Ariel Atom 4RR Smashes Porsche 911 GT2 RS Lap Record at Anglesey

A tiny British track toy built from what looks like scaffolding just embarrassed one of Porsche’s most fearsome machines. The Ariel Atom 4RR, powered by a heavily modified Honda Civic Type R engine, set a new lap record at Wales’ Anglesey Circuit, beating the Manthey-equipped Porsche 911 GT2 RS by nearly two full seconds.

The record-breaking run happened during final track testing for the 4RR, which weighs just 1,472 pounds. 0-liter turbo-four that pumps out 525 horsepower, a massive jump over the standard Civic Type R’s 315 hp. Ariel achieved this through new camshafts, ported cylinder heads, and other upgrades.

The car ran on road-legal Yokohama A052 tires, with 195-section fronts and 255-section rears. 35 set by a Porsche 911 GT2 RS with the Manthey Performance kit.

What makes the achievement even more impressive is how effortless it looked. Keen’s driving showed minimal steering input, almost no corrections, and none of the drama you’d expect from a car this extreme. The Atom 4RR is fully road-legal, though you probably wouldn’t want to commute in it.

Ariel plans to show the car at the Goodwood Festival of Speed this summer. Only a handful will be built, starting at £208,000. For those who want a taste of the Atom experience at a lower price, the standard Atom 4 starts at £48,000 in the UK or $83,750 in the US, with 320 hp and less exotic suspension and brakes.