By Justin Berkowitz
February 29, 2008
Much to the sorrow of Jeremy Clarkson, the English automobile manufacturing industry is limited to small firms producing limited volume, home grown sports cars. Firms like Caterham, Noble, Morgan (wood you in a car?), Ariel and [the Emperor's new] Bristol. Caterham continues to make the 40-year-old 7 roadster– a great summer Sunday car (for the South of France). And Ariel Atom roadster is a kick in the proverbial pants. Which just became a big ass boot. Both Caterham and Atom are now offering their maniacal machines with a eight cylinder engine: a 2.4-liter V8, supercharging its way to a staggering 500 horsepower, breaching the mythical 1000 bhp/ton ratio. (Caterham plans to offer a naturally-aspirated 380 horsepower model, and it's a safe bet Ariel would do the same if you asked nicely and paid them generously.) Caterham's claims the front-engined RS V8 will teleport customers to sixty in under three seconds. That'll do pig, that'll do.
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POWERED
February 29th, 2008 at 10:10 am
2.4L V8 – hmmm. What’s next, an Atom with a race-ready F1 engine (700+ hp)?
February 29th, 2008 at 10:15 am
2.4?! Whose the supplier for this motor?
February 29th, 2008 at 10:30 am
February 29th, 2008 at 10:32 am
Must…have…it…
February 29th, 2008 at 10:35 am
Daddy like. Ohhhh…daddy like!
February 29th, 2008 at 10:38 am
“…but the engine’s basis is 2 Hayabusa motorcycle engines that have been functionally joined together…”
Ha, ha! Yes! I knew it. I knew it. In the back of my head, I knew it.
That thing is going to be insane.
February 29th, 2008 at 10:47 am
That thing would make an awesome daily driver.
February 29th, 2008 at 10:52 am
Justin –
How do you know that it’s two Hayabusa engines? Hartley Enterprises made a 2.8 (and a 2.6) V8 with two Hayabusa heads, but I can’t find any solid info on this engine.
February 29th, 2008 at 11:04 am
You left out the best part, 10,000 rpm redline.
February 29th, 2008 at 11:09 am
@thefronge:
I had read about the Harley engines, as well (very very cool). I’m actually thinking this has been erroneously reported to be a Hayabusa powerplant.
It has been mentioned as being Hayabusa derived on several other blogs, but:
-Hayabusa displacement is about 1300 CC, so they’d have to reduce the stroke to get from 2600 to 2400.
-The engine is described as having 16 years of development on the RS Performance website, making it older than the Hayabusa.
-It’s 40 valves, or 5 valves per cylinder. Hayabusa is 4 valves per cylinder.
The designer, Russell Savory, is a sport bike designer and engineer. So the inspiration is probably in motorcycle engines, but that’s it.
February 29th, 2008 at 11:35 am
I can’t wait to see Porsche and Ferrari models along these lines. Lotus is already there.
February 29th, 2008 at 11:38 am
Insane. I love it!
I wouldn’t be loving it so much if it threw a rod under full throttle. There’s a reason open cockpit race machines (be it drag or road) all have the engine in the rear. It isn’t just for weight distribution.
February 29th, 2008 at 11:41 am
The Caterham V8 designed by Russell Savory weighs in at 90kg in full running gear which is staggering.
I used to drive a Caterham with 125bhp and that was exciting… 500bhp is just mind blowing.
Can’t wait to see what Clarkson & Co make of it.
February 29th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
5 Valves? Yammi or Aprilia.
February 29th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
I wouldn’t mind just the normally aspirated 2.4L V8 with 10k of revs. For such a light car, forced induction will not be pretty. Now, if I have that engine in my Miata, all the big bullies who picked on my hairdresser car will know my barbaric yawp.
February 29th, 2008 at 5:08 pm
This is why I like playing cars!
Absolutely frikkin’ brilliant!
February 29th, 2008 at 5:12 pm
I love the ariel, exige, etc.. but that is just ridiculous. impressive, but ridiculous.
February 29th, 2008 at 11:36 pm
How the heck can they put that kind of hp (and I presume similar torque) to the pavement in a car like the Ariel Atom that weighs ~1,000 lbs? That’s just insane. I love it! And, can’t wait to see the video of Clarkson driving the new 500 hp Ariel (Hamster will probably get the Catterham).