RE: Ariel Atom 500 V8 Announced

[N14EER]

I'd be happy with the atom as it is.....

If this was on Top Gear, imagine the damage it will do to Jeremy Clarksons face......

[dazren]

Great to expand the choice. Agree with the comment of the power to weight war is where we're going.

Well done Ariel.

[mrben]

I want one !! will that be the same engine as the caterham ?

[tybalt]

chris7676 said:

Aerodynamic issues will limit its high speed potential I bet.

And this week's award for stating the obvious goes to . . .

This is true of just about any vehicle? Except boats. Or dumper trucks going uphill. Or those with low gearing. :gets coat:

[RobM77]

Twincam16 said:

I like this sort of thing. I think we'll look back on the Veyron as the last of the dinosaurs. The power war is over. The power-to-weight war is where it's at now.

The biproduct of this is efficiency. So much the better for pissing off the Green hand-wringers then.

To be quite honest, the victors always were the ones boasting power to weight rather than just power. A ten year old Ferrari or Porsche simply wouldn't see which way a ten year old Caterham went (as says a ten year old Autocar I have here); power to weight always won the day. The issue lately has been that everything bar lightweight cars have been getting more and more powerful. 500-600bhp is now normal for a supercar, and in fact a super saloon! Now it's time for lightweight cars to join the party I guess!

[GingerWizard]

Me Me Me Me I want one I want one!!!! These stories are like porn in my every day life mundainity..... One day i will own all these cars! One day ........ and the world......

[therulebook]

Nice, but where do I plug in my iPod?

[L100NYY]

RobM77 said:

Twincam16 said:

I like this sort of thing. I think we'll look back on the Veyron as the last of the dinosaurs. The power war is over. The power-to-weight war is where it's at now.

The biproduct of this is efficiency. So much the better for pissing off the Green hand-wringers then.

To be quite honest, the victors always were the ones boasting power to weight rather than just power. A ten year old Ferrari or Porsche simply wouldn't see which way a ten year old Caterham went (as says a ten year old Autocar I have here); power to weight always won the day. The issue lately has been that everything bar lightweight cars have been getting more and more powerful. 500-600bhp is now normal for a supercar, and in fact a super saloon! Now it's time for lightweight cars to join the party I guess!

Indeed, power to weight has always been the more interesting and tantalising benchmark and the one that really gets my (ahem) juices going.

I applaud Ariel et al for having the balls to conjure up such a mad concept and having the balls to produce it.

As for the people on here spouting rubbish such as "what's the point" may I direct you here =>

www.Ihugtrees.co.uk

[silv]

Why don't they put some decent bodywork on the bloody thing!!

[clonmult]

RobM77 said:

Twincam16 said:

I like this sort of thing. I think we'll look back on the Veyron as the last of the dinosaurs. The power war is over. The power-to-weight war is where it's at now.

The biproduct of this is efficiency. So much the better for pissing off the Green hand-wringers then.

To be quite honest, the victors always were the ones boasting power to weight rather than just power. A ten year old Ferrari or Porsche simply wouldn't see which way a ten year old Caterham went (as says a ten year old Autocar I have here); power to weight always won the day. The issue lately has been that everything bar lightweight cars have been getting more and more powerful. 500-600bhp is now normal for a supercar, and in fact a super saloon! Now it's time for lightweight cars to join the party I guess!

Absolutely.

Which also causes the irritation in the increasing weight of the various 500+ bhp "super" cars. Look at the various lightweight Ferraris, Lambos, Astons, Porsches. They aren't lightweights by any stretch of the imagination, more like a 30 stone american who says he's now a lightweight as he's got down to 27 stone ....

[Twincam16]

clonmult said:

RobM77 said:

Twincam16 said:

I like this sort of thing. I think we'll look back on the Veyron as the last of the dinosaurs. The power war is over. The power-to-weight war is where it's at now.

The biproduct of this is efficiency. So much the better for pissing off the Green hand-wringers then.

To be quite honest, the victors always were the ones boasting power to weight rather than just power. A ten year old Ferrari or Porsche simply wouldn't see which way a ten year old Caterham went (as says a ten year old Autocar I have here); power to weight always won the day. The issue lately has been that everything bar lightweight cars have been getting more and more powerful. 500-600bhp is now normal for a supercar, and in fact a super saloon! Now it's time for lightweight cars to join the party I guess!

Absolutely.

Which also causes the irritation in the increasing weight of the various 500+ bhp "super" cars. Look at the various lightweight Ferraris, Lambos, Astons, Porsches. They aren't lightweights by any stretch of the imagination, more like a 30 stone american who says he's now a lightweight as he's got down to 27 stone ....

Or like the fat bloke down the gym who spends all his time swigging a protein supplement and doing endless bicep curls.

Yep, you could give someone a mean right hook, but you're still a fat bd.

[Oli S]

therulebook said:

Nice, but where do I plug in my iPod?

I'm not sure if an iPod connection will be an option

[VxDuncan]

How stupid! Who needs THAT much power? I dread to think what the CO2/km figures are for it.





(only kidding, I want one! And possibly some new undergarments)

[dxb335d]

Power to weight makes a car fast for sure. But once your upto speed you still need major power to haul ass... I would expect it to live with a veyron to approx 140ish then the veyron says goodbye!

[BigBen]

Oli S said:

therulebook said:

Nice, but where do I plug in my iPod?

I'm not sure if an iPod connection will be an option

Actually an Autocom with iPod in is an option on all Atoms, I guess including this one

Ben

[dxb335d]

Twincam16 said:

clonmult said:

RobM77 said:

Twincam16 said:

I like this sort of thing. I think we'll look back on the Veyron as the last of the dinosaurs. The power war is over. The power-to-weight war is where it's at now.

The biproduct of this is efficiency. So much the better for pissing off the Green hand-wringers then.

To be quite honest, the victors always were the ones boasting power to weight rather than just power. A ten year old Ferrari or Porsche simply wouldn't see which way a ten year old Caterham went (as says a ten year old Autocar I have here); power to weight always won the day. The issue lately has been that everything bar lightweight cars have been getting more and more powerful. 500-600bhp is now normal for a supercar, and in fact a super saloon! Now it's time for lightweight cars to join the party I guess!

Absolutely.

Which also causes the irritation in the increasing weight of the various 500+ bhp "super" cars. Look at the various lightweight Ferraris, Lambos, Astons, Porsches. They aren't lightweights by any stretch of the imagination, more like a 30 stone american who says he's now a lightweight as he's got down to 27 stone ....

Or like the fat bloke down the gym who spends all his time swigging a protein supplement and doing endless bicep curls.

Yep, you could give someone a mean right hook, but you're still a fat bd.

Power to weight will win round a track, a veyron does 250mph because it has 1000bhp. The atom aint going to touch that at all. 500bhp is 500 BHP. Not 1000bhp.

Rolling start 130mph on, the veyron would piss it. ALL that POWER AND TORQUE, compared to the 500bhp of the atom.

Look at the original elise, pretty fast 0-60 due to its Power to weight figure but after that similar card which did 0-60 in 5.5-6.0 secs have it licked to the Ton.

[RobM77]

dxb335d said:

Power to weight makes a car fast for sure. But once your upto speed you still need major power to haul ass... I would expect it to live with a veyron to approx 140ish then the veyron says goodbye!

very true. However, I give you:

Benefits of a weighty car with power:

• High top speed

Benefits of a light car with less power but more power/weight:

• Better acceleration
• Better braking
• Better cornering
• Better agility
• Better feel from the controls, as they're probably going to be totally unassisted.
• Lower tyre wear
• Lower fuel use / emissions
• Lower brake pad wear
• Lower stress on components

I wonder which I'd choose

[havoc]

This ISN'T an autobahn car like the Veyron. This is a real-world really silly performance car.

...and I LOVE IT!!! I want two...one for each bk, as to drive one of these properly you're going to need oversized genitals!!!





10,000rpm V8???

[dxb335d]

RobM77 said:

dxb335d said:

Power to weight makes a car fast for sure. But once your upto speed you still need major power to haul ass... I would expect it to live with a veyron to approx 140ish then the veyron says goodbye!

very true. However, I give you:

Benefits of a weighty car with power:

• High top speed

Benefits of a light car with less power but more power/weight:

• Better acceleration
• Better braking
• Better cornering
• Better agility
• Better feel from the controls, as they're probably going to be totally unassisted.
• Lower tyre wear
• Lower fuel use / emissions
• Lower brake pad wear
• Lower stress on components

I wonder which I'd choose

Or which one could you afford?

Id rather drive around in a luxurious Hyper car than a load of tubing and a v8 worth what 40k?

But to a wealthy person im sure they would have both and enjoy both.

The Veyron is the most complete and capable car Autocar Chris Harris has driven, it outhandles GT3 RS and the like. Now this atom may handle better i am unsure. But i think it will not drive with as much stability and cohesion as the Veyron, an ATOM with 500bhp will be a handfull.

[RickLine86]

Not that crazily fast cars are a problem or anything, obviously the more the merrier and all that, but...

Are we going to be greeted to a small, lightweight car which these RS Developments lot have just wedged their 500bhp V8 into everyday this week?

"BREAKING NEWS: 500bhp Exige!"

"BREAKING NEWS: 500bhp Mobility scooter!"

"BREAKING NEWS: 500bhp Roller Skates..."