Tuesday, May 15, 2007

The Mean Machine: Ariel Atom

Ariel Atom
Ariel Atom
Manufacturer Ariel Ltd
Engine(s) 1998 cc Straight-4
Length 3.41 m
Width 1.798 m
Height 1.195 m
Curb weight 456 kg (1071 lb)
Similar Lotus Seven
ElfinClubman
Designer Simon Saunders Automotive Design
Ariel Atom in TOCA 3


The Ariel Atom is a high performance sports car made by the Ariel Motor Company based in Somerset, England. It is unusual in the respect that the chassis is the body, and therefore lacks a roof, windows and other features commonly found on road cars. It is available with a range of engines; the top of the range being a supercharged Honda Civic Type-R K20 engine and a Supercharged 2.0 Litre 300hp 250 ft·lbf GM Ecotec engine both of which can reach speeds rivaling those of much more expensive automobiles. Although the top speed of approximately 140-150 mph is relatively tame compared to more exotic sports cars, the high power-to-weight ratio (approximately 500 bhp/ton, or 650 bhp/ton supercharged) affords it incredible acceleration and control through corners because there is no large amount of weight to throw it out of the turn.

The Ariel Atom has received great media interest, most recently when it was featured on the Discovery Channel and tested by Jeremy Clarkson on BBC motoring television programme Top Gear, where it lapped their test track faster than, most notably, a Lamborghini Murciélago LP640 and a Porsche Carrera GT, and also creatively re-arranged Clarkson's face because of the open cockpit's lack of wind protection. The car is featured in the video games Project Gotham Racing 3 for the Xbox 360 console and TOCA Racedriver 3 for the PC, Xbox and PS2.

Brammo Motorsports of Ashland, Oregon has signed a deal with Ariel Ltd to manufacture the Atom in the USA starting in late 2005. In the USA it is available with the supercharged GM Ecotec engine introduced in 2004 on the Saturn ION Red Line and also used in the Cobalt SS. A limited run of approximately 10 Atoms were built in 2006-2007 powered by imported Honda K20A's.

The Ariel Atom was also used (unofficially) by Wrightspeed as a base vehicle to prototype the electric running gear for an entirely new production vehicle which Wrightspeed are raising funds to build. The Atom-based prototype, called the X1, also has incredible acceleration, reaching 60 mph in 3 seconds. Because the X1 is electric, it has the equivalent fuel consumption of 170 mpg.


Specifications

  • 0-60 mph : 3.5 sec. (2.7 sec. Supercharged)
  • Top Speed: 140 mph, 225 km/h (155 mph, 249Km/h Supercharged)
  • Power: 220 bhp (300 bhp Supercharged)
  • Weight: 600 kg (~1,320 lb)
  • Transmission: Honda 6-Speed w/ Reverse
  • Price: Base model - £35,000/ Race package - $92,570

Suspension

Front springs and shock

Front springs and shock

The Atom’s suspension is derived from single seat racecars and fully adjustable, requiring only a spanner. Both front and rear double unequal length wishbones and inboard, pushrod operated dampers, contribute to the Atom’s dynamic racecar-like handling characteristics. Adjustable suspension rod ends feature inboard rubber/metal bushes to promote a more comfortable road-going ride. The front and rear Bilstein dampers are also adjustable. Stacked light and heavy coil springs impose a low spring rate for minor deflections with higher rate for large deflections.

Acceleration

n an issue of Track and Race Car magazine, a comprehensive test was performed on a range of cars, from the Porsche 911 Carrera S, Ford GT, BMW M5 to the Caterham CSR 260 track day car. The Supercharged Ariel Atom 1 won the 2005 0-100-0 mph test by a clear margin, reaching 100 mph and then stopping in 10.88 seconds, ahead of the Caterham CSR 260 (11.41) and the Ford GT in 4th (13.17).

The following year, they won Autocar's 0-100 mph challenge with the new Ariel Atom 2 300 bhp Supercharged edition achieving a time of 6.86 seconds, and then stopping from 100 in 3.8 seconds.



Also the Ariel Atom is the fastest indoor road car. During the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham the Atom broke the indoor speed record. The high gloss floor that the cars ran on was only 220 metres long, with an open door at the end of the hall. The driver of the Atom launched in fourth gear and still had wheelspin until the car reached 70mph and started to get traction.

The British newspaper The Sunday Times measured its average acceleration from 0 to 60 at 2.89 seconds, making it the world's 3rd fastest accelerating production car available today after the $1.3 million, 1001 bhp Bugatti Veyron which reaches 0 to 60 in 2.46 seconds, and the Ultima GTR, which reaches 0-60 mph time in 2.6 seconds.


This is what the Media had to say about this wonderful wonderful BEAST





'I think this is one of the most beautiful cars in the world partly because it's so elegant and partly because it's such a wonderful piece of engineering.'


'The Atom is fast on an entirely new level. I have never, ever driven anything that accelerates so fast.'


'If anything this car is even more impressive in the bends than it is in a straight line. Anyone who wants to know how a car should behave should drive one of these. This is driving nirvana.'


'Over the years I've flown F15 fighters, done power slides in airboats, straffed the desert from helicopter gunships, but for sheer ecitement this thing is off the scale.'




'The Atom's performance in a straight line is mind bending, but the trump card is the way is goes round corners. The cars are built without any concession to comfort, all that matters to Ariel is handling.'



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