RE: Driven: Ariel Atom 245

[BigBen]

HeMightBeBanned said:

So after reading some of the comments above, does the Atom handle badly? I have a rather heavily modified Elise (Nitrons, Honda engine, OZ wheels etc etc) so have that as my benchmark.

HMBB

They handle quite well IMO but do take some getting used to hence the comments from people who may have driven them briefly. I suspect the Elise / Caterhams would easier to go really fast in as they are much more developed both in terms of time and volume.

simonrockman said:

Wrapping up warm is one thing but what do you wear on your feet? Do you put on big warm boots with no pedal feel or something trainer-like which will freeze?

Your feet don't really get cold as they are out of the wind, hands are the biggest problem ime

Ben

[Rawwr]

They took an average handling car and made it fast.

[HeMightBeBanned]

Rawwr said:

They took an average handling car and made it fast.

Ah. How very Audi!

[Fury1630]

I would've thought the clue to the handling issue was in the text, I read it as a Radical or Cateringvan would go better on a track as they're set up stiffer - but as he wasn't driving it on a track, so it was better for being a little softer.

[Scuffers]

Fury1630 said:

I would've thought the clue to the handling issue was in the text, I read it as a Radical or Cateringvan would go better on a track as they're set up stiffer - but as he wasn't driving it on a track, so it was better for being a little softer.

that's not really the problem with the Atom though, the issues are more basic chassis design than that.

with the Caterham/Elise your starting with a much better designed platform.

[BigBen]

Scuffers said:

Fury1630 said:

I would've thought the clue to the handling issue was in the text, I read it as a Radical or Cateringvan would go better on a track as they're set up stiffer - but as he wasn't driving it on a track, so it was better for being a little softer.

that's not really the problem with the Atom though, the issues are more basic chassis design than that.

with the Caterham/Elise your starting with a much better designed platform.

The latest iteration (in fact all iterations) of the Atom seems to do relatively well in most road / track tests I have read so I don't think anyone should get the impression the Atom handles like a pig. Not as refined as an Elise / Caterham but not as mass produced / evolved yet either.

However the chief advantage of the Atom is you can fit in one if you are 6'6, not so much the Elise or Caterham or in all likelyhood I would have bought one of them in the first place......

Ben

[LuS1fer]

Hmm, chav number plate thread?