The Indian car market is surely working out to be a paradox in terms of product offerings. While the mainstay is small cheap hatchbacks, there seems to be a whole other market out there that caters to the enthusiast. How else could you explain the fact that this is the same market where the world's cheapest car and the world's most expensive car are sold! So, while the market in general faces a bleak time in terms of a slump in sales, the enthusiast segment doesn't seem to be slowing down and the latest entrant on Indian shores is set to be the Ariel Atom. Vikram Gour spoke to Nigel Harwood, the man responsible for importing the Atom to India, to gain an insight on this relatively niche brand and the prospects it has in India

ZW: So, it can survive our roads, but how about the fact that it is an open car that doesn’t even have a provision for a roof/canopy?

Nigel: Wear sunglasses! Actually, on a more serious note, the dust and heat can be a bit bothersome and we are well aware of this fact, however this is an enthusiast’s car and isn’t your commuter special. It’s going to be driven when the conditions are right and summer nights are perfect for open top motoring. 

The car has the option of coming fitted with a full windscreen, which is more than enough to keep the passenger cell relatively clear of flying projectiles and of course the sun glasses would come in handy. Incidentally in Europe we offer a model without a windscreen, but you have to wear a helmet for that and we doubt that would gel well with the Indian clientele. 

ZW: Is there any cause of concern regarding the vehicle’s performance in India? Is the engine tuned to the fuel? Are you carrying any modifications on the India bound vehicles?

Nigel: The Ariel Atom comes fitted with a Honda 2.0litre unit which is available in three different states of tune, namely the standard, the turbocharged and the supercharged. The top of the line Ariel Atom makes close to 300bhp and as you must be aware, its built on a light chassis giving it a power to weight ratio like no other and that is essentially the genes that make it such a fun car to drive.

We aren’t expecting any issues in terms of fuel and the only suggestion that the company has recommended for the Indian market is the inclusion of a second radiator in order to deal with the Indian summers, apart from that the car is strictly UK spec.

ZW: How are you gearing up to handle sale, service and spares?

Nigel: The car comes with a warranty and the connection after the purchase becomes direct between Ariel and the customer. We don’t foresee too much trouble with the vehicle, after all it is rather bare boned and the less you have the less can go wrong! Having said that, we are looking at a strategic tie-up with an existing service provider in order to leverage a wider reach across India. Once appointed, the service provider will be trained by Ariel Atom service team members in the UK on how to take care of this car. Further to this, we do intend on offering a flying mechanic service.

ZW: Finally, if you had to sum up the Ariel Atom in one sentence, what would that be?

Nigel:  The Ariel Atom allows you to enjoy Formula One levels of performance at a price and value that relatively affordable, especially when compared to other super cars.