[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/summer-fun-with-the-335bhp-ariel-nomad-r\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/summer-fun-with-the-335bhp-ariel-nomad-r\/","headline":"Summer Fun With the 335bhp Ariel Nomad R","name":"Summer Fun With the 335bhp Ariel Nomad R","description":"Lockdown, and maybe being furloughed, gives you more time to spend on yourself. Maybe time to contemplate and look at your future, right? No chance \u2013 it\u2019s summertime, and short of someone being able to invent a hot air balloon that can travel at more than just a leisurely pace, you need the Ariel Nomad R\u2026 The history of the beach buggy or dune buggy stretches back to the fibreglass rear-engined VW Beetle conversions made popular in the sixties by […]","datePublished":"2020-07-23","dateModified":"2020-07-23","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/#Person","name":"Isabelle Lawrence","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/","identifier":30,"description":"Max Wheeler is a leading motoring journalist and classic car specialist at Smart Motoring, renowned for his sharp insight and infectious passion for all things automotive. With years of experience covering motoring news, supercars, and the enduring legacy of classic cars, Max brings stories to life with style and authority. Whether it\u2019s the roar of a Lamborghini, the elegance of an Aston Martin DB5, or the cultural impact of vintage motoring icons, he delivers expert commentary that inspires enthusiasts and collectors alike. Dedicated to celebrating the heritage and future of driving, Max Wheeler is your trusted voice for classic car news and beyond.","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Smart Motoring","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Ariel-Nomad-R-Off-Road-Buggy-feature.jpg","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Ariel-Nomad-R-Off-Road-Buggy-feature.jpg","height":520,"width":1200},"url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/summer-fun-with-the-335bhp-ariel-nomad-r\/","about":["Cars","LATEST CAR NEWS","Sports, Performance & Prestige Cars"],"wordCount":460,"keywords":["Ariel","Ariel Nomad","Off-road buggy"],"articleBody":"Lockdown, and maybe being furloughed, gives you more time to spend on yourself. Maybe time to contemplate and look at your future, right? No chance \u2013 it\u2019s summertime, and short of someone being able to invent a hot air balloon that can travel at more than just a leisurely pace, you need the Ariel Nomad R\u2026The history of the beach buggy or dune buggy stretches back to the fibreglass rear-engined VW Beetle conversions made popular in the sixties by Bruce Meyers\u2019 Meyers Manx (and The Monkees TV show; another perennial summer favourite). But the idea of a summer seat-of-the-pants open-air nimble fun car has never gone away. Completely impractical for everyday use, such off-roaders are built for one thing and can only be judged on that aspect alone.You might already be familiar with the Ariel Atom from the Somerset-based automobile manufacturer. The Atom looks like a street legal cross between a kit car and a kid\u2019s pedal version of a classic Formula One racing car. Originating from a student project at Coventry University in 1996, without the Atom there would arguably be no Nomad.The first Nomad was launched in 2015 at the Autosport International Show \u2013 a road-legal buggy produced in very small volumes. Fast forward to 2020 and we have the latest incarnation of the Nomad, the Ariel Nomad R featuring 335bhp; an increase of 100bhp over the standard Nomad. 0-62mph is an impressive 2.9 seconds, which is bound to feel even faster in such an open and small vehicle. All this power comes from a Honda K20Z3 2-litre engine; the 4-cylinder engine has been fitted with a supercharger from Eaton plus a custom fuel injection system.The gearbox is a Sadev sequential rally-style 6-speed, which Ariel says is the same as those used in standard rally cars. It features a limited slip diff in place of the regular rear diff. On the outside -well to be honest there\u2019s not much of an \u2018outside\u2019 as such \u2013 the Ariel Nomad R rides on Yokahoma tyres mated to lightweight 18-inch alloy wheels. Adjustable Bilstein suspension keeps the bumps to a minimum.What body panels there are on the Nomad R are composite, and the bulk of what you see is a tubular frame pretty much identical to the more basic Nomad. An optional extra is a hearted windscreen, which just about sums up how wonderfully crazy the Ariel Nomad R is.If you want one (and of course you do) you will need luck on your side, as only 5 examples will be built – and at a hefty price of \u00a364,500 (minus VAT) too. That\u2019s a whopping \u00a330,000 more than the standard Nomad, but it is being hand built by one person. It doesn\u2019t get more bespoke (x5) than this."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Latest News","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Summer Fun With the 335bhp Ariel Nomad R","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/summer-fun-with-the-335bhp-ariel-nomad-r\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]