2007 Ariel Atom 3

A 2007 Ariel Atom 3 presented in the rarely-specified Viola Parsifae — a Lamborghini purple that suits the Atom's exoskeleton architecture far better than the more familiar yellows and silvers. This example has been upgraded to 3.5 Light specification by Ariel themselves, a factory conversion that brings the car up to the performance standard of the later 3.5 without the weight penalty of additional bodywork.

Also fitted is the optional Ariel windscreen, a £1,000 factory extra that transforms the Atom from pure track weapon into something genuinely usable on British B-roads without blunting the visceral quality that defines the model. At 18,000 miles the car has clearly been driven rather than garaged, which is arguably the right approach to Atom ownership.

Finished in Viola Parsifae over an exposed tubular chassis and running the supercharged 2.0-litre Honda K20 engine, this is an Atom 3 in one of its most desirable configurations — the rare colour, the factory 3.5 upgrade and the windscreen option combining to make this a standout example of Somerset's most uncompromising sports car.