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]

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]

Not long ago, we brought you news of a possible Ariel motorcycle revival, and now it appears that the bike is a go. In that original article, it was said that the bike could possibly be powered by either a single cylinder gas engine or even electric. Electric it's not, but a single cylinder has indeed been chosen for this new application... with the slight addition of a supercharger. According to Motorcycle News, "The idea is to make a bike easily adaptable to suit town riders, riding on fast roads and even track use just by changing handlebars and seats."

Single cylinder bikes, also known as thumpers (at least when a four-stroke is used, as it would be here), are often very entertaining, and a supercharger would only add to the fun. Motorcycle News did an online poll to find out what its readership would like to see from the new bike. According to Simon Saunders at Ariel, "Our gut feel is that we'll go along with the reader vote, and work on the single." If the resulting bike follows the design principles of the above rendering and turns out even half as awesome as the Atom, we are very excited at the possibilities.

[Source: Motorcycle News]

1952 Ariel VHA 500

Over the past few years, the Ariel has been known for creating one thing: the amazingly competent Atom track toy. But back in 1901 the UK-based company was known for something else – motorcycles. That's where Ariel got its start and according to Autocar, it's looking back to its roots to create its next vehicle.

The Atom has proved to be financially viable enough to support another project and something of the two-wheeled persuation might be it. Simon Sanders, the owner of Ariel, is very specific with what he wants to create, something "lightweight, agile and useful," possibly sporting a single cylinder engine or even electric power.

The project is up in the air at this point, but it's definitely on the table. If it does come to fruition, Ariel will again reaffirm itself as one of the leaders in motorcycle technology, much like it did over a century ago.

[Source: Autocar]

Ariel Motor Company is releasing the third iteration of its mind-blowing track-tool, the Atom 3. And even though it may be hard to discern the changes, with a vehicle this minimalist, they're bound to have an effect.

The "exterior" gets new diagonal side rails and almost every body panel has been changed, including the addition of a new wind deflector that makes motoring at speed a bit more comfortable for its occupants. That, coupled with the increase in width by about 60 mm provides an additional 100 mm of elbowroom for passengers, who now sit slightly lower in the tub while simultaneously reducing the center of gravity.

Honda's latest 2.0-liter iVTEC-equipped Type-R motor sits behind the seats, while Bilstein 10-way adjustable dampers do their best to soak up bumps and ensure grip is all manner of conditions.

[Source: Car Design News]

It will soon cost you a lot more to distort your face like putty and suck the plugs right out of your scalp while going deaf. What? Er, make that WHAT!? Right. Well, Brammo Motorsports has a hit on their hands with the Ariel Atom, and they've been forced to add more people to keep the skeletal rocket's production humming along. The $6,000 price increase spares us Dads, by appearing June 18th. That still leaves time for your loved ones to get you a 300 horsepower suggestion of a car. Six grand is a steep price bump – for that price you can build a very nice LoCost. There's also competition sneaking up on the Atom, like the KTM X-Bow and other cars that share the same bare-minimum-with-brawny-motor ethos.

Even bumped by six large, the price is still a bargain considering what the car can do. You'll run with some serious company – and there lies another hidden cost of all these cars – where to drive them? Over the road motoring may hold its own visceral charms, giving you a glimpse of how Frogger feels, but really, the only place to use these things is a track, and track time costs money. Maybe they'll knock some dough off the bottom line if you go without the floormats or radio ... err... perhaps you could charge all your buddies $10 bucks for three laps around the company parking lot at lunch?

[Source: 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!

The same ethos employed by the Ariel Atom is being channeled by GTM, a small car producer based in the UK, whose previous hits include the Spyder and Libra.

The GTM 40TR is a track day weapon in the same vein as the Atom, utilizing the potent combination of a bare frame, a couple of seats and the 220 HP engine pulled from the Civic Type-R.

The lucky pilots of the 40TR will be able to experience a 0-60 sprint in less than four seconds, along with a top speed in excess of 150 MPH. All that at the bargain basement price of about £15,000 or just a few bucks shy of $30k.

The company also has plans to develop a biofuel-powered version of the 40TR that may compete in a one-make race series, sponsored by the Energy Efficient Motor-Sports initiative.

[Source: Car, Autosport International]

If this looks to you like an Ariel Atom with a front-mounted V-Twin engine, you're not seeing things. And no, it's not a photoshop. Michigan-based TwinTech has built what they think will be a unique competitor in the specialty trackday toy market. The 1.75-inch tube frame chassis appears to be a little broader than the Atom's but aside from that they look quite similar. Until you spot the S & S V-Twin protruding from the snout.

So it has a motorcycle engine in the front instead of a Japanese mill out back as God intended. The unique design is said to achieve a perfect 50-50 weight distribution. A VW transaxle and Hewland gearbox are inverted and mounted in the rear. The design allows a slew of engine options including supercharged 200+hp variations, but at a curb weight of just 1,120 pounds, even the stock 125 horse version in this prototype should be good for 0-60 in 4.5 seconds.

And lest you think this is some backyard burner built by a couple of guys with too much tubing and time on their hands, the design team includes former Ford engineers and techs Dave Piontek, Jay Novak and Kip Ewing. Between the three of them they have racing and engineering expertise in formula racers and production cars and expect that the production version of the V-Twin Formula Car will sell for around $50,000. Perhaps a lot of money for a car with no track record, but the team expects that people will recognize the quality of engineering and materials used and that will translate into sales. A possible kit version is also being discussed.

[Source: Kit Car via Winding Road]