The 335bhp Ariel Nomad R aims to provide the best of its track-focused Atom and off-road Nomad. We put it to the test -
I do have a confession to make. Two, in fact. First, I really like the Nomad R for the cognitive dissonance it sows and the unexpected ability it has. Second, this will be my first go in a Nomad. But I feel I’ve got a pretty good idea what it’s like having read the words of my colleagues. It seems that it is a car for all terrains, and all tastes too, judging by the many five-star reports.
It’s a contradictory proposition, then, but I do like the cut of this Ariel’s jib. It still looks like a mud-plugger but, even at around 700kg , it has a power-to-weight ratio of almost 500bhp per ton, which puts a massive grin on my face.It’s difficult for first-timers to get into a Nomad without looking like a drunk on a kid’s climbing frame.
Leaving the pitlane on the West Circuit, I discover the pneumatic shift doesn’t work at low revs so the clutch is still required, but it will soon come into its own. Into the first corner, a hairpin, the steering reveals itself to be weighty but manageable, and its response pretty direct, and thus distinct from the soft, delayed response of the regular Nomad on all-terrain tyres.
Three laps in, the suggestion that the R won’t oversteer on these tyres is unsustainable. There’s huge grip from the warm A052s but the grunt from the engine is irresistible, particularly when added to the roll. Dean reports that the Nomad leans heavily as it flicks into the tight left in front of him and then lifts the inside front off the deck as it begins to power oversteer. If you have ambitions to race a Trophy Truck, this might be a good place to start.
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