Supercar Sunday - A Longer Road trip!

Supercar Sunday is held up in Woodland Hills which is about as far north as you can go in SoCal and still be in LosAngeles.  I had not attended this show before as well.  This event was an even longer drive at over 120 miles one way so would be a better test of the road trip worthiness of the Nomad.

200+ cars eventually appeared at this show along with hundreds of people.  When I first arrived there were less than 6 cars there.  My photog buddy - Art+Machines - was there bright and early.  He snapped a few shots during the magic hour.  Follow his Instagram for great shots of cars, women and more.  

Another friend Eric, showed up with his Atom3 - which was originally my first Atom3.  It was great to see him and then another buddy, Paul from Chemical Guys showed up with his Atom3 along with his girlfriend, Jen.  Three Ariels at one show is not something you will see at most car shows.  Eric loves these unusual sportscars and has a garage full of cool machines.  I suspect a Nomad will also make its way into his stable.

The Nomad was a huge hit.  I handed out another 50 brochures and spoke until I was almost hoarse.  It's a good thing I had a long drive back alone - to rest my voice!  The ride home was good thanks to proper driving gear.  I stripped down to a thin white, long sleeved shirt, pants, gloves, sunglasses and my trusty bucket hat.  

I am using my Atom seat insert to better fit in the Nomad seat.  As it turns out, the insert may be a bit too snug and race track focused to be a good road trip pad.  I think I will make an insert that gives me a bit more room.  Ultimate lateral support is not that critical on a road trip so it will be something I will have to get done to extend my comfort for even longer trips - which the Nomad is well suited for.  The seat is perfect for average to large drivers.  We've had guys as tall as 6'5" in the car.  The seat is very wide so Big & Tall folk will fit.

The pedals on the Nomad are the same as the Atom - race pedals.  They are close together which demand proper driving shoes.  Since I was attending a car show where I would be either standing or walking around, I chose to wear shoes that could work on the pedals and be comfortable.  Pure racing shoes are perfect on the pedals but horrible for walking/standing.  I've been wearing Piloti shoes for years as they bridge these requirements fairly well.  I've also found that some older shoes like Converse can also work well.

Another observation is that staying hydrated is key as an open car, under a hot sun can be tiring.  Coconut water has become my go-to-drink and not just because it grows like a weed where I'm originally from!  No, the Nomad does not have cup holders but there are plenty of places to secure one...which is something I plan to do.

Cars&Coffee LaJolla, Nissan Design, Secret Car Club...

I woke up early to get to the Cars&Coffee event held in LaJolla.  They were hosting a Brexit themed show so I thought it would be appropriate to bring the Nomad to this event.  I had not been to this C&C LaJolla yet and my friend Dieter from HG Motorsport, who organizes the event, said he would reserve a spot for me in the restaurant!  I was not sure what to expect.  

I got on the road at 5am to get there to secure this coveted spot.  I was not disappointed!  We placed the car inside the outdoor seating area and it proved to be a sweet location.  Our Nomad brochures were snatched up quickly.  The Nomad is perfect for LaJolla and I can definitely see it becoming popular here.

For the trip down, I put in earbuds to listen to some music.  They were great as they masked the noise of an open car with fat treads.  I layered up to beat the 55-60deg F weather. The front radiator also delivers some hot air into the cabin that helps keep your warm.  Again the windshield is great and the headlights light up the way.  The roof mounted lights are exceptionally bright but of course for off-road use only.

Inside, front and center

cool crowd and cool cars

the rocks were begging us

on my way to the SCC

After C&C La Jolla, I met my friend Julien for a quick tour of the Nissan Design office in SanDiego.  Another friend Erik met us there and we checked out a very special car that was on display - it was small, light and sporty.  Julien and several of his colleagues are Rogue Collective and producing great automotive artwork - including pieces that we are selling: HERE.  

I parked the car onto some rocks in their parking lot so Erik could take some pix.  He also managed to get some rolling shots of the Nomad on our way to the Secret Car Club event in Rancho Santa Fe.  

 I always bring my bucket hat for any trip in an open car.  This was a requirement for me, along with gloves and a long sleeve shirt and pants.  My skin is no match for the brutal CA summer sun...which confuses most people when they see me - even Leno was wondering what was up with my get-up during his Drakan test drive.  I'm really looking forward to that Nomad bikini top.  Skin cancer is not on my wish list...but more miles on the Nomad, well that is very high on my list!

I parked the Nomad in my garage at home and it fit perfectly.  It really is quite small, taking no more room than a compact sedan or crossover.

Sector111 Meet & Greet

We hosted a party at the shop to show off the Nomad as well as our new Lotus shifter.  We had a bunch of our clients and friends show up.  Pizza, soda, table tennis, house music and artwork were in the mix...

My friend Rick brought over his Baja Bug.

Rick was impressed with how fast and nimble it was.

Boris says is has enough power and is looking forward to getting his...

Our ArtCar was on display along with the Nomad

Our friends at Rogue Collective came by with some original artwork and prints that they have made of our cars.  The work is excellent and a perfect addition to any man/woman cave.  We have prints available on our website: HERE.  Nomad artwork is coming soon...

Nomad West Coast Tour!

SEMA Garage Open House - First Road Trip!

SEMA was hosting an Open House at their Garage on the day the Nomad arrived.  We decided to drive it there - about 60 miles away.  I had Carlos and Joe do the honors along with trailering up a Drakan Spyder.  The car was a big hit and we were inundated with questions.  This event was a SEMA event for its members only with about 1,000 people in attendance.

The fuel tank on the Nomad is 13gallons - so we topped her off at the local station.  The car is happy running at 75-80mph.  The wind and tire noise proved to be loud enough to require ear plugs.  The windshield makes for a nice wind break.  TMI have been working on a small fabric roof (bikini top) for the Nomad.  This will be a welcome addition as the guys drove up with the hot CA sun beating them down.  The fuel mileage was around 22mpg on this trip. 

Delivery to Sector111

The Nomad Tactical arrived today at Sector111 on a transporter at 8am.  Thank you, TMI!  The rest of my morning schedule was wiped clean so I could 'work' with the Nomad.  Yes, this is a tough job...

The Nomad is a compact little machine.  It does not have a big footprint - similar to the cars we like: Elise/Exige/Atom/Mono/Drakan/4C.  It is light and the K24 Honda motor is nice and torquey.  Getting into the car proved to be a challenge initially.  The window to climb in is big enough for most people but you need to be flexible.  It took me two attempts before I got myself securely in the Nomad.  Once you are in, it is comfortable and a good fit.   

in our shop

happiness is...

For the first time in 16yrs, I turned right onto the dirt road...

The dirt road to Murrieta that I had never taken before proved to be..

...a twisty delight made especially for the Ariel Nomad!

The Nomad allowed me to take a road that I had never driven before.  This dirt road branches off at the beginning of DeLuz and I've ignored it for 16yrs with my sportscars -  I refuse to drive sportscars on dirt roads.  DeLuz Rd is one of my favorites and was documented by my friend Robert in this video. 

The ability to blitz a dirt road is one reason the Nomad will be a driving enthusiasts genre busting machine.  It allowed me to go enjoy a twisty road that I would never have normally ventured onto.  I also tried out the hydraulic hand brake for the first time.  It's a hoot, though goosing the gas is all that is required to break the rear end loose in dirt.

This country has plenty of dirt roads with no traffic or cops...are you starting to see the beauty of this pugnacious little machine yet?  Our beloved paved canyon roads will become more and more policed and clogged with traffic - so cars like the Nomad will gain us access to roads less traveled for fun and adventure.  I could not be more excited about the possibilities...

The Ariel Nomad Intro!

We have been anticipating the arrival of the new Ariel Nomad for over a year.  TMI Autotech have been working hard to get the car over to the US.  The first batch of 20 rolling chassis will come over as a kit from Ariel UK.  TMI is assembling them at their impressive new facility in VA.  

We worked closely with TMI to help define the two models that would be offered initially here.  We landed on two specifications: Sport & Tactical.  The Sport is more road focused and the Tactical is more off-road friendly.  Though swapping out the wheels and tires makes either model work in the other environment.  We chose features for each that allowed them to be nicely equipped with road registration in mind.


The first model that TMI built was the Ariel Tactical.  They had some fun with the car and brought it to several shows.  Including some cool pix that they shot.  Our good friend Baer (Ariel Dealer in the NorthEast) came down to VA and made a fun video of the Nomad almost immediately after TMI finished the car.