YOKOHAMA-shod Ariel Nomad beats Group N Mitsubishi Evo
06 Nov 2015

As part of the build-up to next week’s Wales Rally Great Britain, the finale of the 2015 FIA World Rally Championship, TV pundit and rally fan Tony Jardine recently pitted his Group N Mitsubishi EvoIX rally car, which he will use on the event, against an Ariel Nomad, fitted with YOKOHAMA tyres as Original Equipment from the factory.

The test was part PR exercise, part shakedown for the rally after an outing on the Cambrian Rally, the last round of the 2015 BTRDA Rally Series. The test took place at the Sweet Lamb Rally Complex in Wales and was typically damp on the gravel stages 

Jardine approached the test in his 250bhp-ish Evo9 with co-driver Gordon Noble on board, while Simon Clark from Ariel drove the 235bhp Nomad, fitted with YOKOHAMA A053 gravel rally tyres.

Despite giving away two driven wheels to the Evo, the Nomad was eventually the quicker of the cars on the day, with Jardine suggesting the Mitsubishi’s slower pace might have been due to the increased weight of carrying a co-driver, inoperative anti-lag, preserving the car for the rally.

The YOKOHAMA A053 is the same tyre that Aaron McClure used to great effect in the BTRDA Rally Series on his own EvoIX Mitsubishi so it comes with impressive credentials. It is also available to privateers competing on Rally GB next week, through YOKOHAMA HPT’s motorsport dealer network.

Read the full story here:

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/ariel-nomad-versus-rally-car-which-fastest