2016 ARIEL NOMAD

This 2016 Ariel Nomad is a wonderful example of one of the most unusual and exhilarating sports cars of the 21st century, boasting a high specification, and offered by the first and only owner. It is powered by the 2.4-litre Honda i-VTEC four-cylinder petrol engine, producing just over 235bhp, and driven through the rear wheels via a six-speed close-ratio manual transmission. The odometer shows just over 4,110 miles from new.

The factory specification of this particular Nomad includes the heavy-duty clutch with K20 flywheel, as well as a short final drive, and a bypass pipe for the catalytic converter. Its perfectly judged suspension setup consists of high-grade outboard Bilstein dampers wrapped in Eibach coil springs. The uprated braking system was selected, which means it has Alcon four-pot calipers with 290mm brake discs front and rear. The base car has a dry weight of just 670kg, which means it can sprint from zero to 60 mph in just 3.4 seconds, and on to a top speed of 125 mph.

The next owner can decide which wheels they prefer on the car, because this Nomad is sold with two full sets. It is currently sporting the 15-inch Team Dynamics rally wheels with 235/75 R15 BF Goodrich Mud-Terrain T/A tyres, but it also comes with 18-inch black powder-coated alloys shod in all-weather 225/55 R18 Yokohama tyres. There is also a full-size spare wheel and tyre for both sets.

It was specified from the factory with the Road Pack, which includes projector headlights, LED indicators, fog lights, and mud guards. The narrow front bumper is also fitted, complete with a WARN Industries winch, towing eye and radiator guard. Its chassis frame is powder-coated in Pure Orange, and there are matt black body panels, as well as a black painted finish on the aluminium bulkheads. The overall condition of the frame and body remains superb, with only a few small nicks and scuffs on the metal and plastics.

The roof features a mounting bar equipped with two Lazer LED light strips, and a single LED ‘whip’ marker light is also present. At the back of the car, the owner also specified the spare wheel carrier, black exhaust guard, and the rear bumper. The latter carries a heavy-duty off-road jack. There are also stainless steel fixings throughout, to provide greater longevity for the components when used in inclement conditions. A removable Bimini-style fabric roof, Nomad car cover, and trickle charger are also included.

In the cabin, the composite bucket seats for driver and passenger have manual adjustment, and are fitted with four-point harnesses. There is a full heated front windscreen, including washer jets and wipers, and a 12-volt auxiliary feed providing power sockets for the interior. Ahead of the driver is a quick-release steering wheel, and the LCD instrument panel casing is fashioned from carbon-fibre. Other equipment includes a hydraulic handbrake mechanism, a TomTom Europe GPS and satellite navigation system, and a passenger footrest and clutch rest.

The last scheduled maintenance was carried out in 2018, when it was sent back to the Ariel Motor Company facility in Crewkerne for a full service. It was put through its first MOT test on 23 October 2019 at 4,110 miles, which resulted in a clean pass with no advisories.

Autocar magazine’s five-star verdict of this Ariel was concluded with the following: “Plenty of our testers would pick a Nomad to play with on a circuit before they’d consider a dozen high-profile sports cars and supercars, and that’s not even the Nomad’s home turf. Get it on the road, where it’s also sensational, or loose ground, where it’s best of all, and it excels on another level.”

The Ariel Nomad is a car that has almost certainly gotten under the skin of anyone who has been fortunate enough to drive one. Its intoxicating performance is delivered in manner unlike any other road car, and its stripped-back ‘buggy’ design provokes smiles and curious faces wherever it goes. Ariel’s bespoke approach means that these vehicles have superb build quality and attention to detail, but remain a rare sight. This is an unmissable opportunity to add one of the world’s coolest contemporary performance cars to your collection.