Motor that Jeremy Clarkson once described as ‘so quick, it can destroy your face’ hits auction with 276 miles on clock
A SUPER fast motor that Jeremy Clarkson once descibred as “so quick, it can destroy your face” is up for auction – with just 276 miles on the clock.
The high performance open-wheel car – which is road legal – is described as a “near-new example” that is so incredibly rare, that they “seldom come to market.”
The motor in question is the 2020 iteration of the outrageous Ariel Atom – which is currently up for auction via Cars & Classic.
The two-seater, which was dubbed “Britain’s Best Driver’s Car” by Autocar in 2020, started life as a student project at Coventry University before it was originally launched in 2000.
Having borrowed input from the likes of Lotus and TVR, the Atom has thrilled drivers for the past 24 years with, according to Cars & Classic, “progressively faster variants released” ever since.
The latest of those is the Ariel Atom 4, which features a Honda Type-R turbocharged engine that can boast an eye-watering 321 bhp.
The Atom is fast on an entirely new level, I have never, ever driven anything that accelerates so fast
Jeremy Clarkson, Top Gear
In fact, the high-speed set of wheels is perhaps best known for its appearance on Top Gear, when Clarkson took the open top motor for a spin around a test track.
In the 2005 episode, Jezza said: “If you can change gear fast enough, it’ll do 0 to 60 in 2.9 seconds.
“The Atom is fast on an entirely new level, I have never, ever driven anything that accelerates so fast.”
As if to prove the point, Jezza says it’s “so quick, it can destroy your entire face” – as the presenter’s face is visibly pulled back by the sheer might of the motor’s acceleration.
The auction listing on Cars & Classic, which ends in the evening of May 2 and currently has a bid of £9,000, added: “So smitten are customers with their long-awaited Atom 4s, that seldom do they come to market.
“We’re delighted to present this 2020 one-owner Atom 4 which has a mere 276 miles on the odometer.
“Recently serviced and complete with its first MOT certificate, this Atom is ready to be enjoyed by a new custodian.
“It’s impeccably presented and even accessorised with a very apt number plate.
“Be sure not to miss this rare opportunity to acquire a near-new example.”
This comes after a rare Ford described by Clarkson as “devastatingly handsome’” in a Top Gear episode goes up for sale at a bargain price.
And elsewhere, a car expert has revealed a £2.10 cleaning hack that could save you from having a nasty crash.
