Ariel Atom 3.5R

Recently there has been a big increase in the number of track-focused cars. These are being bought by people who want a car that is light and agile and can trouble a supercar around a circuit. There was the KTM X-bow, the BAC mono, and the Ariel Atom. This car came from a small startup company and was the best of them all because of its looks, agility and pace. The car this post is based on is the new, even more hardcore version of the basic Atom, which borrows tech, and some parts, from the limited run Atom V8. The engine is sadly not a V8 but a supercharged version of the normal Honda 2 litre engine. This gives the Atom more power and torque, and keeps the weight to a minimum. Indeed, the car still only weighs 550kg but wields 350bhp. This has some devastating effects on the performance figures. Power to weight ratio? 647bhp/tonne. This leads to acceleration figures of 0-60mph in 2.6 seconds. That's Veyron/Venom territory. 

 

There are also design additions to set it apart from the basic Atom, not least the front and rear wings. You can also option the side pods which contain a charge cooler and an oil cooler and also make it look beefier. The top speed is still relatively low, though, at 155mph. The acceleration figures are only due to the light weight. 

All this adrenalin comes at a price, though. Almost £65,000, in fact. For a car that does not even have a roof or windscreen. But the people who buy this won't care about that. What the want is a car that will submit the fastest lap at a track day and make them feel very satisfied about it.

Nev