If you want to go off-roading in supreme comfort, maybe you should consider buying a Range Rover. However, if you want to go off the beaten path and are more concerned with having fun than remaining comfortable, you could opt for a vehicle like the Ariel Nomad. Or, if you also happen to ride motorcycles, a Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE.
Both are special. Found beneath the skin (or rather lack thereof) of the Ariel Nomad sits a Honda-sourced 2.4-liter four-cylinder delivering a respectable 235 HP and 221 lb-ft (300 Nm) of torque. In the world of super-SUVs with over 600 HP that may not sound like much, but unlike the off-roaders, the Nomad isn’t a heavy brute. Instead, it is a lightweight sports car with impressive off-road abilities that makes tackling difficult terrain a thrill, not a chore.
Also Watch: Top Gear Dares To Tackle A Snowy Mountain In An Ariel Nomad
The Scrambler 1200 XE is also a very impressive piece of kit in the right hands. Its 1200 cc parallel-twin churns out 90 HP and it tips the scales at just over 200 kg. It has an obvious power-to-weight advantage over the Ariel but, being a motorcycle, has two less wheels, so cornering is much more of a challenge and riding it fast over tough terrain is much more demanding than steering a Nomad through a difficult course.
We’ve become quite accustomed to seeing supercars face off against superbikes in recent years, but for something a little different, Autocar put the Nomad and Scrambler 1200 XE together for a high-speed race along an off-road course, with a publication’s editor driving the Nomad and World Enduros racer Matt Reed riding the Triumph.