RE: PH Carpool: Ariel Atom
Discussion
TaRD said:
Must book in a passanger ride in the summer if thats ok? I'll pay for petrol.
No worries mate, given that you only live 2 miles down the road now, we should be able to sort something!MarJay said:
How does it compare in terms of thrills to say a 600cc sportsbike? Is it useable on the road, or do you find yourself reigning in your right foot all the time?
I really like the idea of something like an Atom but I'd be concerned that I could afford to buy three or four great bikes for the same kind of money and still have a bit of change left over... Plus I'd know I would have a good stab at using a 600 to a reasonable level on the road, whereas I'd be terrified of lines of traffic in the Atom.
What do you reckon? Any bike license holders driven an atom?
I'm not a biker, so I couldn't comment. Of course you do have to be careful with the loud pedal and watch the road, footpaths and side turns for idiots... the Atom is almost invisible sometimes, so you have to be careful that absent-minded loafers don't just pull out on you.I really like the idea of something like an Atom but I'd be concerned that I could afford to buy three or four great bikes for the same kind of money and still have a bit of change left over... Plus I'd know I would have a good stab at using a 600 to a reasonable level on the road, whereas I'd be terrified of lines of traffic in the Atom.
What do you reckon? Any bike license holders driven an atom?
I do get quite a few nods & thumbs up from bikers tho', so I guess it's appreciated as a 4-wheeled equivilent. Where it does sin over bikes, is on a nice day, I can drive in shorts, t-shirt & sunglasses enjoying the weather, whereas bikers are all leathered & helmeted
k-ink said:
"with a good majority thinking that it's actually something knocked together in a back garden shed which uses a lawn mower engine."
This would annoy me no end!
Nah, it's not too bad. I find that if you're pleasant and make a joke out of it, it's not a problem. Most folk are completly surprised to find out it's a "real" car that you can actually buy from the manufacturer the same way you can a Fiesta This would annoy me no end!
thepony said:
I am really impressed with the Atom (though I have yet to drive it or be a passenger in it) it looks like alot of great fun from what I gather.
Am tempted to get one in the future.
Btw very great review. Surprised you dont do any trackdays as I thought you might be into them given your choice of machinery.
Surprised no women are interested in this car. Bit disappointed people think it something knocked up in a shed.
My only request is if I did get one I would REALLY LIKE to put the BMW S54B32 Engine as has been used in the BMW E46 M3 CS/CSL cars. That would really make my day. Complete with a BMW M-Differential.
Had a quick look at the Atom website and their is a Quaife LSD option thats got to be a must-have.
Surprised it gets more attention than Ferraris and Lambos though.
I bet you must be right annoyed people jumping in the passenger seat or people stepping out dangerously to take photographs.
How does this Atom compare to Lotus Exige? I really like the Atom and the Lotus-Exige for the purity of the experience and their lightness as Colin Chapman would approve?
Thanks.
I think you either "get" track days or you don't. I prefer to get out and drive the car point-to-point with mates and enjoy a day of driving on nice roads. Horses for courses, so they say. Am tempted to get one in the future.
Btw very great review. Surprised you dont do any trackdays as I thought you might be into them given your choice of machinery.
Surprised no women are interested in this car. Bit disappointed people think it something knocked up in a shed.
My only request is if I did get one I would REALLY LIKE to put the BMW S54B32 Engine as has been used in the BMW E46 M3 CS/CSL cars. That would really make my day. Complete with a BMW M-Differential.
Had a quick look at the Atom website and their is a Quaife LSD option thats got to be a must-have.
Surprised it gets more attention than Ferraris and Lambos though.
I bet you must be right annoyed people jumping in the passenger seat or people stepping out dangerously to take photographs.
How does this Atom compare to Lotus Exige? I really like the Atom and the Lotus-Exige for the purity of the experience and their lightness as Colin Chapman would approve?
Thanks.
Yes, the LSD is a must have and definately one of the best options I had fitted when I spec'd it.
I think the reason it gets more attention that a lot of exotica is because it looks like a space ship and it bent Jeremy Clarkson's face
I guess because it really shocks people and they're genuinely interested to see it, you can't get too upset when they do something a bit daft.... although I do draw the line when people try to get in it uninvited (that was a true story!).I think the feel of an Atom could be close to an Exige, but with more power and less weight, it's a (bit) faster car. As there's no filtering between you and the road, you feel everything and react to the car's interactions with the tarmac, at every turn of the wheels. That's not to say it's harsh (honestly, it's not), it's just, well as you say, pure.
simonrockman said:
No, it's an Atom 2, 275. Can the aero screens be fitted?
They're not a direct fit for an Atom 2, but I think people have made them work. Check out the Owners Club forum for more info 
TaRD said:
Great write up Mark, I can add it's also a bugger to follow on drives as the Atom's breaking distances are a tad shorter than mine 
Must book in a passanger ride in the summer if thats ok? I'll pay for petrol.
Shortly after that was taken I was chasing it over some rather tasty Welsh B-Roads. When we pulled over, there was 2 palls of smoke coming off my front brakes Must book in a passanger ride in the summer if thats ok? I'll pay for petrol.
I got the impression Mr Speedster was having a bit of Sunday afternoon fun, whereas i'd been white-knuckled with clenched teeth and a sweat beaded brow hanging off his tailpipes
(Mines the Renault hiding behind the supercars lol)
Book me a passenger ride too please Mark!
Oh god! after the revolution in Australia (where we first kill the lawyers!) I am going to buy one!!
Jay leno ,or some other comedienne reckoned they were useless but it all makes sense after reading this. Cheap to run and loads of fun is what a car is all about. Besides i'm too scared to ride a hyabusa.
I still have a '26 Chev roadster in which I ran a Chrysler 354 Hemi ,that was fun but this is more sensible given that it probably weighs less than the Chrysler engine on it's own.
Jay leno ,or some other comedienne reckoned they were useless but it all makes sense after reading this. Cheap to run and loads of fun is what a car is all about. Besides i'm too scared to ride a hyabusa.
I still have a '26 Chev roadster in which I ran a Chrysler 354 Hemi ,that was fun but this is more sensible given that it probably weighs less than the Chrysler engine on it's own.
Great write up - fun and refreshing. Oh, and if you really want more girls in the passenger seat of you need to do make two modifications.
1. Change the macho blue body panels for a bright yellow / red / chrome set.
2. Throw out the fire extinguisher that's fitted in the passenger footwell (if you have one) and strap in a mini bottle of champagne with a couple of glasses to replace it.
1. Change the macho blue body panels for a bright yellow / red / chrome set.
2. Throw out the fire extinguisher that's fitted in the passenger footwell (if you have one) and strap in a mini bottle of champagne with a couple of glasses to replace it.
356Speedster said:
simonrockman said:
No, it's an Atom 2, 275. Can the aero screens be fitted?
They're not a direct fit for an Atom 2, but I think people have made them work. Check out the Owners Club forum for more info I almost always wear a helmet, reason being my previous Atom had some big chips in the airbox hoop caused by stone impacts, a foot to the right and it would have been my face that was hit!
Ben
MarJay said:
How does it compare in terms of thrills to say a 600cc sportsbike? Is it useable on the road, or do you find yourself reigning in your right foot all the time?
I really like the idea of something like an Atom but I'd be concerned that I could afford to buy three or four great bikes for the same kind of money and still have a bit of change left over... Plus I'd know I would have a good stab at using a 600 to a reasonable level on the road, whereas I'd be terrified of lines of traffic in the Atom.
What do you reckon? Any bike license holders driven an atom?
Hope this helps. Taken from another thread re Atom vs bikes where I shared my experiences.I really like the idea of something like an Atom but I'd be concerned that I could afford to buy three or four great bikes for the same kind of money and still have a bit of change left over... Plus I'd know I would have a good stab at using a 600 to a reasonable level on the road, whereas I'd be terrified of lines of traffic in the Atom.
What do you reckon? Any bike license holders driven an atom?
OK, without reading whole thread, thought I would share my experience of owning fast bikes & now an Atom. I class myself as a fast rider/driver without being suicidal. As such I have never crashed a bike or car (touch wood)
I'll be basing my comparison of the Atom 3 245bhp with Alcon brakes, race suspension vs GSXR750's & ZX9R I have owned, all stock. Note these are my personal thoughts, so not scientific & need to be taken with a pinch of salt.
Acceleration
I would say from a standing start the Atom would have it initially due to grip, with the bike starting to edge away once you get going. Not much in it. However if coming out of a corner where it would be possible to lose traction under acceleration, I would give the Atom the edge
Cornering
Without a doubt on any bend that is going to build up some "g" the Atom. However if you are talking some wide sweeping bends on an open road, as others have mentioned the bike can make more use of the road to straighten those curves out & thus faster through that section.
Braking
OK, I've got the Alcons & sticky rubber on the Atom so it wins here, hands down. It rips your organs out.
Bumpy roads
Firstly my recollection of the bikes were the GSXR's needed a steering damper to stop the handlebars slapping about, but once used to it & confident you basically ignored it & kept going. ZX9R was a bit more sedate, so found it soaked anything up near enough. The Atom is a bit like the bike in terms of the amount of feedback it gives & you can have the steering wheel yanking your hands all over the place on fast bumpy stretches. As per the bike you don't fight it, but keep a light touch to keep it going in the right direction.
Vision
Agree with others where they state being higher up you can see which way the road goes etc. Used to find this very handy on country roads where you could see the top of the hedge line & where it was going. On that basis yes you can ride faster due to the confidence of knowing which way the road goes. With the Atom being lower the only way you could offset this disadvantage is to make us of the braking & cornering advantage. In reality the bike would have a more relaxed blast with the Atom driver having to make some pretty last minute braking decisions.
Comfort
I used my bikes every day for 3 years commuting 40 miles a day, come whatever weather. Never had a problem with the bikes if I could keep a reasonable speed up, to take some weight off the wrists. Bit of bh if slower & in traffic, but still acceptable. On blasts I could do about 150miles before I started to ache.
The Atom is surprisingly comfortable & seeing as I'm intending to do 400 mile trip each way to Le Mans this year in it, it's not too bad (although I do expect to ache after that distance)
On the limit
Yes I've had the bikes slide out at the front & back, front come up etc etc. I've thought they have always been pretty straight forward to catch, although your pants might say otherwise on some occasions. At the end of the day though if you overstep the mark you're going to come off... simple. With the Atom very similar response times to the bike needed to correct it. Difference is you have more leeway due to being on 4 wheels.
Concentration
Both the bikes & Atom require full concentration when driven hard. I would however say the Bike rider requires that extra sixth sense to cater for crap on road, that volvo driver who might not have seen you etc. Lets say after 90 minutes of hard riding / driving I came back more mentally knackered on the bike.
Real life blast A to B
So many variables here, but lets say on clear roads I reckon there would be nothing in it. The bike could be faster on the sweeping open bends with hedges, whilst the Atom would be faster in the tighter bends & braking. Add traffic though & the bike will always get somewhere faster.
Hopefully a small insight in to my views on ownership. If I missed any areas let me know & I'll try my best to answer.
For the mo though, I love bikes , I love my Atom ... all are fast enough for most of us mere mortal petrol heads
Oh & this is how passengers usually respond 1st time in an Atom
:- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XmrB4zHf4MThink I did silent screams when Mark took me out in his car LOL.
Dave
Edited by GT3 APE on Wednesday 13th April 07:54
GT3 APE said:
On the limit
Yes I've had the bikes slide out at the front & back, front come up etc etc. I've thought they have always been pretty straight forward to catch, although your pants might say otherwise on some occasions. At the end of the day though if you overstep the mark you're going to come off... simple. With the Atom very similar response times to the bike needed to correct it. Difference is you have more leeway due to being on 4 wheels.
Concentration
Both the bikes & Atom require full concentration when driven hard. I would however say the Bike rider requires that extra sixth sense to cater for crap on road, that volvo driver who might not have seen you etc. Lets say after 90 minutes of hard riding / driving I came back more mentally knackered on the bike.
Real life blast A to B
So many variables here, but lets say on clear roads I reckon there would be nothing in it. The bike could be faster on the sweeping open bends with hedges, whilst the Atom would be faster in the tighter bends & braking. Add traffic though & the bike will always get somewhere faster.
Great info, but I'm also interested in how the atom makes you feel in comparison to the bike. If you gave up bikes tomorrow and bought an Atom, would you regret it? Would having a bike negate the need to buy an atom?Yes I've had the bikes slide out at the front & back, front come up etc etc. I've thought they have always been pretty straight forward to catch, although your pants might say otherwise on some occasions. At the end of the day though if you overstep the mark you're going to come off... simple. With the Atom very similar response times to the bike needed to correct it. Difference is you have more leeway due to being on 4 wheels.
Concentration
Both the bikes & Atom require full concentration when driven hard. I would however say the Bike rider requires that extra sixth sense to cater for crap on road, that volvo driver who might not have seen you etc. Lets say after 90 minutes of hard riding / driving I came back more mentally knackered on the bike.
Real life blast A to B
So many variables here, but lets say on clear roads I reckon there would be nothing in it. The bike could be faster on the sweeping open bends with hedges, whilst the Atom would be faster in the tighter bends & braking. Add traffic though & the bike will always get somewhere faster.
I suppose what I'm getting down to is would you rather spend £10k on a bike or £30k on an atom?
Insight said:
Great write up - fun and refreshing. Oh, and if you really want more girls in the passenger seat of you need to do make two modifications.
1. Change the macho blue body panels for a bright yellow / red / chrome set.
2. Throw out the fire extinguisher that's fitted in the passenger footwell (if you have one) and strap in a mini bottle of champagne with a couple of glasses to replace it.
Ah, it's not just my mug that needs changing then, LOL!! Apparently 4-point harnesses get in the way of lady lumps (& moobs), so I guess I need to sort them too!1. Change the macho blue body panels for a bright yellow / red / chrome set.
2. Throw out the fire extinguisher that's fitted in the passenger footwell (if you have one) and strap in a mini bottle of champagne with a couple of glasses to replace it.
Lowtimer said:
356,
Since you mentioned it in the article, how does the Atomist resolve the questions of the tax disc and front number plate?
The tax disc is down by the nearside front wheel. You just need to look for it Since you mentioned it in the article, how does the Atomist resolve the questions of the tax disc and front number plate?
As for the front plate... it was stuck to the blue bonnet, but blew off on the day the pics were taken 
MarJay said:
Great info, but I'm also interested in how the atom makes you feel in comparison to the bike. If you gave up bikes tomorrow and bought an Atom, would you regret it? Would having a bike negate the need to buy an atom?
I suppose what I'm getting down to is would you rather spend £10k on a bike or £30k on an atom?
You cant beat a bike for thrills per buck. However if you can afford an Atom & buy sensibly you should lose very little money on it. I drove 2K miles in mine over 6 months & loved every moment of it .... OK, the 60 miles PH meet in sub zero with the car spinning up in 3rd wasn't quite so great, but ...I suppose what I'm getting down to is would you rather spend £10k on a bike or £30k on an atom?
When the sun is out I find the ability to just wear jeans & t-shirt with a pair of shades, so much more liberating than wearing leathers & helmet. So for me, in short if money isn't an issue I would take the Atom everytime over a bike.
Also as mentioned by Mark you'll find other drivers almost encourage or expect you to be blasting about in the thing. Not so many nescafe shakes from other drivers in other words
Best to try & find someone local who has one & ask for a passenger ride.
356Speedster said:
The RS, however, with approx 360bhp is a different kettle of fish. Full power in 2nd gear is no problem, as the diff & RevoKnuckle work wonders. It grips and goes better than any 360bhp 2wd car has any right to and constantly surprises people. Toe-to-toe it's got EXACTLY the same pace as a 414bhp Audi RS4 (0-150 leptons proven, in private of course ) and even in the wet, it's staggered some 4wd followers with it's poise & pace. As a point-to-point / fast daily, it's staggering and a car I'll absolutely be looking to keep for as long as possible.
The RS4 has nowhere near as much power as 414bhp, you'll struggle to find one achieving over 370bhp in standard form. ) and even in the wet, it's staggered some 4wd followers with it's poise & pace. As a point-to-point / fast daily, it's staggering and a car I'll absolutely be looking to keep for as long as possible.GT3 APE said:
When the sun is out I find the ability to just wear jeans & t-shirt with a pair of shades, so much more liberating than wearing leathers & helmet. So for me, in short if money isn't an issue I would take the Atom everytime over a bike.
I have to admit I did find it a little strange wearing normal clothes at a car trackday after having to wear leathers at many many bike trackdays. That said, I do tend to wear Hood jeans and a jacket on the bike on the road these days.The Atom does really appeal to me, but the main downside is that I've got nowhere to keep it. My garage is full of bikes!
I also still think it would take a lot for me to choose an Atom even over something like a Caterham which has a little bit of weather protection...356Speedster said:
Toe-to-toe it's got EXACTLY the same pace as a 414bhp Audi RS4 (0-150 leptons proven, in private of course )
That extra ~60bhp must make a ataggering difference in performance, because at VMax the RS4s tended to get over 170, with the RS not making 150mph (partly due to drag/frontal area). Maybe the RS4 was down on power (by around 100bhp)?) 
NoelWatson said:
That extra ~60bhp must make a ataggering difference in performance, because at VMax the RS4s tended to get over 170, with the RS not making 150mph (partly due to drag/frontal area). Maybe the RS4 was down on power (by around 100bhp)?
I think we've gone off-topic a little now I have 4 friends with RS4s and have been on road with 3 out of 4, so I can certainly say that it's not an isolated case: the FRS does hold it's own against them all. It's also worth remembering that the the MP350 FRS is lighter, has over 50lf/ft of torque more than the Audi and less trivetrain losses due to only being FWD.
RS can't make 150??? I'm not sure what the basis for that comment is, the MP350/RS500 has been figured over 165 on GPS by numerous mags.
Please don't missunderstand, I love the RS4, it's an awesome car and I've considered one myself. However, the FRS gives the same performance, just in a different package, with a different execution. Horses for courses.
356Speedster said:
RS can't make 150??? I'm not sure what the basis for that comment is, the MP350/RS500 has been figured over 165 on GPS by numerous mags.
Basis for that comment (for standard RS) is aforementioned Vmax, Autocar getting 146 at Millbrook (and other numerous tests) backed up by theoretical calcs based on drag factor and frontal area (these numbers were taken from internet, so could be wrong)NoelWatson said:
Basis for that comment (for standard RS) is aforementioned Vmax, Autocar getting 146 at Millbrook (and other numerous tests) backed up by theoretical calcs based on drag factor and frontal area (these numbers were taken from internet, so could be wrong)
Difference between std car and upgraded ones is eye-opening It's especially nice to to it with warranty too.... cake well & truly eaten 356Speedster said:
NoelWatson said:
Basis for that comment (for standard RS) is aforementioned Vmax, Autocar getting 146 at Millbrook (and other numerous tests) backed up by theoretical calcs based on drag factor and frontal area (these numbers were taken from internet, so could be wrong)
Difference between std car and upgraded ones is eye-opening It's especially nice to to it with warranty too.... cake well & truly eaten Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff