Autoblog

We can think of few better ways to spend our evenings than bending, welding and beating metal into submission to produce our own car and it seems that we are not alone. MAKE reader, Utah resident and Flickr user proximacentuari took the design of the Ariel Atom -- currently one of the most desirable track cars in existence -- and replicated it in his home garage. What's more, he documented the entire process with pictures and uploaded the whole thing to the internet. This is the coolest show-and-tell ever.

Powering the beast, known by its builder as z59, is a Honda K-Series four-cylinder engine from a wrecked Acura RSX. It's an impressive build, taking "15 months and at least 800 hours of work in the garage," all done without any official Ariel schematics. "The frame is completely custom. I didn't make a single measurement off the real car... what you see is a series of very educated guesses," according to the builder. Much of the car is made from scrap parts, including the bodywork from a number of old appliances, a kayak and a doghouse. Check out a few pics in our gallery and click here to see the entire photostream on Flickr. Thanks for the tip, Pedro!


[Sources: Flickr, MAKE]

Back in April, fellow Autoblogger Chris Tutor caught the Veritas RS3 heading out onto the Nurburgring for a photoshoot. Today, Chris took a brief break from his day-job to see what he could spy on the 'Ring's webcam and found the same trio of lightweight, track-tools that dance in our minds when we hit REM sleep. A Lotus 211, a KTM X-Bow and an Ariel Atom were all getting ready for their close-ups at the entrance to the Green Hell, likely a feature story for a European buff. There's no way to tell who's doing the shooting, but don't be surprised if a video begins floating around YouTube of the three track toys in the next couple of months. We'll keep an eye out.

We've lost track of how many times we've watched Clarkson's track test of the Ariel Atom. It solidified the Atom's place in the track-day hierarchy, impressing with its insane speed, lateral grip and face warping abilities. But for those of us not content to look like a blowfish in full attack mode, Ariel has begun offering an optional windscreen on the Atom, eliminating the need for a helmet.

The new polycarbonate windscreen is semi-frameless, can be detached via five fittings and even includes wipers and a washer system to clear off the bugs that would have otherwise wound up on you and your passenger's forehead.

Ariel hasn't confirmed when the windshield will be available, but it's hoping to keep the cost of the screen and the wipers below £1000. Naturally, we've embedded the Atom's appearance on Top Gear after the break.

[Source: Autocar]

North American Ariel Atom production has left the auspices of Brammo Motorsports and been taken up by Trak Motorsports Incorporated, which has been working feverishly to put together a sales and manufacturing operation while also working with Brammo to maintain momentum on orders and refits to Atoms currently underway or back for upgrades. TMI started with the Atom as Brammo's Canadian distribution partner, and the company also puts on the Ariel Atom Experience events that have given it a huge amount of practical experience with a fleet of race-flogged Atoms.

Brammo and TMI have held close business ties since before Ariel licensed Atom production to Brammo, and the two companies will maintain a relationship going forward. Brammo will be an official dealer of the forthcoming Atom 3, and they might also supply composite body parts to TMI. Brammo's sales territory and supplier relationship have yet to be fully determined, but don't look for Brammo to fold up its tent and leave the scene entirely. TMI's assumption of North American Atom manufacturing and support comes with a focused determination to produce the Atom 3 in a stable and secure manner from a new home base at Virginia International Raceway, as well as significant outreach efforts to fans and owners of the skeletal track weapon with a modest pricet ag offset by a voracious appetite for high dollar supercars. Thanks for the tip, nakul!

[Source: AtomClub.com]

With over 500 horsepower and only 1,150 lbs. to schlep around, there's only one possible reason not to lust after the Caterham RST-V8 Levante, and that's the love-it-or-hate-it "classic" styling. Fortunately, emerging reports suggest that RS Performance, the same outfit that shoehorned the supercharged micro-block V8 into the Super 7, is working its magic on another super-lightweight British track star: the Ariel Atom.

Like the Caterham RST-V8, the Atom 500 will feature the RS Performance 2.4-liter 40-valve supercharged V8 driving through a six-speed transmission with flat-shift ability. And just in case the Ariel Atom doesn't look extreme enough, the V8 version will get a bunch of carbon fiber bits and a different color scheme. Considering that the existing Honda-sourced 300-hp supercharged four gets the Atom up to sixty in under three seconds, the 500-hp version will melt your face off.

[Source: Motive]

Jeremy Clarkson of Top Gear seems to think the Ariel Atom is perfect for middle-aged guys with a little extra cash and not enough foolishness for motorcycles. But most of the middle-aged guys we know have all their extra cash tied up not in little cars, but in little kids.

If you, too, are a family man who could never justify spending money on the impractical Ariel Atom, then this could just be the car (kart?) for you. The KG650cc is a 727-pound, two-seat go-kart powered by a 27.6-horsepower 644cc engine. That gives each horse about 26 pounds to carry, compared to the Atom's 3.3 pounds per horse. And at only 9 feet in length and 3-feet wide, even the cramped Atom has this kart beaten in comfort.

But hey, your neighbors don't know an Ariel Atom from a Corbin Sparrow. Just play the famous video of Clarkson making a fool of himself in the Atom, and no one needs to know you only spent about $8,100 on your little race car.

BONUS: Check out video of the Atom-like go kart after the jump.

[Source: Autoblog.nl]

If we're honest, most decisions in the business world, especially in the auto industry, aren't made for altruistic reasons. Money is the name of the game, and as the environment is becoming a much talked about issue around the dinner table, many automakers are realizing that it's in their best interest, financially speaking, to develop greener vehicles.

Craig Bramscher, the CEO of Brammo Motorsports, which builds the Ariel Atom in the U.S., seems to have changed the course of his company's direction based on the revelation that it could be making less of an impact on the environment. Brammo had been developing a new supercar called the Rogue GT that was to be powered by a V12 engine swilling gasoline like there was no tomorrow. Since Bramscher has realized there is a tomorrow, however, he's changed the product plan to make the supercar all-electric and renamed it the Enertia GT. This could be the beginning of a lineup of EV vehicles from Brammo, as it just unveiled an all-electric motorcycle last week called the Enertia. While the Enertia GT is likely to have a lower top speed than the Rogue GT due to the switch, acceleration is expected to improve. There's no word on what type of batteries the car will use or how far it will go on a charge, either.

While one could certainly question Bramscher's motivation for going green (one might argue you can attract more attention with an electric supercar than it could with one powered by a V12 engine), it appears the CEO just grew a soft spot for Mother Earth and is changing his dirty ways.

[Source: Winding Road]

Ariel Atoms, Caterham Superlights, KTM X Bows, Derondas and the like tend to follow a certain formula that happens to be very successful in the world of racing. Keep it simple, keep it light, and keep it balanced. They don't need 500-hp V10s to prove their point. Small rev-happy motors that can churn out 140, 180, 220 hp are the norm, but there are always options. Some people look at these horsepower figures and think, "I know it offers a superior driving experience and can lap any given track as quickly as cars with rheww times the power, but what if this car had that much power, too?" That is why Brooke will now be offering a supercharged version of its Ford Duratec powerplant for use in the Double R. While horsepower can easily reach more than 400, they think the final tune will be around 350. Not a huge jump over the top current option at 300, but it will have twice the torque of the lesser motor, as well. That should really make things interesting in this sub-ton car.

[Source: Autocar]

click above image for more pics of the Deronda Type-F

For those going to Sebring this weekend for the kickoff of the ALMS racing season, you might catch yourself doing a double take when you see this little rocket. What at first may appear to be an Ariel Atom is in fact the new Deronda. Never heard of it? Neither had we. The Deronda is another British project that is making its way to the States. The car is making its public debut at Sebring International Raceway, which seems appropriate as this sub-category of sports cars looks like abandoned Formula 1 cars that have had some basic road requirements added to make them streetable. The formula is simple: use a basic tube frame chassis with double wishbone suspension all around, keep it light with grippy tires and add a decent amount of power. The result is a car that should provide the elemental thrills of a superbike with the surefootedness of a race car.

Although the design is British, the heart is German. The Deronda uses an Audi 1.8-liter, turbo 4 developed by Audi Cosworth Technology. In current tune, it is putting out 250hp. We know for a fact that this engine can easily achieve nearly twice surpass that amount of power after chipping and a few other mods, but 250 is plenty when you only have 1,600 pounds to move around. As it is, the Deronda should be good for a 0-60 in under four seconds. To further confuse the national identity of this rocket, the car will be built in Michigan, just outside Detroit. Autosport Development will handle the assembly in Trenton, Michigan, and the car will be distributed by Sirius Motorsports starting in May. No prices were available, but with Atom prices in the $40-50 thousand range, we expect the Deronda to be in the same ballpark.

[Source: Deronda USA via Winding Road]

Oh, man, wouldn't it be nice to have an Ariel Atom for a day on a wide open track? North America's hook up for the Atom, Brammo, is offering a few lucky folks just that chance. They're loading up a handful of the lightweight two-seaters and touring North America with the Ariel Atom Experience.

At a few select tracks around the country, only 14 drivers a day will get seat time in an Ecotec-powered Ariel Atom 2, along with professional driving instructors personally teaching you how best to handle them. Other amenities include gourmet lunch, in-car video and photographers capturing that aer-to-ear grin on your face for all eternity. All this is included in the low price of, uh, well, we don't know yet. The Ariel Atom Experience Web site omits any mention of cost, though it does make clear a 50% deposit is due at the time of booking, which makes us think that a day in an a tiny Atom will take a lot of little Benjamins.

To see a list of tracks and dates, click through to the jump.

Thanks for the tip, Eric!