlier reports that the Atom 500 would use the RS Performance-sourced 2.4-liter 10,000 rpm V8 from the Caterham Levante have proven inaccurate, as Ariel will be producing its own custom engine. Based on two Suzuki Hayabusa blocks but with a high proportion of custom parts, the engine alone is said to account for about £30,000 (~$50k); add to that another £11,000 ($17k) for the custom six-speed gearbox, plus the Alcon brakes and various carbon-fiber body parts and the figures start to add up pretty quick.
Gallery: Ariel Atom 500 V8
[Source: Autocar]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
seanleeforever 8:06PM (6/08/2009)
160K.
GTR has a brand new engine, brand new drive train, brand new 4 wheel drive system (or at least, pretty new). 4 seats and 2 doors and cost less than 80k.
what the hell does this car can do that a 76K GTR cannot?
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bayerj 8:14PM (6/08/2009)
Open-air motoring for one...
dac 8:15PM (6/08/2009)
Not that they're comparable cars in any way, but with half the weight and more horsepower, the RS 500 would destroy the gt-r in every performance test imaginable.
Nude Love 8:18PM (6/08/2009)
Considering that this will have more horsepower, and will weigh less than half of the GTR...
Uh...
Alot.
Sam 8:20PM (6/08/2009)
a much higher power to weight ratio? and I dread to think what the accelerations going to be like
Yaroukh 8:20PM (6/08/2009)
beat Corvette? ;)
seanleeforever 8:52PM (6/08/2009)
sorry. i just don't see how 500 hp is going to help this car out.
first of all, this car is way to light to make good use of the 500 hp for 0-60 accleration. much like a bike, you don't care if a bike get 150 hp or 1500 hp. second of all, give the size and weight of the car, it is very unlikly for this car to have a good high speed statbility. also, you are a dead meat if this car is hit by another car at high way speed. i rather put my life in a smart than this bike-ish car.
Redline 9:03PM (6/08/2009)
This car will eat the GTR and every other supercar out there for breakfast when it comes to performance. Love the idea of a modified 'busa motor.
Jared 11:22PM (6/08/2009)
I wonder if that dual-busa based V-8 is the same motor that was floating around here like 6 months ago. But I coulda sworn the v-8 that was on here before was made by an American who custom build the crankcase to attach the cylindersleeves/heads. correct me if I'm wrong.
timwang2006 1:01AM (6/09/2009)
I'm just glad they went with this route with their own engine rather than buying a GM crate like all the wannabe super car makers. A engine like this is so much better suited for this car than any LS3 even if it's like 8 times as expensive.
Tim 1:53AM (6/09/2009)
Forget that, just get a Hayabusa and have enough left over to buy... a Corvette ZR-1 and a hell of a round-the-world trip!
Ariel Atom 500 - $160,000
'09 Suzuki Hayabusa - $13,199
Lad 8:10PM (6/08/2009)
But does it have the grip to handle the power and brakes? Or, does it spin in place and skid on late braking? The tires look rather small for all that power!
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g00fba11 8:33PM (6/08/2009)
For the life of me, I'll never understand why manufacturers are seduced to destroy the "balance" of their previously almost perfect car...power, handling, price, simplicity. Ariel Atom at up to $65K still makes sense...at $160K, fuggedaboutit
Yaroukh 8:38PM (6/08/2009)
@g00fba11: would you try to explain that to a customer who loves the sound of V8 and is ready to sacrifice the balance for sake of it? ...or would you sell him what he wants with much bigger profit? :)
Beastage 9:02PM (6/08/2009)
That is not your typical muscle V8 , that V8 will be made from a pair of hayabusa engines, about 2600cc, that is like a V8 from a Formula 1, expect this to reach maximum BHP at around 12,000 RPM
racewithferrari 8:16PM (6/08/2009)
The Ultimate Go Kart is finally here.
All it need is oil cannon and machine gun to kill the opponent in the race.
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tbirdman 8:24PM (6/08/2009)
sounds like loads of fun for a, retelitivly cheap price, i personally expect topspeed between 180-200 m.p.h. (drag limited; and human body limited) but if it had an aerodynamic body like the cobra daytonia was to the cobra, that it could go much faster, prolly 230 at least. but that is probably the quickest thing around a track this side of an f1 car.
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Weaksauce 9:13PM (6/08/2009)
"first of all, this car is way to light to make good use of the 500 hp for 0-60 accleration."
Spelling and grammar aside, killer, Ariel is smarter than you. I'm sure they have a good way to put down and keep that power down.
F1 cars weigh less, and still make about 300HP more.
Sure, they have smart, adjustable differentials aero parts.
Until they finalize the car, released with full road tests from the likes of Car and Driver, Top Gear, Fifth Gear, etc, we can't pass judgment on the projected power output.
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spdracerut 9:14PM (6/08/2009)
As much as I'd love the high rev V8, the HP:$ ratio sucks. I'd just turbo the 2.0L Honda to ~400-500whp.
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Serge 10:29AM (6/09/2009)
I think this is meant to be a track toy... not a strait line turbo machine. The lag on that 500whp Honda motor will make this impossible to drive at the track.