The people at Ariel have absolutely lost their damn minds!

http://www.arielatom.com/specs/atom-500-v8

If you thought the Ariel Atom 3 was a crazy ride, you haven’t seen anything. After three years of development, the engineers at UK-based Ariel have just released the 2012 Ariel Atom 500 V8 ($250,000). Limited to 25 production models, the Atom 500 V8 has a lightweight 3-liter, naturally aspirated 500 horsepower. Okay, so that, in and of itself, is impressive. But the horsepower-to-weight ratio is even more insane. The 1001 hp Bugatti Veyron supercar has 530 bhp per ton and the Ariel Atom 500 V8 has a mindblowing 900 bhp per ton. The full race car specs reveal 6 speed sequential race gearbox, adjustable limited slip diff, custom gearsets, custom dampers and springs, adjustable suspension and full LCD display with car stats and monitors. But don’t worry, you’ll also have the benefit of adjustable traction control and launch control so your lack of skill will be partially covered by the car’s technology. Count on an all new level of trackday car set with this new Ariel model with unsurpassed performance. Just don’t expect your organs to be in the same place when you’re done.

Center of the Atom V8 is the lightweight 3 litre normally aspirated engine built for Ariel in the USA. Flat plane crank, forged pistons, chain driven double overhead cam with 4 valves per cylinder and revving to 10,500 rpm, the all alloy and aluminium engine has race car specification throughout. Dry sump lubrication, 8 throttle bodies with sequential fuel injection and ceramic coated stainless exhaust are all part of the standard specification and, due to the compact nature of the engine, the installation fits perfectly in to the Atom engine bay. Each engine is individually tested, signed off and numbered to match the number of the car.

Drive is through a Sadev 6 speed sequential race gearbox with adjustable limited slip differential and gearsets to suit individual customer choice. Gearchange is via a paddle airshift system which makes up-changes in 40 milliseconds and down-changes in 50 milliseconds with the capability of 5 downshifts in less than a second. The programmable nature of the system allows Ariel to build in safeguards for customers plus have an auto up-shift and cued down-shift capability. The ability to carry out flat upshifts without lifting the throttle coupled with 500bhp will give the Atom V8 the most remarkable acceleration seen in a production vehicle ever.

i pissed myself a little.

Maybe its me but I cant see paying $1/4 million for a 500hp go cart.

was thinking the same.

with a power to weight ratio almost twice that of a Veyron??? 900bhp / ton is quite a powerful go-cart…lol

could it be in contention with the super sport (i still dont know how they got away with calling it that) for worlds fastest production car?

Fastest accelerating, maybe (if they can get it to hook up). Top speed? Not even in the same league.

They’re not out of their mind, and are in fact a little behind in this arena.

Still have to put it to the ground effectively

twice the power with 1/10 of the rubber

thats some awsome shit if it hooks good yhat has to pull like a motherfucker i wouldnt go fast she prolly starts floating at relativley low speed

Get a Ducati 1199 at 1/10 the price. :rofl

it’s ab out a year old now, but for your viewing pleasure

youtu.be/RyYnN71rEKk

youtu.be/SIiWhWpzFQQ

youtu.be/rwKfnAn4u9k

Dont care, Clarkson wont be reviewing it and I will never see, sit in, ride or drive it.

Long live BBC topgear.

That is all