RE: PH Heroes: Ariel Atom

[dcb]

vpinto said:

What it doesn't have is leather, AC, roof, and the list goes on and on...

It doesn't have much of a boot either.

Another Sunday afternoon toy.

Nice toy, though, or would cutting down on the
weight of a couple of tyres and just buying
a motorbike be easier ?

[Kamikaze]

Saunders says the company is in good financial health and has over a year’s orders. Ariel is now looking at a second car for the line-up

Pllleeeeeeeaaaassssseeeeeeeeee do an Elise MK1 successor.

[Atom120]

VladD said:

You can only drive them for a while before you go numb, you have to refuel a lot and there's no luggage space. If you trailer it to track days or just use it for short blast then fine, but driving to a distant track day would hurt.

Pah! Drove mine to Le Mans and back last year - didn't hurt!

You'll get 200-250 miles to a tank on a long run, which ain't too bad.

Still not as much fun as a bike though...

[smele]

The Atom. I like it. The only problem I have with it, is the power or lack of it. Now, there is a chap I know in Portlan Oregon who is doing something about it - DPCARS.NET

V8 ATOM:
http://dpcars.net/atom/recent.htm 

[anonymous-user]

I have yet to see one going quickly on track, they may feel bloody quick when you are in them, but they dont seem to back that up on track in most peoples hands. Maybe thats not the point though, if it feels quick then job done as far as driving fun goes?

[JADCampbell]

I don't see there being a lack of power in any way! It's half a tonne. 0-100mph in under 7 seconds has got to be about as close to the limits of traction as you can get with tyres priced for mere mortals. Besides, you'd need a pretty light V8 not to destroy the weight distribution.

Anyone that says that isn't quick enough is bonkers.

[jamesgrrr]

johnfelstead said:

I have yet to see one going quickly on track, they may feel bloody quick when you are in them, but they dont seem to back that up on track in most peoples hands. Maybe thats not the point though, if it feels quick then job done as far as driving fun goes?

i think they are quite fast

http://www.topgear.com/content/tgonbbc2/laptimes/t...

[VladD]

Atom120 said:

VladD said:

You can only drive them for a while before you go numb, you have to refuel a lot and there's no luggage space. If you trailer it to track days or just use it for short blast then fine, but driving to a distant track day would hurt.

Pah! Drove mine to Le Mans and back last year - didn't hurt!

You'll get 200-250 miles to a tank on a long run, which ain't too bad.

Still not as much fun as a bike though...

You're a brave man. I was actually quoting the guy from Ariel who took me for a spin.

[sadako]

If I could afford one I'd be using it as my only car by now.

[fish]

Interesting the comments above. Having been lucky enough to own two a 220 and a 300 I would say they are stupidly quick. Strangely I prefer the na to supercharged as it feels quicker. On the road you have to be carefull as they are as quick as a superbike and can stop like you hit a brick wall. Overtaking is done in nano secounds and if you are too close to someone in a 300 and gave it full welly in the dry you would rear end it before being able to change lane. I have some video footage of me doing 0-60-0 down my drive...the 300 managed 0-70-0 in the same space.

Trully awsome cars, only problem is EVERYTHING feels slow afterwards. That said I've not driven a Veyron though....

Now going to look at PH TV and see if I can upload the footage.

I will buy another one day when the kids grow up a bit.

Footage uploaded but not findable yet, I assume it needs to be approved, I'll post alink once I can find it.

Edited by fish on Thursday 10th January 19:16

[anonymous-user]

jamesgrrr said:

johnfelstead said:

I have yet to see one going quickly on track, they may feel bloody quick when you are in them, but they dont seem to back that up on track in most peoples hands. Maybe thats not the point though, if it feels quick then job done as far as driving fun goes?

i think they are quite fast

http://www.topgear.com/content/tgonbbc2/laptimes/t...

That tends to back up my feeling when you take into account the oposition listed and the drivers ability for the power/weight the car has, great for a straight blast but doesnt apear that impresive cornering. I would love to see one driven quickly at a trackday but it never seems to happen.

[Aggy]

johnfelstead said:

jamesgrrr said:

johnfelstead said:

I have yet to see one going quickly on track, they may feel bloody quick when you are in them, but they dont seem to back that up on track in most peoples hands. Maybe thats not the point though, if it feels quick then job done as far as driving fun goes?

i think they are quite fast

http://www.topgear.com/content/tgonbbc2/laptimes/t...

That tends to back up my feeling when you take into account the oposition listed and the drivers ability for the power/weight the car has, great for a straight blast but doesnt apear that impresive cornering. I would love to see one driven quickly at a trackday but it never seems to happen.

please don't flame me to death for this comment, but at my first ever trackday at llandow in a car I had only owned a month or so I was constantly being held up by atoms around the corners, admittedly they had me on the straights but then it was usually only a matter of time before they would spin out and could pass.

Was a bit dissapointing really considering I was in a 17 year old hatchback, in comparison the caterhams went passed me like I was going backwards!

[smele]

JADCampbell said:

I don't see there being a lack of power in any way! It's half a tonne. 0-100mph in under 7 seconds has got to be about as close to the limits of traction as you can get with tyres priced for mere mortals. Besides, you'd need a pretty light V8 not to destroy the weight distribution.

Anyone that says that isn't quick enough is bonkers.

Oh it's, but it could be quicker and with a V8, and it's a light alright. I just don't think the supercharged 4 cyclinder is powerfull enough and prefer a NA V8.

[anonymous-user]

It looks like you have the two spring rate joint point in free air, rather than where the shock body is, looking at that photo.

[John Lloyd]

Aggy said:

johnfelstead said:

jamesgrrr said:

johnfelstead said:

I have yet to see one going quickly on track, they may feel bloody quick when you are in them, but they dont seem to back that up on track in most peoples hands. Maybe thats not the point though, if it feels quick then job done as far as driving fun goes?

i think they are quite fast

http://www.topgear.com/content/tgonbbc2/laptimes/t...

That tends to back up my feeling when you take into account the oposition listed and the drivers ability for the power/weight the car has, great for a straight blast but doesnt apear that impresive cornering. I would love to see one driven quickly at a trackday but it never seems to happen.

please don't flame me to death for this comment, but at my first ever trackday at llandow in a car I had only owned a month or so I was constantly being held up by atoms around the corners, admittedly they had me on the straights but then it was usually only a matter of time before they would spin out and could pass.

Was a bit dissapointing really considering I was in a 17 year old hatchback, in comparison the caterhams went passed me like I was going backwards!

Just because you own an Atom doesn't make you go fast. Until I got mine I had never been near a track. I am almost certain that is the case of your experiance in Llandow. I'll never be very fast too old to learn the skills. There are plenty of fast drivers in Atoms you just haven't come across them. I did drive mine to Morocco and did over 3,000 miles in just over 2 weeks.

Edited by John Lloyd on Friday 18th January 17:33

[anonymous-user]

Chris71 said:

The only problem is after spending some time in one of those nothing ever really feels fast again...

Not been in a supercharged variant, but the original naturally aspirated car redefined my concept of speed.

Could not agree more , my RS feels positivley pedestrian!!

I see what John is talking about , a fast driver in an atom is hard to keep up with! Some owners track them just for fun , within their own limits , each to their own!

Paul

[leon_t]

The first one I ever saw was sat on the middle of a roundabout near Southampton, having just ruined one of the council's flowerbeds. The sheepish looking owner was standing, helmet in hand, talking to the cops. Judging by the skidmarks he wasn't quite within the 40 limit.

A bit hard to say you we just 'driving to the shops' in a car with no luggage space and no windscreen I guess.

[Slash1]

The Ariel Atom is a fast car and it's great that it's a British car.
But, it's not as fast as another British car - the Ultima GTR - which holds the world production car records for 0-60mph, 0-100mph and 0-100-0mph.
It'd be nice to see a feature on this car, which strangely gets overlooked by the popular tv car show programmes.

[shortar53]

Slash1 said:

The Ariel Atom is a fast car and it's great that it's a British car.
But, it's not as fast as another British car - the Ultima GTR - which holds the world production car records for 0-60mph, 0-100mph and 0-100-0mph.
It'd be nice to see a feature on this car, which strangely gets overlooked by the popular tv car show programmes.

Once... Just once.. Can we have a thread about a quick car without someone insisting the Ultima is better. This thread is about the Atom. It doesn't claim to be the fastest british car, and nor does the article.

Please... leave the Ultima in the Ultima threads. (or in a pool of overheated coolant at the 'ring... )

[crofty1984]

Tankman said:

2volvos said:

Sorry to be a pedant, but wasn't it Steve McQueen who talked about just waiting in Le Mans rather than Paul Newman?

Something like 'When you're racing, that's life. Everything else is just waiting'.

I wouldn't have said that pedantry encompasses mis-quoting by over worked or under researched journos. 'Twas Steve McQueen.

Twas McQueen