Mugen modifies the Ariel Atom

CREWKERNE, England — The Ariel Atom has built a reputation, especially among track-day cognoscenti, as a minimalist rocket that can accommodate everything from a 500-horsepower Hartley V8 to a zero-emissions electric drivetrain. Now, at the 2011 Autosport International Show, the British specialty-car company has announced a partnership with Honda's in-house tuner to build the limited-edition Ariel Atom 3 Mugen.

Only 10 copies will be built of the Atom 3 Mugen, with prices starting at $78,900.

In terms of performance and specification, the Mugen-modified edition will be slotted between the entry-level Atom 3 245 and the V8-powered Atom 3 300.

Mugen has massaged the Honda 2.0-liter K20Z four-cylinder engine that powers the standard Atom 3 and the old Civic Type R. In its new spec, the engine makes 270 horsepower (up from 245) and is mated to a close-ratio Honda six-speed gearbox. Acceleration from rest to 60 is said to take a mere 2.9 seconds, with a top speed of around 150 mph.

The Atom 3 Mugen borrows its track-focused adjustable damper and spring package from the heavier Atom 3 300, along with a multifunction LCD driver display. The Mugen edition also features a custom paint scheme and ventilated front and rear discs with red-painted, four-piston calipers.

Inside Line says: Two brand names that should make a track-day enthusiast wet his or her pants. — Paul Lienert, Correspondent