500 HP Ariel Atom V8 To Cost At Least $160,000

Want to outrun Bugatti Veyrons in an open-wheeled roadster? It'll cost you at least $160,000. But with a 0-60 time of 2.5 seconds, with the Ariel Atom V8, you'll at least be getting your money's worth.

Of course the secret to the Ariel Atom 500's performance isn't its RS Performance 10,000 RPM 2.4-liter V8, but rather its 500kg weight. At just 1,102 Lbs, it's roughly 1/4 the weight of the 4,160 Lbs Veyron while making slightly less than half that hypercar's power.

The added cost of the Atom 500 over its lesser siblings is largely down to the $48,000 engine and the $17,500 six-speed sequential gearbox, but it also gains Alcon brakes, Dymag wheels, and numerous carbon fiber aero-aids designed to boost both performance and exclusivity. [via Autocar]