Just a few days ago, when Caterham launched its cars in India, we were asking for Ariel to follow with the Atom and they just have. InterGlobe Enterprises (also the distributor of Koenigsegg supercars in the country) has launched the Atom range of cars in the country, with a starting price of Rs. 55 lakhs. The company will represent Ariel in India and SAARC countries, where it has been appointed as the official distributor. The base Ariel Atom is priced at Rs. 55 lakhs, while the top of the line supercharged version will set you back by Rs. 85 lakhs.
“India is fascinated by fast cars, and the Atom gives us a unique opportunity to provide a distinguished product in this category. The demand for these cars is expected to grow at 20 per cent over the next 5 years, presenting an exciting market opportunity. We have seen the emergence of sports car culture amongst the young HNIs (high net worth individuals), who seek thrill and adventure. The addition of Atom will help us strengthen our portfolio and cater to new emerging consumer segments,” Nigel Harwood, CEO, The Estd (InterGlobe Enterprises Car Business), said.
The Ariel Motor Company is based out of Somerset, UK. Currently the company has made four versions of the car – Atom, Atom 2, Atom 3 and Atom 500 V8. The most powerful version of the Ariel Atom 3 and is currently on sale, while the Atom 500 V8 (uses two Hayabusa engines) is a limited edition model boosting of 500 BHP of power. The Ariel Atom uses Honda’s K20A1, 4-cylinder, i-VTEC motor to produce 245 BHP of power at 8200 RPM and 210 Nm of torque at 6100 RPM. Mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox, the Atom reaches 100 kmph in 2.8 seconds and is limited to a top speed of 250 kmph. With a weight of 455 kgs, the Atom has beaten even the Bugatti Veyron on Top Gear’s test track.
