Ariel Atom: Difference between revisions

|1.8 L 190 hp [[Rover K-Series engine]]

|2.02 L 245-bhp naturally aspirated or 310-bhp2.4 L (350205-300 bhp in 3.5R) supercharged HondaGeneral Motors [[HondaGM KEcotec engine#K20|K20Z4Ecotec]] i-VTEC

|2.24 L or 2.4245 L 205-300-bhp superchargednaturally Generalaspirated Motorsor [[GM300bhp Ecotecsupercharged engine|Ecotec]]Honda i-VTEC (US)

The '''Ariel Atom''' is a [[street-legal vehicle|road-legal]] high performance [[open-wheel car]] made by the British [[Ariel Motor Company]] based in [[Crewkerne]], [[Somerset]], England, and under license in North America by TMI Autotech, Inc. at [[Virginia International Raceway]] in Alton, Virginia.

There have been eight Ariel Atom generations to date: Ariel Atom, Ariel Atom 2, Ariel Atom 3 (including the Ariel Atom 3 Mugen Limited Edition and Honda Racing Edition – of which only one was made) Ariel Atom 3.5, Ariel Atom 3S, Ariel Spec:Race Atom, Ariel Atom 500 V8 Limited Edition (only 25 to be made), and the Ariel Atom 4. The limited production Ariel Atom 500 V8 featured a {{convert|373|kW|bhp PS|0|abbr=on}} [[V8 engine]]. The all new Ariel Atom 4 is the latest Atom featuringuses a new turbocharged 2.0 litre engine, that isalso used in the [[Honda Civic Type R]], with 3-stage boost.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.leftlanenews.com/ariel-atom-500.html |title=More details emerge on V8-powered Ariel Atom 500 |publisher=Leftlanenews.com |date=11 August 2010 |access-date=15 October 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101001014345/http://www.leftlanenews.com/ariel-atom-500.html| archive-date= 1 October 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zercustoms.com/news/Ariel-Atom-V8-price.html |title=Ariel Atom V8 price |publisher=[[ZerCustoms]] |date=8 June 2009 |access-date=22 July 2012}}</ref>

The Ariel Atom features a prominently visible [[chassis]] (i.e., an [[exoskeleton car|exoskeleton]], no roof or windows, a small optional windscreen) and a [[drag coefficient]] of 0.40.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://encarsglobe.com/ariel-atom/mods/1754/ |title=Technical specifications and performance data of Ariel Atom (2002) |publisher=encarsglobe.com |access-date=28 January 2013 |archive-date=5 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305142318/http://encarsglobe.com/ariel-atom/mods/1754 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The Atom began as a student project by [[Coventry University]] transport design student [[Niki Smart]] together with Simon Saunders, a senior transport design lecturer. After several sports car companies rejected his proposal, Saunders founded his own company in 1991 named Solocrest Ltd. to create the Atom, which was renamed in 1999 as Ariel Motor Company Ltd.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Ariel Atom buying guide |url=https://www.evo.co.uk/ariel/atom/6247/ariel-atom-buying-guide |access-date=2023-10-28 |website=evo |language=en}}</ref>

Known then as the LSC (Lightweight Sports Car), itthe car was developed at the university in 1996 with input and funding from various automotive industry members, including [[British Steel plc|British Steel]] and [[Tom Walkinshaw Racing|TWR]]. Ariel Motor Company boss Simon Saunders was a senior lecturer whose' responsibility for the project was primarily as financial manager and design critic for Smart, whom he described as "The best all-round design student I've ever seen." The car was first shown publicly at the [[British International Motor Show]] at the [[National Exhibition Centre|NEC]] in [[Birmingham]] in October 1996.<ref>Steve Cropley (1996), 'Your Starter for £10k', ''Autocar'', 16 October 1996 pp74-77:<div style= "font-size:87%;"><blockquote>"The project had its germination as a project for 100-odd students of Coventry's School of Transport Design"</blockquote></div><div style= "font-size:87%;"><blockquote>"As senior lecturer on the Coventry course, Saunders fell naturally into the role of financial manager, enabler and chief critic"</blockquote></div><div style= "font-size:87%;"><blockquote>"Most of the LSC's primary design is Smart's"</blockquote></div></ref>

In 2005 ''[[TrackRoad and& Race CarTrack]]'' magazine published the results of a comprehensive test of a range of cars, from the [[Porsche 901|Porsche 911 Carrera S]], [[Ford GT]], [[BMW M5]] to the [[Caterham CSR|Caterham CSR 260]]. The supercharged Ariel Atom 2 won the 0–161–0&nbsp;km/h (0–100–0 mph)&nbsp;test by a clear margin at 10.88 seconds, ahead of the Caterham CSR 260 (11.41) and the Ford GT in fourth (13.17).

Launched in 2003, the Atom 2 that followed had as much as 300bhp courtesy of a new supercharged Chevrolet2-liter Honda Civic Type R (for the 220) and Type-S (for the 160) engine.<ref name=":0" />

The Atom 3 appeared in 2007, utilizing thenew Honda Civic drivetrain and a smoother "KZ" Type-R motor.<ref name=":0" />

Introduced in February 2008, the Ariel Atom 500 features a 373 kW (500 hp) 3.0 litre John Hartley-designed V8 engine, carbon fibre body panels and aerofoils, chromoly aerofoil wishbones, an integrated function steering wheel, Alcon four-piston brake calipers, and Dymag magnesium wheels. The engine weighs {{convert|90|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}} and is coupled to a [[Sadev|SADEV]] six-speed sequential gearbox to cope with the increased power over the Honda unit. During the development process the RS performance engine was replaced by a unit prepared by Hartley Enterprises giving the final production version of the {{convert|550|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}} car 678 kW/t (909&nbsp;bhp/tonne).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=22426 |title=5V8 ARIEL ATOM GETS 900BHP PER TONNE |publisher=Pistonheads |date=8 September 2010 |access-date=8 September 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100911075400/http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=22426| archive-date= 11 September 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref>

The Ariel Atom 3.5R is the upgraded version of the Ariel Atom producing 261 kW from a 1,998cc supercharged Honda engine which propels the 550&nbsp;kg car to 100 km/h in 2.6 seconds and to a top speed of 249.45&nbsp;km/h. In June 2014 a 3.5R was presented to [[Avon and Somerset Police]], the force local to the Crewkerne factory, to support a local motorcycle safety initiative. It has [[Emergency vehicle lighting|pursuit lights]] and police livery.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Jones|first1=Matthew|title=This is an Ariel Atom police car|url=http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/this-is-an-ariel-atom-police-car-2014-06-03|access-date=30 June 2014|work=Top Gear|publisher=BBC Worldwide|date=3 June 2014|archive-date=6 June 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140606191735/http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/This-is-an-Ariel-Atom-police-car-2014-06-03|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Featuring an all-new cockpit -adjustable traction control system, JRi adjustable dampers, and a choice of three transmissions (including a new SADEV 6-speed sequential race inspired [[gearbox]] with paddle shifters), each Ariel Atom 3S is hand built by TMI AutoTech at their facility at [[Virginia International Raceway]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arielatom.com/buy-an-atom/ariel-atom-3s |title=Ariel Atom 3S |publisher=TMI AutoTech, Inc. |date=17 October 2014 |access-date=17 November 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141113055955/http://www.arielatom.com/buy-an-atom/ariel-atom-3s |archive-date=13 November 2014 }}</ref>

The Ariel Atom 4 was launched at the [[Goodwood Festival of Speed]] in July 2018. It features the latest Honda Type R turbo engine with {{convert|239|kW|bhp|abbr=on}} as standard, a new chassis, suspension, steering, brakes, bodywork with significant aerodynamic improvements, new seating and instrumentation together with a host of design improvements and changes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.arielmotor.co.uk/ariel/news/|title=Ariel Motor Co {{!}} News|website=www.arielmotor.co.uk|access-date=2018-08-23|archive-date=24 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180824034156/http://www.arielmotor.co.uk/ariel/news/|url-status=dead}}</ref> The new car also features a thicker frame, separate seats and a revised intake. The car has been reviewed by [[Autocar (magazine)|Autocar]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Ariel Atom 4 First Drive {{!}} Autocar |url=https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/ariel/atom-4/first-drives/ariel-atom-4-2018-review |access-date=5 October 2018 |website=www.autocar.co.uk}}</ref> and deliveries started at the start of June 2019. In 2020, Autocar selected the Ariel Atom 4 as Britain's Best Driver's Car.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Autocar Awards 2020: Ariel Atom 4 named Britain's Best Driver's Car |url=https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/autocar-awards-2020-ariel-atom-4-named-britains-best-drivers-car |access-date=2023-10-28 |website=Autocar |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Lane |first=Richard |title=Ariel Atom 4 |url=https://www.msn.com/en-gb/cars/reviews/ariel-atom-4/ar-AA1iHLXt |access-date=2023-10-28 |website=www.msn.com}}</ref>

In mid-2012, it was announced that for the first time in the UK, the Atom would have a dedicated single -make race series called Atom Cup.<ref>{{cite web|title=Atom Cup announced|url=http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=26026|publisher=pistonheads.com |date=17 July 2012}}</ref> The series would feature on [[Jonathan Palmer]]'s MSVR programme of racing with eight race weekends featuring 16 races. The cars were 183 kW naturally aspirated, 3.5 chassis with an MSA approved welded roll bar protection system. The standard suspension was replaced with [[Öhlins]] racing suspension. An [[Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile|FIA]] approved fire extinguisher system was also installed.