Some time ago the British Ariel Motor Company has introduced a new kind of Ariel, the off-road ready Nomad. Right away computer-bound car -guys all over the world have fallen in love with it and expressed that love through pictures of Fry throwing money.
The really great news is that the Ariel Nomad will now be manufactured by TMI AutoTech, Inc. in the United States, and be available for order to American customers. Now we all can literally have them take our money. The pictured Ariel Nomad Tactical is the first Ariel Nomad in the United States.


This is a short video of my friend Baer, an northeast Ariel Atom distributor, and one of his clients, Colin, grinning like idiots while having some fun in the Ariel Nomad around TMI AutoTech’s facility in Halifax County, Virginia. That is where the Nomad will be assembled, along the with the Atom. While the two Atoms may look similar, they actually completely different vehicles, albeit powered by the same Honda 2.4-liter 230-horsepower iVTEC engine mounted over the rear axle.
The typical Atom is currently available in three trims, the Atom S, Atom 3S, and the Spec: RaceAtom. The off-road Nomad will come in two trims, the Nomad Sport and the Nomad Tactical. The Nomad Sport is more road-friendly whereas the Tactical has bigger mud-terrain tires, skid plates, sump guard, off-road lights, and a winch.

The Nomad is not meant to be a typical off-road, mostly due to its rear-wheel-drive configuration. Rather is it designed more like a rally car, to be driven on dirt roads, gravel track, or a field. The higher ground clearance, chunky tires, and soft suspension allow the Ariel Nomad to take on that terrain with some amazing speed, as the vehicle can still reach 60 mph in under four seconds.
Many might speculate as to why the Ariel Nomad even exists. After all it is limited by its driveline configuration and its cost, which can buy several proper off-roaders. The same point can be made for the Ariel Atom, as there are faster and cheaper cars than it. But those who think that way just don’t get the Ariel cars, which are simply something completely different that anything else out there. The Ariel cars almost seem to design for no other reason than to make its occupants grin and it would be safe to say that they do that better any other vehicles in the planet.
Like the Ariel Atom, the Ariel Nomad is made to customer’s requests and the options list is rather long. The Nomad Sport will start at $78,200.00 and the Nomad Tactical will start at $90,450.00. You can see the UK-spec on one of the first episodes of newly hosted British Top Gear and you will see the first US-spec Nomad on the first episode of the next Top Gear US season.

Specs:

ENGINE
2.4 K24 Honda 4 cylinder i-VTEC. Alloy block, cylinder head, sump.
Displacement 2354cc. Bore & Stroke 87mm x 99mm.
Chain drive DOHC 4 valves per cylinder.
POWER
230 HP @ 7200 rpm and 220 ft/lbs of torque at @ 4300 rpm.
GEARBOX
6-Speed manual with close-ratio gearing.
FUEL SYSTEM
Indirect multi-port grouped fuel injection, Twin fuel filters. 13 Gallon aluminum fuel tank.
ELECTRICAL
Electronic coil over plug ignition. Hondata engine management system.
Thatcham Immobiliser system. Battery Master Switch.
INTAKE
ITG foam filter system, aluminum air box.
CHASSIS
Bronze welded steel tube. Powder coated finish.
Aluminium bulkheads.
SUSPENSION
Double unequal length TIG-welded wishbones front and rear.
Competition Spec High Strength Wishbones.
Outboard Adjustable Ohlins dampers front and rear.
Alloy steel Eibach coil springs front and rear.
STEERING
Rack and pinion cast alloy steering rack 1.7 turns lock to lock.
Collapsible offset steering column. Adjustable rod ends.
305mm race suede covered steering wheel.
BRAKING
Alcon 4-Piston Calipers, 290mm Discs.
Tilton aluminum racing pedal box.
Twin master cylinders with adjustable front/rear bias.
Parking brake.
Hydraulic Rally Style Hand for Rear Alcon Calipers.
WHEELS
7Jx15 Rally Spec High Strength.
Screen 
Full Front Glass Windscreen including wipers.

BODY
Non structural roto- mould toughened polyethylene. Composite mix.
Front Winch Bumper.
Rear Bumper.
Warn Winch.
Front Suspension Box and Body Tub Guard.
Coolant Pipe Guard and Sump Guard.
SEATING
Individual seat units composite woven cloth, 5 position adjustment.
3″ 6-point Harness – Driver and Passenger.
INSTRUMENTS
LCD Digital display, speedometer, tachometer, water, fuel, odo, trip.
Warning lights: Ignition, lights, brake, oil, beam, indicators, alarm.
DIMENSIONS
Length: 3215mm (126.6″). Width: 1850mm (72.8″). Height: 1425mm (56.1″).
Wheelbase: 2348mm (92.4″)
Approach angle: 71 degrees. Departure angle: 82 degrees.
WEIGHT
1480 lbs
LIGHTING 
Projector headlamps. LED indicators, stop/tail/side/repeaters.
Rear fog lamp, reverse lamp, number plate lamp. Horn.
Front and rear mudguards.
Light Mounting Bar.
PERFORMANCE
0-60 mph: 3.4 seconds (0-100kph)est.
0-100mph: 8.7 seconds (0-165kph)est.
Top speed: 125 mph est.