Ariel Atom 700 by DDMWorks, the F1 for the street

A weight of 660 kg and more than 700 CV make this open-top two-seater possibly the fastest road-legal vehicle on the planet, thanks to a power-to-weight ratio very similar to that of a Formula 1 car from this decade. Here I talk about DDMWorks’ latest preparation, the Ariel Atom 700.

When the company decided to launch the Atom, it was fitted with an engine from Honda producing 245 CV, and thanks to its extremely reduced weight it managed to go from 0 to 100 km/h in under four seconds. Little by little, versions with more and more power began to arrive, until the Atom V8 appeared, a vehicle with a power-to-weight ratio of 1 kg/CV, but apparently that was not enough.

The engineers at DDMWorks have come up with a new two-litre, four-cylinder supercharged engine producing a staggering 700 CV, that is, 350 CV/litre. Yes, you read that right. This is no longer a toy for spending a good day on track days; this is simply brutal.

The block has clearly been reinforced. So much power from a small engine without prior modifications could not end well. For this reason they have used forged pistons, new cylinder liners, a considerably sized intercooler and 1,100 cc injectors.

I don’t want to imagine what it must be like to open the throttle at any moment and in any of the six gears. Loss of traction is guaranteed, but to minimise it they have fitted Toyo R888 semi-slick tyres measuring 275 mm on the rear axle and a rear wing.

The preparers recommend that their customers take a driving course before owning this vehicle. If you don’t feel ready to handle all that horsepower, there are three different power modes available. These range from 450 up to 700, passing through 575 CV.

It must certainly be quite an experience, but honestly I think a driving course is not enough for this vehicle.