New Ariel Atom 4R revealed, a Civic Type R-engined 400bhp lightweight

Ariel has revealed a surprise new version of its face-melting Atom, and it is called the Ariel Atom 4R. Building on a car that already represented the biggest leap in the Atom’s long history, it represents yet another sizable jump.

In the form of more power. Ariel’s been busy tinkering away with the Honda Civic Type R engine underneath, revising its intake geometry and cooling system along with adding another radiator in the left side pod.

This has allowed the extraction of 80 more horses – a 25 per cent boost over the not-at-all-regular Atom 4 – to produce a headline 400bhp and 369lb ft of torque. We’re told the improvements in outright power and torque allow for “dramatic in gear acceleration times and performance on track”. Of that, there can be little doubt.

The turbocharged four-pot is now mated to a new Quaife six-speed sequential gearbox that’s said to be so quick, it’ll downshift five gears in less than a second. Suspension is as per the 4, only here the dampers are Ohlins TTX36 units matched to Ohlins springs.

And because it’s an ‘R’ model, there’s an aero package formed of new front and rear wings, with a rear venturi developed in collaboration with TotalSim. Ariel reckons the new wings add lots of downforce with only a minimal drag penalty, but work evenly across the car to balance it.

Carbon ceramic discs and AP Racing calipers help to stop it, as well as reduce mass because they’re half the weight of the 4’s standard rotors. There are even carbon wheels, too, and in total these two elements alone save 26kg.

The brakes are hooked up to a new 12-way adjustable ABS system, and of course there are many options available – indeed each Atom 4R is hand built and “no two cars are the same”.

They will all, however, be capable of 0-60mph in less than 2.7 seconds (versus the 4’s 2.8s), 0-100mph in 6.5s and top out at 170mph. They’ll also all start at £64,950.

“We continue to strive to evolve the Atom as the ultimate driver’s car, whether on road or track,” said Ariel boss Henry Siebert-Saunders. “The 4R follows in the footsteps of the amazing Atom 3.5R and yet again moves the story on. This really is an astonishing car of which we’re justifiably proud.”