All Terrain? Maybe not...

The Ariel Nomad tactical sure looks like an off-road buggy or sand rail.  But in reality, it is not.  In SoCal, the off-road/desert market is huge so the Nomad naturally looks like it would be an all terrain vehicle.  We've always known that the car is truly suited for rally conditions: asphalt, broken pavement, dirt roads, etc.  I've run our Nomad through these type of roads and was happy with its performance.  Well I decided to try out the car in some sand and promptly got stuck.  And then got out!

There is a dry creek bed that runs close to our shop.  There are several access points to this area and it is approved for motorized vehicle use.  I stumbled across one of the entrances last week but did not have the time to check it out in full.  I discussed the creek bed with the guys and they immediately suggested that if I get stuck, I should air down the tires.  Well that was good advice as I soon found out.

I wonder where this gravel road goes?

That does not look too deep...

Yep, its deep.

Too deep...

Air this mutha down...

After taking air out of the rear tires, and with some coaching from a local (and new friend) - who digs out trucks daily from this sand trap - I gave it a go.  Watch the video to see the results.

I think the Nomad remains a versatile vehicle.  Deep sand may be a problem but with the right tools and approach, it can be traversed.  I think groomed dirt/gravel may be the safer bet...did I mention that I had Stacy with me when I got stuck?  And it was her birthday?!  That's how I roll - sometimes...

More Car Shows & First Road Trip!

Weekend car shows in CA are as common as sunshine in this fine state.  There are at least a couple of car events every weekend in SoCal without fail.  So naturally, it is our duty, as enthusiasts, to attend as many as we can.  One of the shows was local and the other required a 180 mile drive one-way.  This would be the first multi-hour trip in the Nomad and I recruited my ever intrepid wife, Stacy.  

Temecula Valley Motoring Enthusiast - 1st Sat of the Month.

The first show for the weekend was organized by the Temecula Valley Motoring Enthusiasts.  I've been in this club for 10+yrs and it has grown tremendously.  The interest in the Nomad was excellent.  I strapped my bike onto the roof rack for this show - the bike racks are not so obvious to many people.  Unfortunately I can't drive into my garage at home with the bike as it is too tall.

I was taking the trip north to Montecito with a stop at my cousins place in the Valley.  All road trips require taking extra stuff - the Nomad lacks places for these things.  I picked up some interior storage bags from a off-road specialist to sort that issue.  They had 4 interior bags that worked perfectly.  I will test fit them into an Atom to see if they would also work.

Stacy and I packed one of our drybags with our stuff for the trip and placed it on the floor in the passenger footwell.  She simply rested her legs on top of the bag - much like a chaise lounge.  I know the factory has some roof storage ideas that will make storing bags an easier proposition.

On Friday, I set all of the shocks to full hard.  I wanted to see what it would be like on a longer journey.  Amazingly, I like it better as the was more responsive without being too harsh on rough roads.  I think this may be the preferred setting for highway travels.  We added some seat pads that also made the ride very plush.  Stacy was very pleased with the ride comfort.

The wind noise and tire noise are too much for 1+ hr. trip, let alone one that would take 3-4hrs.  We opted for earplugs that filter out most of the background noise but still allowed us to talk(shout) at highway speeds.  The bikini top for the car will arrive soon and will be a must have for longer trips in the SoCal sun.  Sunglasses, hats, long sleeves and pants were an absolute requirement for the mid90s degF and intense UV that we were braving.

Bucket hats FTW!

The Pacific

The mountains

The Cars&Coffee event in Montecito was excellent.  There were some really amazing cars including two original gullwing Mercedes.  The event was not as big as some shows but the sheer quality of the cars was staggering.  The venue is also quite nice.  I highly recommend attending this show.

Cars & Coffee - Santa Barbara/Montecito

Carl the Contortionist

 Getting into the Nomad takes some practice and a certain technique.  You do need to be limber enough to drop into the side opening.  My friend, Carl, thought he could get one leg in and then his head/torso and then try to fold his other leg.  Well as you can see from the picture, you're gonna have to be a contortionist to make this technique work.  The rest of us will simply place both legs in first and drop in...

Fueling her up - almost $4/gal!  Of course this is Montecito...

Venture Beach

We made a couple of stops on the way home, including Ventura Beach.  The Nomad is really a car for many roads types: asphalt, broken asphalt, gravel, and dirt.  It is a rally car and not a desert racer/sand rail.  We'll continue to take her to different spots and test her out.  I have a local dry creek bed that I want to try out.

She's made for this terrain

This is a car that makes you feel alive.  You are connected to the elements when you take a trip in one.  You need to be ready to enjoy everything - including windshield washer spray from the car in front of you...as I've said before, this is as close to a motorcycle experience as you will get.  I think it is very much like an adventure bike - only with 4 wheels.  Will it be tiring on a longer trip?  Yes, it will be.  But don't most exhilarating experiences leave you that way?!  

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.

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.