Ariel Atom 3

First impressions

Click images to enlarge, more below
It's the middle of November, the temperature is hovering around the five-degrees Celsius mark and there's an intermittent drizzle of rain. Not quite the best of days to be testing the new Ariel Atom 3 then, because this no-nonsense road racer doesn't even have a windscreen, never mind doors or a roof. I'm quite well prepared, though; I had the foresight to bring a helmet, gloves, a waterproof coat and a flask of tea to bring me back to life. But when I see the skeletal Atom parked up, two seats, a steering wheel and the most basic collection of controls ever, I begin to realise that testing this car today wasn't the wisest decision I've ever made.

However, I'm not about to wimp out now. Getting into the Atom is relatively simple; step on the seat, slide your feet into the footwell, lower yourself into position and buckle the simple harness. Once in place it's amazing how wide the Atom feels, a sense that is heightened by the open-wheel design and the thick metal poles that basically hold this car together, interlaced with nothing but air. Behind you is a huge sucking air vent, and below that the engine, a Honda Civic Type-R engine that has been cranked up to 245bhp. We are in for some fun today!
This is actually the new car, although spotting the changes takes a keener eye than mine. Apparently the chassis has been completely rebuilt making it stiffer than before. It has also been widened to give a bit more shoulder room in the cabin, and the dampers are now adjustable to allow you to set it up perfectly for track and road use.
Performance

Thumb the big starter button and the Atom doesn't bark, pop and beat its chest like a Caterham R400 (look out for a twin test very soon). The noise is really flat and civilised, actually. We edge out of the Ariel car park, and the car's controls (throttle, steering, gear shift) are all light and friendly so there is no lurching and hopping like you get in a lot of cars of this ilk. It's still a bit damp, so we take it easy for the first few miles until we hit some hilly roads that are a bit drier and open the taps.

Within an instant my brain has been turned into scrambled egg and we're warping across the Somerset countryside like a low-flying fighter jet. Bury your foot in any gear and the engine responds instantly; I now understand why no supercar would stand a chance against an Atom across roads like these. The sound, too, changes into a deep roar that reverberates off your chest when you bite into the Honda engine's Vetec power band. I can't quite comprehend how stupendously fast this car is - and this is the slow one. There's a supercharged version as well.