2017 ARIEL NOMAD

This Ariel Nomad is a great example of one of the most exhilarating sports cars of the 21st century, benefiting from a high factory specification with desirable off-road focused options. It is powered by the 235bhp 2.4-litre Honda i-VTEC inline-four, which drives the rear wheels via a six-speed manual transmission, and which can propel the Nomad from 0-60mph in just 3.4 seconds. The odometer shows 1,774 miles from new.

Finished with a white powder-coated chassis, black plastic cladding, and an orange nose panel, this Nomad was also specified with two sets of wheels. The 18-inch road-focused is black with nearly-new Yokohama A052 tyres, while the 15-inch items are finished in an orange powder-coat. Desirable factory options included the uprated front and rear brakes, with the former having 290mm discs and four-pot Alcon callipers, and the hydraulic handbrake system. The FOX multi-adjustable dampers and two-piece springs were selected with an off-road bias, and the car was equipped with a spare wheel carrier, front bumper with WARN winch, and a sump guard and exhaust guard.

Perspex panels were specified over the front footwell areas, and the Nomad was ordered with stainless fittings on the brake lines and clutch lines. For added usability, it features a full front windscreen including washers and wipers, a light mounting bar with four daytime running lamps, 12-volt auxiliary power connection, and a quick-release steering wheel. Finally, the car was delivered with a trickle charger, as well as a fitted Tracker security system.

First registered in December 2017, this Nomad has just one previous keeper on the V5C. It was acquired by the vendor from the Ariel factory in as-new condition in September 2019, when the odometer showed just 842 miles. The only additions to the specification since then have been reflectors on the rear, spot light covers, Eibach spring bags, and spare factory-supplied black body panels.

The tubular chassis and basic body panels are still in excellent condition today, with no accident damage. The vendor notes a couple of scuff marks in the paint protection film, and minor marks at the bottom of the windscreen.

In the cockpit, there is a small 10mm bubble on the dashboard finish, and some scuff marks from shoes on the composite seats, but otherwise it remains in superb order, with no damage. The bubble is an easy repair and was initially planned to be rectified at the next service. The seats have some basic padding and four-point safety harnesses, and ahead of the driver the three-spoke Alcantara-clad wheel is in great shape. There are no known electrical faults, and all of the switches and buttons work correctly.

Its last scheduled maintenance was carried out in September 2019 at 842 miles by the Ariel factory, just prior to handover to the current owner. The owner took the opportunity to increase the scope of this service to include the 2 year/4,500 schedule work. Its annual service due in September 2020 was not completed due to lockdown restrictions.

The first MOT test was carried out on 7 November 2020 at 1,742 miles, which resulted in a first-time pass with no advisories or defects whatsoever. Given the very low mileage, all of the tyres are of course in excellent condition, with almost their full tread remaining. Accompanying the car is the owner’s manual and the service book, as well as the receipt for the most recent maintenance visit.

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.”

This Ariel Nomad is a rare performance car, which blends addictive on-road performance with remarkable all-terrain agility - even more so in this car’s case given its optional FOX dampers and off-road equipment. And of course, it can be returned to a more road-focused setup by fitting the 18-inch wheels and adjusting the suspension accordingly. This pared-back sports car provokes smiles and curious faces wherever it goes, and with Ariel’s bespoke manufacturing approach, it will remain a very rare sight - on or off the road.

Factory options:

• Sport Brake Package Rear
• Alcon 4 Pot Caliper/290 Disc Front
• Hydraulic Handbrake System
• FOX Multi Adjustable Hydraulic Dampers with 2 piece Springs - Off Road Bias
• Quick Release Steering Wheel
• Full Front Windscreen including Washers and Wipers
• Stainless Fittings on Brake lines and Clutch Line
• 15-inch Orange and 18-inch Black Wheel Packages
• Spare set of black body panels (nose and engine cover)
• Spare Wheel Carrier
• 12v. Aux feed with BMW Motorcycle Power
• Front Winch Bumper, WARN Winch
• Rear Bumper
• Sump Guard
• Light Mounting Bar with x 4 Daytime Running Lamps
• Powder Coated Wheels and Chassis
• Exhaust guard
• Clear Side Panels
• Trickle/Power Charger
• Tracker (insurance approved)

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All UK-registered cars and motorbikes on Collecting Cars are run through an online HPI check. On the HPI report, this vehicle shows no insurance database markers for damage or theft, and has no finance owing.