Wednesday 7th May 2014

Ariel Atom 3.5R

UPDATED Get the V8 look and a 40hp power boost without the six-figure price

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What does the Ariel Atom 3.5 need? That’s it, more power! Welcome then the Atom 3.5R, Ariel’s 350hp update on the 3.5 featuring a paddle-shifted sequential gearbox, Ohlins dampers and ... bodywork. Sorry, ‘new bodywork’.

The end result is something that looks more than a bit like the V8 when equipped with the optional side pods and fixed aero but has the best of the manic supercharged Honda-engined cars and a price with five rather than six digits before you reach a decimal point.

Lack of bodywork = chance to show off trick dampers

By raising the boost pressure from the supercharger from 7.5psi to 11psi power goes from 310hp to 350hp and torque from 229lb ft to 243lb ft. Noteworthy gains in any car, significant ones in one weighing just 550kg. Whether you’ll be able to comprehend the two tenths slashed off the already incredible 2.7 seconds 0-60 of the regular 3.5 is another thing; six seconds dead to 100mph is borderline bonkers though.

The Sadev sequential gearbox is pneumatically operated and can, where conditions allow and if your fingers are quick enough, rattle through five downshifts in less than a second. Flat upshifts are also possible for fully appreciating that lunatic acceleration. Ohlins TTX36 dampers are also part of the standard package but from there Ariel offers a host of customisation options including road packs and the aforementioned side pods, which contain a charge cooler on one side and oil cooler on the other for sustained use on track.

“Our approach means that every car is completely individual, as are our customers, and no two cars are identical,” says Ariel boss Simon Saunders in the accompanying press release. “By combining elements of the Atom V8 with the Honda engined cars we have increased customer choice and come up with a truly stunning car.”

Sales start later in the year and pricing kicks off at £54,000 plus VAT; optioned as pictured you'll be looking at £69,756 plus VAT.

Click here to see the full spec.

 

[83AndyJ]

[VladD]

I met Simon Saunders once and got taken for a spin by one of the staff in their 300 bhp demonstrator. Lovely bloke and a great car. This new one must be mental. I'm very happy that Ariel are continuing their success, they deserve it.

[AyBee]

0-100mph in 6 seconds?

[dlockhart]

AyBee said:

0-100mph in 6 seconds?

At a recent track day its clear the atoms were the fastest thing out there, at least as fast as caterhams through the corner and at faster than anything (GT-R, Ferrari, 911 GT3 or TVR ) accelerating out.

There is no better track weapon with 2 seats (if you don't care about wet weather). 70k seems a lot until you reason you would need to buy a gp2 car to get a better track experience.

[kambites]

That's fairly swift.

[soad]

dlockhart said:

There is no better track weapon with 2 seats (if you don't care about wet weather).

Radical Sports Cars.

[Skylinecrazy]

Great cars, have many experiences of passenger rides and have been fortunate enough to drive one.

I think R500s have the edge just, for your average driver. Although I am basing this on lap times/trackdays at curborough in which both are regulars. Both great cars anyway.

[Countersteer]

I love these cars - I love these with all my heart. 0-100 is Fireblade territory. That is just...... that is just insane. Love it!

[hondansx]

Mental!

Imagine a bit of a PITA at UK trackdays though? I'd want to be at the European circuits for a bit of space, otherwise you'll be hitting a stream of cars every corner.

[TimLambert7]

How do these things fare in a crash?

I'd bloody love to own one and use it as a track weapon.

[smilo996]

Atom could make so many amazing skinned version of that car as well. Like this:
http://www.autotribute.com/wp-content/uploads/2014...

Better to let someone else do it perhaps. With so many F1 teams and car designers in the UK seems like a good idea to try.

[BigBen]

Skylinecrazy said:

I think R500s have the edge just, for your average driver. Although I am basing this on lap times/trackdays at curborough in which both are regulars. Both great cars anyway.

For me some Caterhams are faster, but not much else. Caterhams look a bit easier to manage through the corners. I suspect with a proper driver (e.g. not me) the Atom should be quicker.

[mikesalt]

TimLambert7 said:

How do these things fare in a crash?

Not terribly well I'm afraid. The pre-bent tubes, whilst visually attractive, are a poor engineering decision as the driver of this Atom found out to the cost of his life. There's a little discussion about it here on Pistonheads.

Edited by mikesalt on Wednesday 7th May 15:20

[BigBen]

mikesalt said:

TimLambert7 said:

How do these things fare in a crash?

Not terribly well I'm afraid. The pre-bent tubes, whilst visually attractive, are a poor engineering decision as the driver of this Atom found out to the cost of his life. There's a little discussion about it here on Pistonheads.

Edited by mikesalt on Wednesday 7th May 15:20

I don't think the person driving the pictured car did die, but did hit a wall at high speed (stuck throttle / brake throttle confusion). There have been a few Atom deaths but many more have walked away.

[stevefoster81]

I wish people would read all the details before writinig rubbish, no one died in that link but survived. I have driven an Atom at palmers and its by far the best car there for fun and you forget safety when you have an open car just like a bike its part of the rush.

[Rich A]

At the risk of sounding like a luddite... any option for a manual box?

[Dan Trent]

Just to say (in case you haven't seen already) we've updated the story with more pics and hosted the full spec here.

Cheers,

Dan

[CraigyMc]

Rich A said:

At the risk of sounding like a luddite... any option for a manual box?

I've driven the honda/sadev box at PalmerSport. It's one of the few I'd actually recommend (there is a clutch pedal, used for starting but not needed after that). It's a proper sequential system and adds to the experience rather than takes away from it.

[GeoffW]

The price of this new one makes the base model at £27k-ish seem fairly reasonable.

[CraigyMc]

By the way, 0-100mph in 6.0s is about 0.3s faster than a McLaren F1.
It's also about 0.5s quicker to 100mph than a Caterham 620R.