New Ariel Nomad: 65% stiffer! 50% more travel! Beadlocks!

Top Gear’s favourite little scamp for charging about off-road and getting all muddy is back!

And, while the Ariel Nomad 2 might not look all that different from the collection of scaffolding poles and raised suspension that was its predecessor, only the steering wheel, fuel cap and pedal box are shared with the original Nomad.

That’s right, even the engine has changed, no longer one of Ariel’s go-to Honda motors. Instead, it’s the 2.3-litre, four-cylinder, turbocharged engine from the Ford Focus ST. Which means not only more power, but more torque. A LOT MORE.

Sounds like our kind of car. Over to Top Gear Magazine’s Head of Car Testing, Ollie Marriage, to find out more…

WATCH MORE TOP GEAR:

Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction
00:30 - Nomad 1 & 2 Comparison
04:45 - Nomad 2 Walkaround
06:56 - Conclusion

MORE ABOUT TOP GEAR:

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[jdavisumbc]

Dear Ariel. Make these road legal in Canada (and the US) and I will get one. Nomad is so much cooler than a Polaris Slingshot etc.

[WiggysanWiggysan]

I'm glad that Ollie is keeping this part of the Top Gear name alive.
He is a great journalist & makes really good videos.

[sweetcorn]

Surely it would be better to send the torque to the wheels rather than through the roof.

[JippaJ]

I hope Ariel fitted the Nomad 2 with a check-engine-light.

[rcqhlph]

Putting that Ford engine into the Nomad is a great move, access will be so much easier for doing the head gasket.

[thedownshiftchannel]

Engine kinda feels like a downgrade even though it will feel much more wild with the torque

[larryhouse]

Amazing, but ditching Honda for Ford? Hard pass on that.

[tdyerwestfield]

Buggies aren't supposed to be precise in their handling, that's part of the fun of them. They're supposed to feel very light at the front, that's why the Nomad 1 was such a joy.

[jonbarlow]

Swapping out the Honda for a Ford, they obviously had way too much to drink just before making that extremely dumb decision; I'll have the Honda powered one please!

[Robcupra]

Serious £60k is absolutely insane! With cars these days costing similar to this with hugely expensive led lights and infotainment systems and panoramic roofs you can kind of see the cost. In this £60k is absolutely taking the piss!

[leangrypoulet]

Loved the first. This looks a great refresh, but a shame they didn’t create a 4WD variant.

[korbendallas]

Hey Ariel add some electric motors/torque converter to the front wheels to make it 4x4 but still keep it light at the same time and only use when you are stuck so you wouldn't need a big battery

[tebonginc]

"literally one of the best days ever" - sure looked like it.

[bicyclist]

I love that the new engine is from Ford, and the fact that it has a manual transmission. I hope that this continues, and that they put many more Ford engines in Ariels. I've only ever seen one Ariel Nomad, just once, about a month ago here in Ohio. I was very surprised, as I didn't think that they were available here in the US. Thank you.

[rtravisboyd]

This is exactly the video I’ve been waiting for, minus the driving. Thank you

[PaulMathias]

Ollie is sliding to my list of favourite motoring journalists, which includes Chris Harris, Harry Metcalfe and Henry Catchpole.

[peterknight]

The Nomad has to be my most desired car.

[Eritini.]

It looks like it is straight out of a videogame

[babogam]

nomad 1's are about to appreciate so much

[HariSupriono]

Jeep: Welcome to the Salty Spitoon, how tough are ya?
Nomad 2: How tough am I? *How tough am I?* I once watched that Far-Fetched show at 4 o'clock midnight this Tuesday. Without any *snacks*
Jeep: Uh, right this way, er.. sorry to keep ya waiting

Edit:

Jeep: Welcome to the Salty Spitoon, how tough are ya?
Gingium's Rallyata: How tough am I? (tears off US Army star)
Jeep: (instant screaming)
Gingium's Rallyata: (places back US Army star albeit upside down, forming pentagram)
Maverick with Helluva Boss livery: Wow