New Ariel Atom 4 or used Lotus Exige 350...?

[chutley]

I have an old Caterham C400 race car which I bought to use as a track toy this Summer. I also have a covered trailer and a towing car, and will always transport car to track.

Already starting to think about what will follow it after a couple of season's driving the Caterham. Racing is not an option as cannot be bothered with all the faff, waiting around and time it takes. Did that for 20 years motocrossing.

Ariel Atom 4 has just be released - already got an 18-22 month waiting list! So if I want one of those for the Season after next, need to order now..

But for £40k I could get into a used Lotus Exige Sport 350..

So for track use only - including Europeans tracks like Spa - which one would you go for and why?

Edited by chutley on Monday 23 July 16:13

[CrashBang]

My 2p, Exige.

Atom is not practical enough to be driven to circuit, particularly if your heading into Europe, if you have to trailer its a faff and if your going to trailer why bother trailing a road legal car, you may as well buy a full blown race car.

[upsidedownmark]

Absolutely the exige. It should be more suited to fast circuits like Spa. Being used you'll (probably) lose less money on it, and it isn't turbocharged.

[Stephanie Plum]

Buy the exige now and use it while you wait for the Atom. If you cancel nearer the time because you decide against the atom plenty of people to fill your space. The atom is also much more compromised and twitchy on track. You may find an exige a more natural stepping stone from a caterham.

[CABC]

i'm no expert, but the Atom always felt 'twitchy' for sure. Apparently the V8 was much much better. For the 4 they seem to be taking a lot of engineering across from V8 and, according to Siebart: ‘We wanted to create a car that was friendlier for the novice driver, but still engaging for an expert one.’
I wonder if this could be a more easily exploitable chassis? Otherwise, take the Exige. or Exige then the Atom.