It’s been ten years since the Ariel Atom Motor Company first released its no-frills open-cockpit Atom sports car, and the company will celebrate with ten limited-edition models powered by Mugen-tuned engines.
As has been the case with the European version of the Atom since 2007, propulsion comes from a 2.0-liter Honda K20Z engine, like the one found in the Civic Type R. For this special-edition car, Mugen fiddled with the engine to increase power from 245 to 270 hp. It’s not quite as extreme as the 500-hp, V-8–powered model, but 270 ponies are still a big deal in such a small, lightweight car. Ariel predicts a 0-to-62-mph time of 2.9 seconds and a maximum velocity of 150 mph.
To facilitate the power bump, each engine is fitted with high-compression pistons, more-aggressive camshafts, stiffer valve springs, an enlarged throttle body, a lightweight flywheel, and a baffled oil sump. After construction, they are run on a dynamometer to check their performance. Chassis upgrades include a limited-slip differential, four-piston Alcon brake calipers, and fully adjustable springs and dampers.
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Each car will wear special Mugen livery, its unique number in the series, a carbon-fiber engine cover, and a special plaque signed by the Ariel employee who built the car and the Mugen employee who assembled the engine. The cockpit features a digital dashboard fitted in a carbon-fiber bezel, which includes programmable shift lights, a lap timer, and data-logging functions.
Ariel has no plans to certify the Mugen powerplant for use in the U.S., although it would be possible to ship one here for use exclusively as a track car. American buyers who want a road-legal version could potentially import the engine from Mugen and have it installed themselves. You can see the Atom Mugen up close in our gallery below.
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