The Ariel Atom is about the purest street-legal sports car you can buy. Known for its radical tube frame, minimalist bodywork and insane power-to-weight ratio, it is one of the quickest cars on pavement. Owners have also found them to be a natural on a racing circuit.
So it comes as little surprise to hear of the Atom Cup. In a nutshell, the Atom Cup is a new spec racing series starting in the UK next year (think along the lines of the Ferrari Challenge and Porsche Cup series) with races held at circuits such as Brands Hatch and Silverstone.
While the Ariel Atom doesn’t need much in the go-fast department (the Honda 2.0-liter four-cylinder, rated at 245 horsepower, remains mostly unchanged), the ‘Cup Spec’ vehicles will be upgraded with a rollover cage, twin master cylinders (to adjust brake bias), six-point harness, Race Technology LCD dash display, additional protecitve bodywork, race-tuned suspension and Yokohama slicks.
The Ariel Atom Cup Racer weighs just 1,125 pounds – about 800 pounds lighter than a Lotus Exige – and it will sprint from 0-60 mph in just 3.1 seconds. Sounds like fun.
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Ariel Atom Race Series Plans Announced for 2013
July 2012 – Atomic Race Management in partnership with Ariel Motor Company announce plans
for the Atom Cup, a new UK based Race Series featuring one of the most exciting
cars in the world – the Ariel Atom. Spanning 8 race weekends at the UK’s best
circuits, from Brands Hatch to Silverstone, the Atom Cup will feature matched Atoms
in full race specifi cation.
The 2013 Atom Cup will be the fi rst time that Ariel Atoms, already known for their
legendary performance on the road and track, race wheel to wheel in an organised
single make UK Race Series. Designed and built by Ariel Motor Company in
Somerset, the Atom has become an icon of minimalist design and lightweight
performance with a power to weight ratio in excess of most supercars. Having won
multiple awards and made its name as a track day star through outright
performance and legendary reliability, the Atom Cup Series is a natural progression
for the Atom.
The matched cars will feature an Atom ‘Cup Spec’ version of the car, specifi cally
designed for the Series with a modifi ed chassis, full roll over protection, race
instrumentation and Ohlins suspension. Engines, ECU and dampers will all be sealed
and the cars will run on control tyres supplied by Yokohama, who are sponsoring
the series. All cars will be powered by the legendary 2.0 Honda Type R iVTEC
engine and the Series is also supported by Honda. Said Paul Ormond of Honda UK,
“We are very excited by the opportunity to support this new Series. Competition has
always been at the heart of Honda and the Atom Cup should provide some excellent
and exciting racing.