WILD BOYS

IF A MORE UNLIKELY DUO HAS EVER HIT THE track at Bedford Autodrome, I haven’t seen it. Rather like those mutant toys that crawl from the recesses of the bad boy’s bedroom in the original Toy Story movie, the Ariel Nomad and Morgan CX-T make a curious sight as they wait tentatively in the pitlane, all gangling long-travel suspension and inappropriate tyres, spot lamps shining widely like concerned eyes, metal tubing like protective arms held aloft. If cars could talk, there would be nervous, jittery voices echoing off the pitlane garage doors.

You couldn’t blame the poor things for being a bit uncomfortable. After all, they’re as far from their comfort zone as it’s possible to be. The smooth, carefully manicured asphalt of a racing circuit is alien territory to both cars; they prefer it muddy, dusty, wet and mucky. If nothing else, it’ll be fun to see how they adapt.

Not only are they at odds with their surroundings, but they’re pretty much at odds with each other, save for the fitment of roll-over scaffolding and chunky tyres best-suited to taking lumps out of an earthy incline. The Nomad remains the Ariel Atom derivative you’re not quite sure what you’d do with if you bought one, but at the same time seems to possess an unquantifiable want-one factor that makes the thought of buying one irresistible. I’m not