Wow , simply Wow - a left-field supercar that delivers
Discussion
It is almost impossible to get a test drive - the factory will happily take you out in one weather permitting , but only with the factory test driver doing the piloting .
Dealers are understandably reluctant to let you loose in such a high power and torque to weight ratio car .
There is a 2 year waiting list for a new car , and you hardly ever see one out in the wild , and only rarely in car shows .
The raw stats are compelling : 595 Kg ; 350 Bhp and 350Nm (with the Power Pack ); 0-60 in 2.8 seconds and 0-100 in 6.8 ; 162 mph top speed ; and power and torque to weight ratios to keep the original Bugatti Veyron honest .
And add to all this the exclusivity that comes with one technician building the whole car
But what is this ''vehicle'' with supercar-baiting performance , looks , rarity , and build quality , really like ?
With limited literature available you are forced to rely on magazine articles and internet videos for information .
And as always Autocar , the world's longest eatablished automotive journal (1895 ) , and reknowned for its objective and highly accurate road tests came to the rescue , particularly in the form of its annual ' Britain's Best Driver's Competition '.
And what gave me the final small push across the cliff-edge into Ariel Atom ownership was the results of the 2019 , 2020 and 2021 BBDC tests .
In 2019 the Ariel Atom 4 took the top spot beating the McLaren 600LT Spyder , the 718 Cayman GT4 , the Dallara Stradale , and the Lamborghini Huracan Evo .
In 2020 the 4 again took top spot beating the McL 765 LT , the Toyota Yaris GR , the 911 Turbo S , the Huracan Evo RWD , and the Ferrari F8 Tributo ( although the last did not complete the full test )
And in 2021 the Atom 4 came 2nd , beaten only by the 911 GT3 Clubsport , but beating the Ferrari SF90 SA Fiorano , the Huracan STO , and the Aston Martin Vantage F1 Edition .
Bear in mind that the BBDC is carried out on road as well as on track , and that in 2019 the tests were carried out in glorious weather while in 2020 the tests were carried out in Biblical conditions that would have tested Noah .
Remember too that a base Atom 4 is a smidgen over £50k , and some of its rivals listed above cost many multiples of this figure .
Also with a crate Honda drivetrain , reliability is as given as given ever comes , so an expensive and recurring annual warranty is not needed .
Reasonable annual serviving costs ( £756 after VAT ) , and reasonable insurance costs , sweeten the potential purchase .
Getting your mitts on a 4 is another story however .
The waiting list for a new one from the factory is about 2 years , which keeps residuals high for current owners , but is a hurdle for anyone coming anew into the brand .
Ariel Atoms are partly desighed for track work and partly designed for road work , so most have been used on track at some point in their lives .
I was , and am , pretty sure that I would not be tracking mine , so wanted one that had not been used on track .
This made the search that much more difficult , but this brought a silver lining with it - it gave me plenty of time to do my research .
In fact my research first started in about 2003 when I first went up to the factory and test drove an early Atom 3 or possibly a late Atom 2 - at that stage the factory allowed you to drive the car while accompanied by the factory test driver .
And then again in 2008 .
But on both occasions the stars did not align and I did not get an Atom .
This time round , I asked , spoke , read , and watched , again and again .
Including asking on this PH sub-forum about alternatives to the Atom .
Most of the responses recommended F , L , McL or P cars which cost much , much more , or for much older supercars which would require much more TLC .
Finally I found a 1 owner , 1144 mile , 2023 car which the owner certified had never been tracked , raced or been in an accident , and it had almost all the options that I wanted - particularly AP brakes , traction and launch control , and Ohlins TTX 3 way dampers .
The 350 Bhp Power upgrade was a lovely option that came with this particular car , but one that i would probably not have ticked - if only to save money .
As part of the deal the car was trailered 380 miles down south to the Ariel factory on the understanding that I did not have to buy the car if the factory found any significant issues with the car when they inspected and serviced the car .
Dealing with the factory was a pure delight .
Steve Rooke the Service Manager was there to receive the car , and when he first looked into the trailer he said '' This car looks like new , like it just left the factory '' , at which point I knew that it was a keeper .
Steve then organised an Annual Service and although I had missed out on a key part or the whole Ariel experience - which is speccing the car to one's exact requirements ( not for nothing is Crewkerne called the Savill Row of the automotive universe ) - Ariel is able to give any second owner a taste of this by allowing them to re-spec the car , with the work carried out by factory technicians , and in the very same place that the car first came to live .
I asked for the 3-way turbo boost control , a reversing camera , and front and rear tow hooks to be fitted
And when I went to pick up the car from the factory a week later , I expected the keys to be thrown in my general direction and to be told to be on my way Instead Steve spent the better part of an hour going through the car in huge detail with me and my wife .
What fantastic and caring service .
And caring is important here .
Steve gently but firmly pointed out that the roads were wet and muddy , and that the record distance from picking up a brand-new Atom to wrecking it is 15 ( or is it 11 ? ) miles .
With this reputation preceding it , and with the roads either wet or damp or muddy , I was genuinely petrified , and glad that the car now had traction control and boost control available .
I very , very cautiously drove away from the factory - with the traction control at its most attentative setting (7) , and the boost set at its lowest setting (?? 260 ?? bhp - I'm not sure on this ) .
And I was amazed .
Driving like Ms Daisy , the car was totally controllable .
The acceleartor pedal metered out the power and torque in an almost perfectly linear fashion , the gearchange was light , the brakes worked ( although in fairness i hardly used them at all ) , and most surprisingly very little water was thrown into the cockpit - or at least much less than I had anticipated when I had slipped on my waterproof trousers .
After about 10 miles I felt (over-)confident enough , or became stupid enough , to turn the boost control to position 2 , which unleashes the full 350 bhp and 350Nm in this 595 Kg car, but within a less aggressive mapping ( Posn 3 delivers the same 350 Bhp and 350Nm but in a more exponential fashion ).
I was astounded and delighted in equal measure that the car remained perfectly controllable .
I can only compare this brief , low speed drive in the 4 with my previous prototype Brooke 260 RR ( 260 Bhp from a Cosworth Duratec in a 550 Kg doorless , roofless , windscreenless car ) and my current KTM X-BOW R ( 296 Bhp , 420 Nm and 790 Kg ) .
As the actual test car handed over to Autocar , Evo , Car , Autoexpress etc , my particular prototype Brooke had been extensively fettled to produce as much power as possible - probably much more than 260 Bhp - and it was an animal .
The throttle was absolutely non-linear : nothing , nothing and then a mighty wallop , and the wallop never seemed to come at the same throttle setting !
It was exciting alright , and seeing wheel-spin in 5th north of 150 ( in Europe of course ) the first time ( and every time afterwards ) kept you awake .
We kept that car for 10 years and did thousands of miles in it , driving it mainly on the continent .
Every mile was riding a bucking bronco .
The KTM X-BOW R is the exact opposite .
This all carbon fibre , Dallara designed car is so , so refined , and so , so solid .
I compare it favourably to a Mercedes W124 from the 1980's . Going to work in anticipation of a heavy day you just want a car that will get you there and back - the W124 will do this , and the X-BOW must be the closest doorless , roofless , windscreenless equivalent .
The R is immensely fast and is beautifully built and is an amazing design , but has 2 drawbacks - the in-cockpit turbulence and the relative lack of music from the engine and the exhaust , even with the factory sports exhaust .
I have done much , much less mileage in the R cf the Brooke , but I love it ( and 2 owners that I met at the Castle Combe Ariel track day told me that a wind deflector will completely sort out the in-cockpit turbulence problem - thank you . And incidentally the Ariel Club members we met at Castle Combe were so welcoming ( again thank you ) and genuinely interested in their cars ) .
My very brief drive in the Atom 4 suggests that it will give me all of the Brooke's excitement , but with control , and all of the KTM's solidity without the in-cockpit turbulence .
And the noise , my oh my the noise . Or more accurately the orchestral symphony .
The Atom 4 puts the F355 , and Lamborghini's stalwart Bizzarrini V12 in the shade - at least from the point of noise fun and musical entertainment .
A whoosh here , a titter there , crackles and hisses everywhere - the music is joyous , and comes on just past 25 mph .
The drive back home in the 4 was short and hamstrung by the road conditions .
But the latent potential was obvious on a couple of dry straights and a couple of dry corners .
But what was really important to me was how engaging the Atom 4 was at 30 and 40 mph .
These days , with crowded roads and cameras everywhere ,you need to to be able to have fun at low , legal speeds .
And the Atom 4 scores really bigtime here .
I am really not sure that you can get a more visceral driving experience than the Atom 4 at any price .
It really is that good .
Fun , Fun , Fun .
Do yourself a favour and ask the factory to be taken for a drive .
Unusually , they currently have a brand new unregistered car available , and no , I'm not on commission .
Dealers are understandably reluctant to let you loose in such a high power and torque to weight ratio car .
There is a 2 year waiting list for a new car , and you hardly ever see one out in the wild , and only rarely in car shows .
The raw stats are compelling : 595 Kg ; 350 Bhp and 350Nm (with the Power Pack ); 0-60 in 2.8 seconds and 0-100 in 6.8 ; 162 mph top speed ; and power and torque to weight ratios to keep the original Bugatti Veyron honest .
And add to all this the exclusivity that comes with one technician building the whole car
But what is this ''vehicle'' with supercar-baiting performance , looks , rarity , and build quality , really like ?
With limited literature available you are forced to rely on magazine articles and internet videos for information .
And as always Autocar , the world's longest eatablished automotive journal (1895 ) , and reknowned for its objective and highly accurate road tests came to the rescue , particularly in the form of its annual ' Britain's Best Driver's Competition '.
And what gave me the final small push across the cliff-edge into Ariel Atom ownership was the results of the 2019 , 2020 and 2021 BBDC tests .
In 2019 the Ariel Atom 4 took the top spot beating the McLaren 600LT Spyder , the 718 Cayman GT4 , the Dallara Stradale , and the Lamborghini Huracan Evo .
In 2020 the 4 again took top spot beating the McL 765 LT , the Toyota Yaris GR , the 911 Turbo S , the Huracan Evo RWD , and the Ferrari F8 Tributo ( although the last did not complete the full test )
And in 2021 the Atom 4 came 2nd , beaten only by the 911 GT3 Clubsport , but beating the Ferrari SF90 SA Fiorano , the Huracan STO , and the Aston Martin Vantage F1 Edition .
Bear in mind that the BBDC is carried out on road as well as on track , and that in 2019 the tests were carried out in glorious weather while in 2020 the tests were carried out in Biblical conditions that would have tested Noah .
Remember too that a base Atom 4 is a smidgen over £50k , and some of its rivals listed above cost many multiples of this figure .
Also with a crate Honda drivetrain , reliability is as given as given ever comes , so an expensive and recurring annual warranty is not needed .
Reasonable annual serviving costs ( £756 after VAT ) , and reasonable insurance costs , sweeten the potential purchase .
Getting your mitts on a 4 is another story however .
The waiting list for a new one from the factory is about 2 years , which keeps residuals high for current owners , but is a hurdle for anyone coming anew into the brand .
Ariel Atoms are partly desighed for track work and partly designed for road work , so most have been used on track at some point in their lives .
I was , and am , pretty sure that I would not be tracking mine , so wanted one that had not been used on track .
This made the search that much more difficult , but this brought a silver lining with it - it gave me plenty of time to do my research .
In fact my research first started in about 2003 when I first went up to the factory and test drove an early Atom 3 or possibly a late Atom 2 - at that stage the factory allowed you to drive the car while accompanied by the factory test driver .
And then again in 2008 .
But on both occasions the stars did not align and I did not get an Atom .
This time round , I asked , spoke , read , and watched , again and again .
Including asking on this PH sub-forum about alternatives to the Atom .
Most of the responses recommended F , L , McL or P cars which cost much , much more , or for much older supercars which would require much more TLC .
Finally I found a 1 owner , 1144 mile , 2023 car which the owner certified had never been tracked , raced or been in an accident , and it had almost all the options that I wanted - particularly AP brakes , traction and launch control , and Ohlins TTX 3 way dampers .
The 350 Bhp Power upgrade was a lovely option that came with this particular car , but one that i would probably not have ticked - if only to save money .
As part of the deal the car was trailered 380 miles down south to the Ariel factory on the understanding that I did not have to buy the car if the factory found any significant issues with the car when they inspected and serviced the car .
Dealing with the factory was a pure delight .
Steve Rooke the Service Manager was there to receive the car , and when he first looked into the trailer he said '' This car looks like new , like it just left the factory '' , at which point I knew that it was a keeper .
Steve then organised an Annual Service and although I had missed out on a key part or the whole Ariel experience - which is speccing the car to one's exact requirements ( not for nothing is Crewkerne called the Savill Row of the automotive universe ) - Ariel is able to give any second owner a taste of this by allowing them to re-spec the car , with the work carried out by factory technicians , and in the very same place that the car first came to live .
I asked for the 3-way turbo boost control , a reversing camera , and front and rear tow hooks to be fitted
And when I went to pick up the car from the factory a week later , I expected the keys to be thrown in my general direction and to be told to be on my way Instead Steve spent the better part of an hour going through the car in huge detail with me and my wife .
What fantastic and caring service .
And caring is important here .
Steve gently but firmly pointed out that the roads were wet and muddy , and that the record distance from picking up a brand-new Atom to wrecking it is 15 ( or is it 11 ? ) miles .
With this reputation preceding it , and with the roads either wet or damp or muddy , I was genuinely petrified , and glad that the car now had traction control and boost control available .
I very , very cautiously drove away from the factory - with the traction control at its most attentative setting (7) , and the boost set at its lowest setting (?? 260 ?? bhp - I'm not sure on this ) .
And I was amazed .
Driving like Ms Daisy , the car was totally controllable .
The acceleartor pedal metered out the power and torque in an almost perfectly linear fashion , the gearchange was light , the brakes worked ( although in fairness i hardly used them at all ) , and most surprisingly very little water was thrown into the cockpit - or at least much less than I had anticipated when I had slipped on my waterproof trousers .
After about 10 miles I felt (over-)confident enough , or became stupid enough , to turn the boost control to position 2 , which unleashes the full 350 bhp and 350Nm in this 595 Kg car, but within a less aggressive mapping ( Posn 3 delivers the same 350 Bhp and 350Nm but in a more exponential fashion ).
I was astounded and delighted in equal measure that the car remained perfectly controllable .
I can only compare this brief , low speed drive in the 4 with my previous prototype Brooke 260 RR ( 260 Bhp from a Cosworth Duratec in a 550 Kg doorless , roofless , windscreenless car ) and my current KTM X-BOW R ( 296 Bhp , 420 Nm and 790 Kg ) .
As the actual test car handed over to Autocar , Evo , Car , Autoexpress etc , my particular prototype Brooke had been extensively fettled to produce as much power as possible - probably much more than 260 Bhp - and it was an animal .
The throttle was absolutely non-linear : nothing , nothing and then a mighty wallop , and the wallop never seemed to come at the same throttle setting !
It was exciting alright , and seeing wheel-spin in 5th north of 150 ( in Europe of course ) the first time ( and every time afterwards ) kept you awake .
We kept that car for 10 years and did thousands of miles in it , driving it mainly on the continent .
Every mile was riding a bucking bronco .
The KTM X-BOW R is the exact opposite .
This all carbon fibre , Dallara designed car is so , so refined , and so , so solid .
I compare it favourably to a Mercedes W124 from the 1980's . Going to work in anticipation of a heavy day you just want a car that will get you there and back - the W124 will do this , and the X-BOW must be the closest doorless , roofless , windscreenless equivalent .
The R is immensely fast and is beautifully built and is an amazing design , but has 2 drawbacks - the in-cockpit turbulence and the relative lack of music from the engine and the exhaust , even with the factory sports exhaust .
I have done much , much less mileage in the R cf the Brooke , but I love it ( and 2 owners that I met at the Castle Combe Ariel track day told me that a wind deflector will completely sort out the in-cockpit turbulence problem - thank you . And incidentally the Ariel Club members we met at Castle Combe were so welcoming ( again thank you ) and genuinely interested in their cars ) .
My very brief drive in the Atom 4 suggests that it will give me all of the Brooke's excitement , but with control , and all of the KTM's solidity without the in-cockpit turbulence .
And the noise , my oh my the noise . Or more accurately the orchestral symphony .
The Atom 4 puts the F355 , and Lamborghini's stalwart Bizzarrini V12 in the shade - at least from the point of noise fun and musical entertainment .
A whoosh here , a titter there , crackles and hisses everywhere - the music is joyous , and comes on just past 25 mph .
The drive back home in the 4 was short and hamstrung by the road conditions .
But the latent potential was obvious on a couple of dry straights and a couple of dry corners .
But what was really important to me was how engaging the Atom 4 was at 30 and 40 mph .
These days , with crowded roads and cameras everywhere ,you need to to be able to have fun at low , legal speeds .
And the Atom 4 scores really bigtime here .
I am really not sure that you can get a more visceral driving experience than the Atom 4 at any price .
It really is that good .
Fun , Fun , Fun .
Do yourself a favour and ask the factory to be taken for a drive .
Unusually , they currently have a brand new unregistered car available , and no , I'm not on commission .
Honda 4 pot sounds better than a Ferrari V8 or Lambo V12...carspath said:
It is almost impossible to get a test drive - the factory will happily take you out in one weather permitting , but only with the factory test driver doing the piloting .
Dealers are understandably reluctant to let you loose in such a high power and torque to weight ratio car .
There is a 2 year waiting list for a new car , and you hardly ever see one out in the wild , and only rarely in car shows .
The raw stats are compelling : 595 Kg ; 350 Bhp and 350Nm (with the Power Pack ); 0-60 in 2.8 seconds and 0-100 in 6.8 ; 162 mph top speed ; and power and torque to weight ratios to keep the original Bugatti Veyron honest .
And add to all this the exclusivity that comes with one technician building the whole car
But what is this ''vehicle'' with supercar-baiting performance , looks , rarity , and build quality , really like ?
With limited literature available you are forced to rely on magazine articles and internet videos for information .
And as always Autocar , the world's longest eatablished automotive journal (1895 ) , and reknowned for its objective and highly accurate road tests came to the rescue , particularly in the form of its annual ' Britain's Best Driver's Competition '.
And what gave me the final small push across the cliff-edge into Ariel Atom ownership was the results of the 2019 , 2020 and 2021 BBDC tests .
In 2019 the Ariel Atom 4 took the top spot beating the McLaren 600LT Spyder , the 718 Cayman GT4 , the Dallara Stradale , and the Lamborghini Huracan Evo .
In 2020 the 4 again took top spot beating the McL 765 LT , the Toyota Yaris GR , the 911 Turbo S , the Huracan Evo RWD , and the Ferrari F8 Tributo ( although the last did not complete the full test )
And in 2021 the Atom 4 came 2nd , beaten only by the 911 GT3 Clubsport , but beating the Ferrari SF90 SA Fiorano , the Huracan STO , and the Aston Martin Vantage F1 Edition .
Bear in mind that the BBDC is carried out on road as well as on track , and that in 2019 the tests were carried out in glorious weather while in 2020 the tests were carried out in Biblical conditions that would have tested Noah .
Remember too that a base Atom 4 is a smidgen over £50k , and some of its rivals listed above cost many multiples of this figure .
Also with a crate Honda drivetrain , reliability is as given as given ever comes , so an expensive and recurring annual warranty is not needed .
Reasonable annual serviving costs ( £756 after VAT ) , and reasonable insurance costs , sweeten the potential purchase .
Getting your mitts on a 4 is another story however .
The waiting list for a new one from the factory is about 2 years , which keeps residuals high for current owners , but is a hurdle for anyone coming anew into the brand .
Ariel Atoms are partly desighed for track work and partly designed for road work , so most have been used on track at some point in their lives .
I was , and am , pretty sure that I would not be tracking mine , so wanted one that had not been used on track .
This made the search that much more difficult , but this brought a silver lining with it - it gave me plenty of time to do my research .
In fact my research first started in about 2003 when I first went up to the factory and test drove an early Atom 3 or possibly a late Atom 2 - at that stage the factory allowed you to drive the car while accompanied by the factory test driver .
And then again in 2008 .
But on both occasions the stars did not align and I did not get an Atom .
This time round , I asked , spoke , read , and watched , again and again .
Including asking on this PH sub-forum about alternatives to the Atom .
Most of the responses recommended F , L , McL or P cars which cost much , much more , or for much older supercars which would require much more TLC .
Finally I found a 1 owner , 1144 mile , 2023 car which the owner certified had never been tracked , raced or been in an accident , and it had almost all the options that I wanted - particularly AP brakes , traction and launch control , and Ohlins TTX 3 way dampers .
The 350 Bhp Power upgrade was a lovely option that came with this particular car , but one that i would probably not have ticked - if only to save money .
As part of the deal the car was trailered 380 miles down south to the Ariel factory on the understanding that I did not have to buy the car if the factory found any significant issues with the car when they inspected and serviced the car .
Dealing with the factory was a pure delight .
Steve Rooke the Service Manager was there to receive the car , and when he first looked into the trailer he said '' This car looks like new , like it just left the factory '' , at which point I knew that it was a keeper .
Steve then organised an Annual Service and although I had missed out on a key part or the whole Ariel experience - which is speccing the car to one's exact requirements ( not for nothing is Crewkerne called the Savill Row of the automotive universe ) - Ariel is able to give any second owner a taste of this by allowing them to re-spec the car , with the work carried out by factory technicians , and in the very same place that the car first came to live .
I asked for the 3-way turbo boost control , a reversing camera , and front and rear tow hooks to be fitted
And when I went to pick up the car from the factory a week later , I expected the keys to be thrown in my general direction and to be told to be on my way Instead Steve spent the better part of an hour going through the car in huge detail with me and my wife .
What fantastic and caring service .
And caring is important here .
Steve gently but firmly pointed out that the roads were wet and muddy , and that the record distance from picking up a brand-new Atom to wrecking it is 15 ( or is it 11 ? ) miles .
With this reputation preceding it , and with the roads either wet or damp or muddy , I was genuinely petrified , and glad that the car now had traction control and boost control available .
I very , very cautiously drove away from the factory - with the traction control at its most attentative setting (7) , and the boost set at its lowest setting (?? 260 ?? bhp - I'm not sure on this ) .
And I was amazed .
Driving like Ms Daisy , the car was totally controllable .
The acceleartor pedal metered out the power and torque in an almost perfectly linear fashion , the gearchange was light , the brakes worked ( although in fairness i hardly used them at all ) , and most surprisingly very little water was thrown into the cockpit - or at least much less than I had anticipated when I had slipped on my waterproof trousers .
After about 10 miles I felt (over-)confident enough , or became stupid enough , to turn the boost control to position 2 , which unleashes the full 350 bhp and 350Nm in this 595 Kg car, but within a less aggressive mapping ( Posn 3 delivers the same 350 Bhp and 350Nm but in a more exponential fashion ).
I was astounded and delighted in equal measure that the car remained perfectly controllable .
I can only compare this brief , low speed drive in the 4 with my previous prototype Brooke 260 RR ( 260 Bhp from a Cosworth Duratec in a 550 Kg doorless , roofless , windscreenless car ) and my current KTM X-BOW R ( 296 Bhp , 420 Nm and 790 Kg ) .
As the actual test car handed over to Autocar , Evo , Car , Autoexpress etc , my particular prototype Brooke had been extensively fettled to produce as much power as possible - probably much more than 260 Bhp - and it was an animal .
The throttle was absolutely non-linear : nothing , nothing and then a mighty wallop , and the wallop never seemed to come at the same throttle setting !
It was exciting alright , and seeing wheel-spin in 5th north of 150 ( in Europe of course ) the first time ( and every time afterwards ) kept you awake .
We kept that car for 10 years and did thousands of miles in it , driving it mainly on the continent .
Every mile was riding a bucking bronco .
The KTM X-BOW R is the exact opposite .
This all carbon fibre , Dallara designed car is so , so refined , and so , so solid .
I compare it favourably to a Mercedes W124 from the 1980's . Going to work in anticipation of a heavy day you just want a car that will get you there and back - the W124 will do this , and the X-BOW must be the closest doorless , roofless , windscreenless equivalent .
The R is immensely fast and is beautifully built and is an amazing design , but has 2 drawbacks - the in-cockpit turbulence and the relative lack of music from the engine and the exhaust , even with the factory sports exhaust .
I have done much , much less mileage in the R cf the Brooke , but I love it ( and 2 owners that I met at the Castle Combe Ariel track day told me that a wind deflector will completely sort out the in-cockpit turbulence problem - thank you . And incidentally the Ariel Club members we met at Castle Combe were so welcoming ( again thank you ) and genuinely interested in their cars ) .
My very brief drive in the Atom 4 suggests that it will give me all of the Brooke's excitement , but with control , and all of the KTM's solidity without the in-cockpit turbulence .
And the noise , my oh my the noise . Or more accurately the orchestral symphony .
The Atom 4 puts the F355 , and Lamborghini's stalwart Bizzarrini V12 in the shade - at least from the point of noise fun and musical entertainment .
A whoosh here , a titter there , crackles and hisses everywhere - the music is joyous , and comes on just past 25 mph .
The drive back home in the 4 was short and hamstrung by the road conditions .
But the latent potential was obvious on a couple of dry straights and a couple of dry corners .
But what was really important to me was how engaging the Atom 4 was at 30 and 40 mph .
These days , with crowded roads and cameras everywhere ,you need to to be able to have fun at low , legal speeds .
And the Atom 4 scores really bigtime here .
I am really not sure that you can get a more visceral driving experience than the Atom 4 at any price .
It really is that good .
Fun , Fun , Fun .
Do yourself a favour and ask the factory to be taken for a drive .
Unusually , they currently have a brand new unregistered car available , and no , I'm not on commission .
No wonder so few posts in such a long time, we're they all like this?Dealers are understandably reluctant to let you loose in such a high power and torque to weight ratio car .
There is a 2 year waiting list for a new car , and you hardly ever see one out in the wild , and only rarely in car shows .
The raw stats are compelling : 595 Kg ; 350 Bhp and 350Nm (with the Power Pack ); 0-60 in 2.8 seconds and 0-100 in 6.8 ; 162 mph top speed ; and power and torque to weight ratios to keep the original Bugatti Veyron honest .
And add to all this the exclusivity that comes with one technician building the whole car
But what is this ''vehicle'' with supercar-baiting performance , looks , rarity , and build quality , really like ?
With limited literature available you are forced to rely on magazine articles and internet videos for information .
And as always Autocar , the world's longest eatablished automotive journal (1895 ) , and reknowned for its objective and highly accurate road tests came to the rescue , particularly in the form of its annual ' Britain's Best Driver's Competition '.
And what gave me the final small push across the cliff-edge into Ariel Atom ownership was the results of the 2019 , 2020 and 2021 BBDC tests .
In 2019 the Ariel Atom 4 took the top spot beating the McLaren 600LT Spyder , the 718 Cayman GT4 , the Dallara Stradale , and the Lamborghini Huracan Evo .
In 2020 the 4 again took top spot beating the McL 765 LT , the Toyota Yaris GR , the 911 Turbo S , the Huracan Evo RWD , and the Ferrari F8 Tributo ( although the last did not complete the full test )
And in 2021 the Atom 4 came 2nd , beaten only by the 911 GT3 Clubsport , but beating the Ferrari SF90 SA Fiorano , the Huracan STO , and the Aston Martin Vantage F1 Edition .
Bear in mind that the BBDC is carried out on road as well as on track , and that in 2019 the tests were carried out in glorious weather while in 2020 the tests were carried out in Biblical conditions that would have tested Noah .
Remember too that a base Atom 4 is a smidgen over £50k , and some of its rivals listed above cost many multiples of this figure .
Also with a crate Honda drivetrain , reliability is as given as given ever comes , so an expensive and recurring annual warranty is not needed .
Reasonable annual serviving costs ( £756 after VAT ) , and reasonable insurance costs , sweeten the potential purchase .
Getting your mitts on a 4 is another story however .
The waiting list for a new one from the factory is about 2 years , which keeps residuals high for current owners , but is a hurdle for anyone coming anew into the brand .
Ariel Atoms are partly desighed for track work and partly designed for road work , so most have been used on track at some point in their lives .
I was , and am , pretty sure that I would not be tracking mine , so wanted one that had not been used on track .
This made the search that much more difficult , but this brought a silver lining with it - it gave me plenty of time to do my research .
In fact my research first started in about 2003 when I first went up to the factory and test drove an early Atom 3 or possibly a late Atom 2 - at that stage the factory allowed you to drive the car while accompanied by the factory test driver .
And then again in 2008 .
But on both occasions the stars did not align and I did not get an Atom .
This time round , I asked , spoke , read , and watched , again and again .
Including asking on this PH sub-forum about alternatives to the Atom .
Most of the responses recommended F , L , McL or P cars which cost much , much more , or for much older supercars which would require much more TLC .
Finally I found a 1 owner , 1144 mile , 2023 car which the owner certified had never been tracked , raced or been in an accident , and it had almost all the options that I wanted - particularly AP brakes , traction and launch control , and Ohlins TTX 3 way dampers .
The 350 Bhp Power upgrade was a lovely option that came with this particular car , but one that i would probably not have ticked - if only to save money .
As part of the deal the car was trailered 380 miles down south to the Ariel factory on the understanding that I did not have to buy the car if the factory found any significant issues with the car when they inspected and serviced the car .
Dealing with the factory was a pure delight .
Steve Rooke the Service Manager was there to receive the car , and when he first looked into the trailer he said '' This car looks like new , like it just left the factory '' , at which point I knew that it was a keeper .
Steve then organised an Annual Service and although I had missed out on a key part or the whole Ariel experience - which is speccing the car to one's exact requirements ( not for nothing is Crewkerne called the Savill Row of the automotive universe ) - Ariel is able to give any second owner a taste of this by allowing them to re-spec the car , with the work carried out by factory technicians , and in the very same place that the car first came to live .
I asked for the 3-way turbo boost control , a reversing camera , and front and rear tow hooks to be fitted
And when I went to pick up the car from the factory a week later , I expected the keys to be thrown in my general direction and to be told to be on my way Instead Steve spent the better part of an hour going through the car in huge detail with me and my wife .
What fantastic and caring service .
And caring is important here .
Steve gently but firmly pointed out that the roads were wet and muddy , and that the record distance from picking up a brand-new Atom to wrecking it is 15 ( or is it 11 ? ) miles .
With this reputation preceding it , and with the roads either wet or damp or muddy , I was genuinely petrified , and glad that the car now had traction control and boost control available .
I very , very cautiously drove away from the factory - with the traction control at its most attentative setting (7) , and the boost set at its lowest setting (?? 260 ?? bhp - I'm not sure on this ) .
And I was amazed .
Driving like Ms Daisy , the car was totally controllable .
The acceleartor pedal metered out the power and torque in an almost perfectly linear fashion , the gearchange was light , the brakes worked ( although in fairness i hardly used them at all ) , and most surprisingly very little water was thrown into the cockpit - or at least much less than I had anticipated when I had slipped on my waterproof trousers .
After about 10 miles I felt (over-)confident enough , or became stupid enough , to turn the boost control to position 2 , which unleashes the full 350 bhp and 350Nm in this 595 Kg car, but within a less aggressive mapping ( Posn 3 delivers the same 350 Bhp and 350Nm but in a more exponential fashion ).
I was astounded and delighted in equal measure that the car remained perfectly controllable .
I can only compare this brief , low speed drive in the 4 with my previous prototype Brooke 260 RR ( 260 Bhp from a Cosworth Duratec in a 550 Kg doorless , roofless , windscreenless car ) and my current KTM X-BOW R ( 296 Bhp , 420 Nm and 790 Kg ) .
As the actual test car handed over to Autocar , Evo , Car , Autoexpress etc , my particular prototype Brooke had been extensively fettled to produce as much power as possible - probably much more than 260 Bhp - and it was an animal .
The throttle was absolutely non-linear : nothing , nothing and then a mighty wallop , and the wallop never seemed to come at the same throttle setting !
It was exciting alright , and seeing wheel-spin in 5th north of 150 ( in Europe of course ) the first time ( and every time afterwards ) kept you awake .
We kept that car for 10 years and did thousands of miles in it , driving it mainly on the continent .
Every mile was riding a bucking bronco .
The KTM X-BOW R is the exact opposite .
This all carbon fibre , Dallara designed car is so , so refined , and so , so solid .
I compare it favourably to a Mercedes W124 from the 1980's . Going to work in anticipation of a heavy day you just want a car that will get you there and back - the W124 will do this , and the X-BOW must be the closest doorless , roofless , windscreenless equivalent .
The R is immensely fast and is beautifully built and is an amazing design , but has 2 drawbacks - the in-cockpit turbulence and the relative lack of music from the engine and the exhaust , even with the factory sports exhaust .
I have done much , much less mileage in the R cf the Brooke , but I love it ( and 2 owners that I met at the Castle Combe Ariel track day told me that a wind deflector will completely sort out the in-cockpit turbulence problem - thank you . And incidentally the Ariel Club members we met at Castle Combe were so welcoming ( again thank you ) and genuinely interested in their cars ) .
My very brief drive in the Atom 4 suggests that it will give me all of the Brooke's excitement , but with control , and all of the KTM's solidity without the in-cockpit turbulence .
And the noise , my oh my the noise . Or more accurately the orchestral symphony .
The Atom 4 puts the F355 , and Lamborghini's stalwart Bizzarrini V12 in the shade - at least from the point of noise fun and musical entertainment .
A whoosh here , a titter there , crackles and hisses everywhere - the music is joyous , and comes on just past 25 mph .
The drive back home in the 4 was short and hamstrung by the road conditions .
But the latent potential was obvious on a couple of dry straights and a couple of dry corners .
But what was really important to me was how engaging the Atom 4 was at 30 and 40 mph .
These days , with crowded roads and cameras everywhere ,you need to to be able to have fun at low , legal speeds .
And the Atom 4 scores really bigtime here .
I am really not sure that you can get a more visceral driving experience than the Atom 4 at any price .
It really is that good .
Fun , Fun , Fun .
Do yourself a favour and ask the factory to be taken for a drive .
Unusually , they currently have a brand new unregistered car available , and no , I'm not on commission .
I've driven an Atom, pretty damn good on track, very cold n windy in the cab, ideal for summer but that's about it unfortunately.
carspath said:
It is almost impossible to get a test drive - the factory will happily take you out in one weather permitting , but only with the factory test driver doing the piloting .
Dealers are understandably reluctant to let you loose in such a high power and torque to weight ratio car .
There is a 2 year waiting list for a new car , and you hardly ever see one out in the wild , and only rarely in car shows .
The raw stats are compelling : 595 Kg ; 350 Bhp and 350Nm (with the Power Pack ); 0-60 in 2.8 seconds and 0-100 in 6.8 ; 162 mph top speed ; and power and torque to weight ratios to keep the original Bugatti Veyron honest .
And add to all this the exclusivity that comes with one technician building the whole car
But what is this ''vehicle'' with supercar-baiting performance , looks , rarity , and build quality , really like ?
With limited literature available you are forced to rely on magazine articles and internet videos for information .
And as always Autocar , the world's longest eatablished automotive journal (1895 ) , and reknowned for its objective and highly accurate road tests came to the rescue , particularly in the form of its annual ' Britain's Best Driver's Competition '.
And what gave me the final small push across the cliff-edge into Ariel Atom ownership was the results of the 2019 , 2020 and 2021 BBDC tests .
In 2019 the Ariel Atom 4 took the top spot beating the McLaren 600LT Spyder , the 718 Cayman GT4 , the Dallara Stradale , and the Lamborghini Huracan Evo .
In 2020 the 4 again took top spot beating the McL 765 LT , the Toyota Yaris GR , the 911 Turbo S , the Huracan Evo RWD , and the Ferrari F8 Tributo ( although the last did not complete the full test )
And in 2021 the Atom 4 came 2nd , beaten only by the 911 GT3 Clubsport , but beating the Ferrari SF90 SA Fiorano , the Huracan STO , and the Aston Martin Vantage F1 Edition .
Bear in mind that the BBDC is carried out on road as well as on track , and that in 2019 the tests were carried out in glorious weather while in 2020 the tests were carried out in Biblical conditions that would have tested Noah .
Remember too that a base Atom 4 is a smidgen over £50k , and some of its rivals listed above cost many multiples of this figure .
Also with a crate Honda drivetrain , reliability is as given as given ever comes , so an expensive and recurring annual warranty is not needed .
Reasonable annual serviving costs ( £756 after VAT ) , and reasonable insurance costs , sweeten the potential purchase .
Getting your mitts on a 4 is another story however .
The waiting list for a new one from the factory is about 2 years , which keeps residuals high for current owners , but is a hurdle for anyone coming anew into the brand .
Ariel Atoms are partly desighed for track work and partly designed for road work , so most have been used on track at some point in their lives .
I was , and am , pretty sure that I would not be tracking mine , so wanted one that had not been used on track .
This made the search that much more difficult , but this brought a silver lining with it - it gave me plenty of time to do my research .
In fact my research first started in about 2003 when I first went up to the factory and test drove an early Atom 3 or possibly a late Atom 2 - at that stage the factory allowed you to drive the car while accompanied by the factory test driver .
And then again in 2008 .
But on both occasions the stars did not align and I did not get an Atom .
This time round , I asked , spoke , read , and watched , again and again .
Including asking on this PH sub-forum about alternatives to the Atom .
Most of the responses recommended F , L , McL or P cars which cost much , much more , or for much older supercars which would require much more TLC .
Finally I found a 1 owner , 1144 mile , 2023 car which the owner certified had never been tracked , raced or been in an accident , and it had almost all the options that I wanted - particularly AP brakes , traction and launch control , and Ohlins TTX 3 way dampers .
The 350 Bhp Power upgrade was a lovely option that came with this particular car , but one that i would probably not have ticked - if only to save money .
As part of the deal the car was trailered 380 miles down south to the Ariel factory on the understanding that I did not have to buy the car if the factory found any significant issues with the car when they inspected and serviced the car .
Dealing with the factory was a pure delight .
Steve Rooke the Service Manager was there to receive the car , and when he first looked into the trailer he said '' This car looks like new , like it just left the factory '' , at which point I knew that it was a keeper .
Steve then organised an Annual Service and although I had missed out on a key part or the whole Ariel experience - which is speccing the car to one's exact requirements ( not for nothing is Crewkerne called the Savill Row of the automotive universe ) - Ariel is able to give any second owner a taste of this by allowing them to re-spec the car , with the work carried out by factory technicians , and in the very same place that the car first came to live .
I asked for the 3-way turbo boost control , a reversing camera , and front and rear tow hooks to be fitted
And when I went to pick up the car from the factory a week later , I expected the keys to be thrown in my general direction and to be told to be on my way Instead Steve spent the better part of an hour going through the car in huge detail with me and my wife .
What fantastic and caring service .
And caring is important here .
Steve gently but firmly pointed out that the roads were wet and muddy , and that the record distance from picking up a brand-new Atom to wrecking it is 15 ( or is it 11 ? ) miles .
With this reputation preceding it , and with the roads either wet or damp or muddy , I was genuinely petrified , and glad that the car now had traction control and boost control available .
I very , very cautiously drove away from the factory - with the traction control at its most attentative setting (7) , and the boost set at its lowest setting (?? 260 ?? bhp - I'm not sure on this ) .
And I was amazed .
Driving like Ms Daisy , the car was totally controllable .
The acceleartor pedal metered out the power and torque in an almost perfectly linear fashion , the gearchange was light , the brakes worked ( although in fairness i hardly used them at all ) , and most surprisingly very little water was thrown into the cockpit - or at least much less than I had anticipated when I had slipped on my waterproof trousers .
After about 10 miles I felt (over-)confident enough , or became stupid enough , to turn the boost control to position 2 , which unleashes the full 350 bhp and 350Nm in this 595 Kg car, but within a less aggressive mapping ( Posn 3 delivers the same 350 Bhp and 350Nm but in a more exponential fashion ).
I was astounded and delighted in equal measure that the car remained perfectly controllable .
I can only compare this brief , low speed drive in the 4 with my previous prototype Brooke 260 RR ( 260 Bhp from a Cosworth Duratec in a 550 Kg doorless , roofless , windscreenless car ) and my current KTM X-BOW R ( 296 Bhp , 420 Nm and 790 Kg ) .
As the actual test car handed over to Autocar , Evo , Car , Autoexpress etc , my particular prototype Brooke had been extensively fettled to produce as much power as possible - probably much more than 260 Bhp - and it was an animal .
The throttle was absolutely non-linear : nothing , nothing and then a mighty wallop , and the wallop never seemed to come at the same throttle setting !
It was exciting alright , and seeing wheel-spin in 5th north of 150 ( in Europe of course ) the first time ( and every time afterwards ) kept you awake .
We kept that car for 10 years and did thousands of miles in it , driving it mainly on the continent .
Every mile was riding a bucking bronco .
The KTM X-BOW R is the exact opposite .
This all carbon fibre , Dallara designed car is so , so refined , and so , so solid .
I compare it favourably to a Mercedes W124 from the 1980's . Going to work in anticipation of a heavy day you just want a car that will get you there and back - the W124 will do this , and the X-BOW must be the closest doorless , roofless , windscreenless equivalent .
The R is immensely fast and is beautifully built and is an amazing design , but has 2 drawbacks - the in-cockpit turbulence and the relative lack of music from the engine and the exhaust , even with the factory sports exhaust .
I have done much , much less mileage in the R cf the Brooke , but I love it ( and 2 owners that I met at the Castle Combe Ariel track day told me that a wind deflector will completely sort out the in-cockpit turbulence problem - thank you . And incidentally the Ariel Club members we met at Castle Combe were so welcoming ( again thank you ) and genuinely interested in their cars ) .
My very brief drive in the Atom 4 suggests that it will give me all of the Brooke's excitement , but with control , and all of the KTM's solidity without the in-cockpit turbulence .
And the noise , my oh my the noise . Or more accurately the orchestral symphony .
The Atom 4 puts the F355 , and Lamborghini's stalwart Bizzarrini V12 in the shade - at least from the point of noise fun and musical entertainment .
A whoosh here , a titter there , crackles and hisses everywhere - the music is joyous , and comes on just past 25 mph .
The drive back home in the 4 was short and hamstrung by the road conditions .
But the latent potential was obvious on a couple of dry straights and a couple of dry corners .
But what was really important to me was how engaging the Atom 4 was at 30 and 40 mph .
These days , with crowded roads and cameras everywhere ,you need to to be able to have fun at low , legal speeds .
And the Atom 4 scores really bigtime here .
I am really not sure that you can get a more visceral driving experience than the Atom 4 at any price .
It really is that good .
Fun , Fun , Fun .
Do yourself a favour and ask the factory to be taken for a drive .
Unusually , they currently have a brand new unregistered car available , and no , I'm not on commission .
Sorry, could you expand on that a bit?Dealers are understandably reluctant to let you loose in such a high power and torque to weight ratio car .
There is a 2 year waiting list for a new car , and you hardly ever see one out in the wild , and only rarely in car shows .
The raw stats are compelling : 595 Kg ; 350 Bhp and 350Nm (with the Power Pack ); 0-60 in 2.8 seconds and 0-100 in 6.8 ; 162 mph top speed ; and power and torque to weight ratios to keep the original Bugatti Veyron honest .
And add to all this the exclusivity that comes with one technician building the whole car
But what is this ''vehicle'' with supercar-baiting performance , looks , rarity , and build quality , really like ?
With limited literature available you are forced to rely on magazine articles and internet videos for information .
And as always Autocar , the world's longest eatablished automotive journal (1895 ) , and reknowned for its objective and highly accurate road tests came to the rescue , particularly in the form of its annual ' Britain's Best Driver's Competition '.
And what gave me the final small push across the cliff-edge into Ariel Atom ownership was the results of the 2019 , 2020 and 2021 BBDC tests .
In 2019 the Ariel Atom 4 took the top spot beating the McLaren 600LT Spyder , the 718 Cayman GT4 , the Dallara Stradale , and the Lamborghini Huracan Evo .
In 2020 the 4 again took top spot beating the McL 765 LT , the Toyota Yaris GR , the 911 Turbo S , the Huracan Evo RWD , and the Ferrari F8 Tributo ( although the last did not complete the full test )
And in 2021 the Atom 4 came 2nd , beaten only by the 911 GT3 Clubsport , but beating the Ferrari SF90 SA Fiorano , the Huracan STO , and the Aston Martin Vantage F1 Edition .
Bear in mind that the BBDC is carried out on road as well as on track , and that in 2019 the tests were carried out in glorious weather while in 2020 the tests were carried out in Biblical conditions that would have tested Noah .
Remember too that a base Atom 4 is a smidgen over £50k , and some of its rivals listed above cost many multiples of this figure .
Also with a crate Honda drivetrain , reliability is as given as given ever comes , so an expensive and recurring annual warranty is not needed .
Reasonable annual serviving costs ( £756 after VAT ) , and reasonable insurance costs , sweeten the potential purchase .
Getting your mitts on a 4 is another story however .
The waiting list for a new one from the factory is about 2 years , which keeps residuals high for current owners , but is a hurdle for anyone coming anew into the brand .
Ariel Atoms are partly desighed for track work and partly designed for road work , so most have been used on track at some point in their lives .
I was , and am , pretty sure that I would not be tracking mine , so wanted one that had not been used on track .
This made the search that much more difficult , but this brought a silver lining with it - it gave me plenty of time to do my research .
In fact my research first started in about 2003 when I first went up to the factory and test drove an early Atom 3 or possibly a late Atom 2 - at that stage the factory allowed you to drive the car while accompanied by the factory test driver .
And then again in 2008 .
But on both occasions the stars did not align and I did not get an Atom .
This time round , I asked , spoke , read , and watched , again and again .
Including asking on this PH sub-forum about alternatives to the Atom .
Most of the responses recommended F , L , McL or P cars which cost much , much more , or for much older supercars which would require much more TLC .
Finally I found a 1 owner , 1144 mile , 2023 car which the owner certified had never been tracked , raced or been in an accident , and it had almost all the options that I wanted - particularly AP brakes , traction and launch control , and Ohlins TTX 3 way dampers .
The 350 Bhp Power upgrade was a lovely option that came with this particular car , but one that i would probably not have ticked - if only to save money .
As part of the deal the car was trailered 380 miles down south to the Ariel factory on the understanding that I did not have to buy the car if the factory found any significant issues with the car when they inspected and serviced the car .
Dealing with the factory was a pure delight .
Steve Rooke the Service Manager was there to receive the car , and when he first looked into the trailer he said '' This car looks like new , like it just left the factory '' , at which point I knew that it was a keeper .
Steve then organised an Annual Service and although I had missed out on a key part or the whole Ariel experience - which is speccing the car to one's exact requirements ( not for nothing is Crewkerne called the Savill Row of the automotive universe ) - Ariel is able to give any second owner a taste of this by allowing them to re-spec the car , with the work carried out by factory technicians , and in the very same place that the car first came to live .
I asked for the 3-way turbo boost control , a reversing camera , and front and rear tow hooks to be fitted
And when I went to pick up the car from the factory a week later , I expected the keys to be thrown in my general direction and to be told to be on my way Instead Steve spent the better part of an hour going through the car in huge detail with me and my wife .
What fantastic and caring service .
And caring is important here .
Steve gently but firmly pointed out that the roads were wet and muddy , and that the record distance from picking up a brand-new Atom to wrecking it is 15 ( or is it 11 ? ) miles .
With this reputation preceding it , and with the roads either wet or damp or muddy , I was genuinely petrified , and glad that the car now had traction control and boost control available .
I very , very cautiously drove away from the factory - with the traction control at its most attentative setting (7) , and the boost set at its lowest setting (?? 260 ?? bhp - I'm not sure on this ) .
And I was amazed .
Driving like Ms Daisy , the car was totally controllable .
The acceleartor pedal metered out the power and torque in an almost perfectly linear fashion , the gearchange was light , the brakes worked ( although in fairness i hardly used them at all ) , and most surprisingly very little water was thrown into the cockpit - or at least much less than I had anticipated when I had slipped on my waterproof trousers .
After about 10 miles I felt (over-)confident enough , or became stupid enough , to turn the boost control to position 2 , which unleashes the full 350 bhp and 350Nm in this 595 Kg car, but within a less aggressive mapping ( Posn 3 delivers the same 350 Bhp and 350Nm but in a more exponential fashion ).
I was astounded and delighted in equal measure that the car remained perfectly controllable .
I can only compare this brief , low speed drive in the 4 with my previous prototype Brooke 260 RR ( 260 Bhp from a Cosworth Duratec in a 550 Kg doorless , roofless , windscreenless car ) and my current KTM X-BOW R ( 296 Bhp , 420 Nm and 790 Kg ) .
As the actual test car handed over to Autocar , Evo , Car , Autoexpress etc , my particular prototype Brooke had been extensively fettled to produce as much power as possible - probably much more than 260 Bhp - and it was an animal .
The throttle was absolutely non-linear : nothing , nothing and then a mighty wallop , and the wallop never seemed to come at the same throttle setting !
It was exciting alright , and seeing wheel-spin in 5th north of 150 ( in Europe of course ) the first time ( and every time afterwards ) kept you awake .
We kept that car for 10 years and did thousands of miles in it , driving it mainly on the continent .
Every mile was riding a bucking bronco .
The KTM X-BOW R is the exact opposite .
This all carbon fibre , Dallara designed car is so , so refined , and so , so solid .
I compare it favourably to a Mercedes W124 from the 1980's . Going to work in anticipation of a heavy day you just want a car that will get you there and back - the W124 will do this , and the X-BOW must be the closest doorless , roofless , windscreenless equivalent .
The R is immensely fast and is beautifully built and is an amazing design , but has 2 drawbacks - the in-cockpit turbulence and the relative lack of music from the engine and the exhaust , even with the factory sports exhaust .
I have done much , much less mileage in the R cf the Brooke , but I love it ( and 2 owners that I met at the Castle Combe Ariel track day told me that a wind deflector will completely sort out the in-cockpit turbulence problem - thank you . And incidentally the Ariel Club members we met at Castle Combe were so welcoming ( again thank you ) and genuinely interested in their cars ) .
My very brief drive in the Atom 4 suggests that it will give me all of the Brooke's excitement , but with control , and all of the KTM's solidity without the in-cockpit turbulence .
And the noise , my oh my the noise . Or more accurately the orchestral symphony .
The Atom 4 puts the F355 , and Lamborghini's stalwart Bizzarrini V12 in the shade - at least from the point of noise fun and musical entertainment .
A whoosh here , a titter there , crackles and hisses everywhere - the music is joyous , and comes on just past 25 mph .
The drive back home in the 4 was short and hamstrung by the road conditions .
But the latent potential was obvious on a couple of dry straights and a couple of dry corners .
But what was really important to me was how engaging the Atom 4 was at 30 and 40 mph .
These days , with crowded roads and cameras everywhere ,you need to to be able to have fun at low , legal speeds .
And the Atom 4 scores really bigtime here .
I am really not sure that you can get a more visceral driving experience than the Atom 4 at any price .
It really is that good .
Fun , Fun , Fun .
Do yourself a favour and ask the factory to be taken for a drive .
Unusually , they currently have a brand new unregistered car available , and no , I'm not on commission .
WCZ said:
i've been thinking about these recently, think they are very special cars - it's just the price that is off-putting - that said it's basically a hypercar
A BAC Mono which is what you'd need to live with one of these on a twisty track starts at £250K + options.The Atom is a steal at the price.
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