This 500bhp Turbo Ariel Atom Redefines Madness

Did you assume the 475bhp Ariel Atom V8 was the world's fastest Atom? Nice try, but you're wrong, dear. The Real Street Performance Atom is the world's fastest road-going Ariel Atom, and like pretty much any car that's the fastest of its kind in the world, it's thanks to a seriously powerful turbo upgrade.

A standard Atom runs a supercharged Honda Type-R VTEC 2.0-litre engine, good for around 300bhp. In a tiny lump of scaffolding like an Atom, weighing in at 500kg, that's enough for 0-60mph in 2.9sec, and around 130mph flat out. The V8 model will launch to 60mph in a scant 2.5sec, and will reach a terrifying 180mph at the top end.

Now, we don't have concrete performance figures for this Real Street Performance (RSP) Atom, but it's a fair bet to say with all that turbo torque, and a claimed 500bhp, it's going to be the fastest Ariel on the planet. At 580kg, it's slightly heavier than the standard car, but with good reason.

Thanks to 20psi of boost, new forged rod and pistons (all fitted in a stock engine block), this street fighter puts out 500bhp according to RSP - the owner of the video below reckons it has 650bhp. That's a huge discrepancy, but remember that these figures are quoted from 93RON US-spec petrol. Run the RSP Atom on Euro-spec 98RON super-unleaded, and suddenly 600bhp+ is well and truly on the cards.

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