Ariel Nomad 2 Debuts With 2.3L Ford EcoBoost Power

July 11, 2024 9:11 am

Ariel Nomad 2 - Exterior 001 - Front Three Quarters

The list of Ford-powered vehicles that have existed over the years that don’t also bear a Blue Oval badge is rather long, and for obvious reasons. For small, upstart, boutique automotive manufacturers, it’s far cheaper and easier to acquire powertrains from existing companies than create their own from scratch, after all, as that endeavor isn’t just costly and complex – it also means that one has to work out a lot of kinks and also have parts available for those engines. Now, yet another Ford-powered machine has debuted for those very same reasons – the Ariel Nomad 2.

As the name suggests, the Ariel Nomad 2 is the second generation of that particular model, joining the road-focused Atom in the small company’s lineup. Ariel calls it the “ultimate go anywhere sports car, and for good reason – it’s equipped with a new tube chassis, a suspension with anti-dive and anti-squat tuning, a safety cage, and a suspension that’s set up for both on- and off-road performance. It’s also fitted with either standard K-Tech coil-over aluminum dampers with Eibach dual rate springs, or optional Ohlins TTX dampers and springs, along with a variety of wheel and tire options.

Perhaps most notably, the Ariel Nomad 2 is powered by the turbocharged Ford 2.3L I-4 EcoBoost engine, which has been upgraded with a switchable ECU and three different levels of output – 260 horsepower and 385 Nm (284 pound-feet) of torque, 302 hp and 451 Nm (333 pound-feet), or 305 hp and 518 Nm (382 pound-feet), which drivers can choose between based on their preference. The Blue Oval powerplant is mated to a six-speed gearbox and a limited-slip differential, though customers can also opt for a six-speed paddle-shifted Quaife sequential gearbox if they wish.

In its highest performance setting, the Ariel Nomad 2 will accelerate from 0-60 miles-per-hour in 3.4 seconds, reaching a top speed of 134 mph. As has historically been the case with all Ariel models, it’s also infinitely customizable, meaning that no two will be exactly alike, most likely. Each car is built to order, but unfortunately, not certified for road use – meaning that owners will have to enjoy their new toys on the track or off-road.

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By Brett Foote

Brett's lost track of all the Fords he's owned over the years and how much he's spent modifying them, but his current money pits include an S550 Mustang and 13th gen F-150.