Ariel ATOM, check this out

[titaniumdave]

Anyone seen the Ariel ATOM, this looks like an amazing car! Check out the video.
http://www.ariel.us.com/04/frames.htm

I understand these are assembled in the US in Ashland OR, may have to do a road trip soon!

 

[ANYTIME]

Watch the video! "I have never driven anything that accelerates so fast"

 

[titaniumdave]

Nice face stretch

 

[akira3d]

A coworker shared this Top Gear clip with me a few days ago (I missed its first appearance on Prime), and then I promptly started sharing it with all of my car-enthusiast (and motorcycle-loving) friends.

That video gets me so pumped...looks like too much fun!

 

[polar]

Are they street legal in US yet?

 

[Klayton]

Old man (at least he calls himself always old and fat :biggrin got kicked his ass in this thing. :biggrin:

 

[Ojas]

Are they street legal in US yet?

"An Atom can be street legal. State by state is different, but Washington and Oregon are no problem and we are going to work our way across all states."

 

[titaniumdave]

Are they street legal in US yet?

My understanding is they come in as kits and are licensed the same way a Noble or Factory Five kit car is. I think it would be a bitch to get a license in California, other states probably not as hard. There is a guy who comes to the track in Portland who has a sports racer with Washington plates, he says he can drive it on the street, and it is a full on race car with slicks. I would think the Atom would be easy in comparison.

 

[BLACKL@BEL]

Anyone seen the Ariel ATOM, this looks like an amazing car! Check out the video.
http://www.ariel.us.com/04/frames.htm

I understand these are assembled in the US in Ashland OR, may have to do a road trip soon!

i thought they were manufactured and assembled in england? did they start selling them here in the states?!?!

 

[polar]

i thought they were manufactured and assembled in england? did they start selling them here in the states?!?!

I'm sure they're starting to sell them in the state. I've seen one for sale few months ago from Oregon area, could be the same people who assemble them.
I love the way that you can see through everything on the car, speically the mechanical parts.

 

[titaniumdave]

I love the way that you can see through everything on the car, speically the mechanical parts.

Like my 1965 Dodge Powerwagon I had when I was in Highschool, I could see the ground in it when I was driving, more from salted roads than design I am afraid :frown:

 

[Mark911]

All the recent activity towards building lightweight, bear bones racers makes me want to build a big ass version of a shifter kart powered by some late model 1000cc+ crotch-rocket engine. No suspension, 13" wheels, sold rear axle, just scale it up. It'd be tough to tune the handling (what kart isn't?) but It'd be bad ass! Maybe after my collar bone heals . . . . .?

 

[robfenn]

I live in the UK, they are built in Devon, didn't realise they are now in the states too?

The company who sets up our NSX has one, the boss races it in fact. He has massive F1 style front and rear spoilers on it. They are very quick but are ultimately hampered by the transverse layout of the Honda S2k powerplant.

This is what you really want...

http://www.radicalextremesportscars.com/

-Rob

 

[Ojas]

transverse layout no good?

They... are ultimately hampered by the transverse layout of the Honda S2k powerplant.

Rob, I don’t understand this statement. Would you mind explaining how the transverse layout limits the Atom? Thanks.

 

[robfenn]

Re: transverse layout no good?

Rob, I don’t understand this statement. Would you mind explaining how the transverse layout limits the Atom? Thanks.

The engine is basically on the rear wheels, and the engine produces too much weight transfer with the transverse layout (note that JGTC cars go longitudual..). Something like a Caterham R500 (can you get them?) is quicker despite being front engined. Of course the more advanced Caterham CSR is out now and it is even better.

-Rob