Driving (and jumping) the Ariel Nomad 2 – car pictures of the week

When the Ariel Nomad first appeared in 2015, we didn’t quite know how to approach the sports car-cum-dune basher, or what to compare it to. But after just a few minutes behind the wheel of a Nomad, its purpose becomes crystal clear – it’s simply designed to put a massive grin on your face in all conditions you can imagine. 

Now there’s the Nomad 2, which refines the original formula and lifts performance to a higher level than ever. We test it in issue 326 of evo, which you can pick up in-store or online via the evo shop. 

The Nomad 2 looks almost identical to the original to casual observers, but pretty much everything is new. The tubular chassis has been redesigned to increase torsional stiffness by 60 per cent, the suspension geometry has been revised and it’s now powered by a 2.3-litre turbocharged Ford engine rather than a Honda K24 unit. In fact, only the steering wheel, fuel filler cap and pedal box are carried over from the original. 

How does all this feel? evo’s James Taylor drove the Nomad on some of the UK’s best B-roads to find out. ‘Once you’ve tuned yourself into it (and woken up a bit in my case), the Nomad 2 is a truly unique, rewarding experience,’ he said.

‘You anticipate and play with the car’s movement on its tyres and suspension, like a musician deliberately playing ahead of and behind the beat. It’s not long before you begin to not only trust it, but actively play and experiment with it. And, though this is now a faster car than before, you still don’t need to be travelling at limit-busting speeds to play with the balance, or feel involved.’ 

To find out whether the Nomad 2 has the same laugh-out-loud fun factor as the original, pick up a copy of evo 326 to read the full feature.