If your idea of a perfect sports car involves exposed suspension, barely any bodywork, and enough power to embarrass supercars, Ariel has some excellent news. The British manufacturer is making its latest factory-built performance machines available to American buyers.
Ariel has announced a new partnership with Forman Motorworks in Scottsdale, Arizona, which will become its exclusive U.S. distributor. The arrangement gives American customers access to the company’s complete lineup, including the Atom 4, Atom 4R, Atom 4RR, and off-road-focused Nomad 2.
Ariel isn’t entirely new to the United States, having previously offered vehicles through a licensed American manufacturing program. The big difference is that every U.S.-bound rolling chassis will now be built at Ariel’s factory in Somerset, England.
American customers will also be able to choose from the same factory specifications and options available to British buyers. Orders are already being accepted, with the first customer deliveries planned for summer 2027.
From 400 HP To An Absolutely Bonkers 525 HP
The Atom 4 is Ariel’s signature lightweight track toy, combining an exposed tubular chassis with a turbocharged Honda engine. With barely anything between the driver and the outside world, it’s about as close as a road-going car gets to a racing machine.
Things are getting even wilder with the Atom 4R, which produces 400 bhp and features more serious track-focused hardware. The flagship Atom 4RR then turns everything up to 11, packing a bespoke, hand-built engine producing a ridiculous 525 bhp.
Those figures would be impressive in a conventional sports car. In something as small and lightweight as an Atom, they’re enough to make even experienced drivers sit up and pay attention.
The Nomad 2 Takes The Madness Off-Road
Not everyone wants to spend their weekends chasing lap times, which is where the Nomad 2 comes in. It takes Ariel’s minimalist philosophy and applies it to a machine designed for gravel roads, desert trails, and rough terrain.
With its exposed structure, substantial ground clearance, and off-road suspension, the Nomad looks like a cross between a sports car and an angry dune buggy. It’s an unusual alternative to the heavy SUVs that dominate the American off-road scene.
There’s A Catch With The Prices
American buyers will receive British-built rolling chassis rather than fully assembled, ready-to-drive cars. Forman Motorworks lists the Atom 4 from $91,500, the Atom 4R from $130,800, and the Nomad 2 from $97,500, including destination charges but excluding powertrain installation.
According to the distributor, adding an engine can cost roughly another $25,000, putting a completed Atom 4 near $117,000. Pricing for the extreme Atom 4RR hasn’t been announced.
The first Atom 4 and 4R demonstrators should arrive in early 2027, ahead of customer deliveries that summer. Spending six figures on a car with barely any bodywork might sound ridiculous, but that’s precisely why the Ariel Atom has such a devoted following.