Ditching traditional bodywork for an exoskeleton, open-wheeled design, the 500 V8 was built for raw speed. It only weighs 550 kg but packs a V8 created from two Suzuki Hayabusa engines that can launch to 62 mph in a mind-boggling 2.3 seconds.

Although Ariel’s origins date back to 1870, the brand certainly levelled up with the Atom. What started as a Coventry University student project back in 1996 became a full production superstar by 2000. With only 25 of the 500 V8 built it became one of the fastest-accelerating production cars ever made.

On loan from Ariel Motor Company.