New car weekend
Discussion
keo said:
Looks great. Guessing from the comments it is not your first one? I saw one go the other way M6 south on Friday. They are a mad looking contraption.
I am after a toy at the minute I have thought about an Atom.
Yes, I had an Atom 3 a few years ago along with various Caterhams. Owned an M12 in the meantime but despite spending some time with it and a lot of extra power I always missed the Atom. Three years ago I put the deposit down for this one. It's absolutely fantastic, well worth the wait!I am after a toy at the minute I have thought about an Atom.
Picked it up Friday and it's now run in. This afternoon I'll change the oil and start to explore the other boost settings
ddom said:
SidewaysSi said:
Great stuff mate - is this the 4 to replace your 3?
Yes. It's very familiar but a totally evolved car. Thought i'd miss the supercharger but this engine is immense. Chassis is the highlight...you'll have to have a spin.
AndrewGP said:
Very nice indeed, I do like a bit of carbon
How does it compare to your previous Caterhams? I have an R300D which I adore and would love to know how the latest iteration compares.
It was a while ago now that I had the R400K, I did drive various 420R, 620R and R500K before though. I moved to Ariel as I had spent so much time and money on the Caterhams, the 400K was around 240-245HP and tbh I made it a much worse road car. I wanted something which was already mad enough!How does it compare to your previous Caterhams? I have an R300D which I adore and would love to know how the latest iteration compares.
The 4 is just a different league of all round ability. The most pleasing thing is it still feels like an Atom, the DNA is the same. Compared to the 7's it has loads more space inside and everything is generally better quality. Things like the pedal box, rack etc are all motorsport items. The detailing is good and as Arch build the frames they are very nice. The 4 corners very flat, there is very little dive under braking and it is stable. It has a lot more traction that the Caterhams and out of a corner it's very quick. I'd say the 7's still have the slight edge on turn in, but there is so much difference between every car and the owners setups/specs. This one has Ohlins which I have to say on the road settings give a great ride. On a bumpy road the 4 is better than a Caterham for me, slightly more mass and better damping. Then there is the engine. I was never a huge fan of the Duratec, much preferred the K. The 620R is great, but I found that the Sadev made me drive like a loon. Like for like the SC Atom and 620 are kind of similar in that they are linear, traction is better in the Ariel. The 4 has so much torque, you don't need to extend it as much and as much as it worried me, it is absolutely not an issue. Neither is the throttle response, it's remarkable how far FI has come now. The TC and Boost Control are nice to have, in the first setting it makes 230hp or something and you can dial everything up or down. They have moved with the times and keyless entry, auto lights (more importantly lights that turn off with the ignition) and kit like a reversing camera. Of course a lot of it you pay extra for but why not? You can get a front screen and side panels if you wish, it will still not be as useable when the weather turns but tbh, I don't enjoy driving about on salty roads, not to mention the clean up. I always found a 7 with a roof on was really being back in the cubs camping
I always fancied another Caterham, but I have to say that now, it wouldn't cross my mind, of course this is the honeymoon period
. The performance of the 4 is staggering, and whilst my friend in his 720S would absolutely ruin it over 80-100 the whole point for me with the lightweight cars is feel and enjoyment. To that end there is literally nothing else at any speed like the Ariel, not even the 7. ddom said:
SidewaysSi said:
Great stuff mate - is this the 4 to replace your 3?
Yes. It's very familiar but a totally evolved car. Thought i'd miss the supercharger but this engine is immense. Chassis is the highlight...you'll have to have a spin.
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