Ariel Atom hors-route...

[Imprez]

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Here’s one that you almost certainly didn’t see coming: ultra-lightweight sports-car maker Ariel’s new off-road buggy.

And yes, the Ariel Nomad is a real thing, set to be launched at the Autosport Show in the U.K. later this week and go on sale immediately afterward in Europe. Nomad prices in the U.K. will start at £33,000 including sales taxes (about $50,000 at current exchange rates). Although Ariel’s U.S. partner, TMI Autotech, hasn’t confirmed that it will produce a version, we reckon that’s probably a safe bet.

Visually, it’s clearly related to the Atom, but the Nomad is also substantially different. It has a similar exoskeletal structure made up from welded tubing, but it incorporates substantial rollover protection. A glass windshield will be optional, but Ariel boss Simon Saunders says he expects that anyone planning to use the Nomad off-road will select one for the extra protection.

The Nomad shares the Atom’s combination of a mid-mounted, transverse four-cylinder engine and rear-wheel drive but will get the bigger “K24” 2.4-liter Honda unit—European Atoms still use the 2.0-liter engine from the last Civic Type-R—and Ariel has retuned this to deliver more torque. The official figures are 235 hp and 221 lb-ft. Weighing just 1480 pounds, it’s barely slower than an Atom, with a quoted 3.4 seconds from zero to 60 mph and a top speed of 125 mph.

The biggest difference compared with the Atom is increased ground clearance and suspension travel, facilitated by a switch to outboard-mounted springs and dampers (the Atom uses pushrod-operated units). We’re told that the approach angle is a healthy 71 degrees and that the maximum departure angle is a practically trail-rated 82 degrees. The only real surprise is that, despite those chunky 235/75R-15 off-road tires, it won’t have power steering.