BAC Mono track car revealed

[092326001]

I don't think so. With all the car shows I've been to I still haven't seen one. And a lot of the rich guys want one but can't get it.

I thought they started building atoms in america with GM ecotec engines.

[Sledgehammer]

Ariel doesnt quite export the atom, they have a maker in the US, for proper left wheel drive. They have been doing it since the ariel atom 2, or around 2006/7.

I thought they started building atoms in america with GM ecotec engines.

Yes, not the Civic engines like you lucky euro's.

brb ebay...

Ariel - eBay (item 320671408337 end time Mar-24-11 20:41:16 PDT)

[LeonOfTheDead]

I don't think so. With all the car shows I've been to I still haven't seen one. And a lot of the rich guys want one but can't get it.

It is actually, but it's not road legal.
From Ariel USA website:

Q - Can I register an Ariel Atom 3 for road use in my state or province?
A - The Ariel Atom 3 is a unique and limited hand-built, high performance motor vehicle. All new Ariel Atom 3s sold within the North American market are partially or fully assembled in the USA by TMI AutoTech, Inc. (‘TMI’). Ariel Atom 3s are built and sold by TMI AutoTech, Inc. for the purposes of off-road/competition use (i.e., organized or private track day; slalom; Solo 1 events, etc.). Ariel Atom 3s are not considered to be federalized, production vehicles and do not necessarily meet applicable FMVSS criteria. Therefore, Ariel Atom 3s are not available with 17-digit VIN or PIN numbers. Any potential registration and/or use of an Ariel Atom 3 on any public roadway by any owner/operator is solely an individual owner/operator decision & responsibility for which TMI AutoTech, Inc. assumes no liability or responsibility whatsoever. All purchases of new Ariel Atom 3s within the USA or Canada are subject to specific terms & conditions of sale. TMI is solely responsible for the terms & conditions applicable to the sale of any new Ariel Atom 3 within the USA or Canada. A copy of TMI’s ‘Terms and Conditions of Sale and Supply’ is available to qualified potential Ariel Atom 3 buyers upon request and shall be provided in advance by TMI to each Ariel Atom 3 buyer. Buyer written agreement to TMI’s terms & conditions is required prior to TMI’s acceptance of any new Ariel Atom 3 order and/or in advance of TMI’s issuance of any order confirmation/build queue designation. Transport Canada does not consider the Ariel Atom 3 to be eligible for road registration within Canada.

[thebrochureman]

I got my euro and pound count wrong that's my fault cuz we use dollars. But 50 per year seems pretty limited to me. How many years will they make it?

I don't know how many years they are planing to make it. They will probley make 50 a year for as long as the demand is their, its like the Invicta, they only make 50 invicta S1 a year and they've been doing that for a few years.

[culver]

I agree with Exige, these track day toys are getting silly. When you are talking about something like the original Atom it was road legal and still had some road legal compromises. This looks like it's too compromised to actually be driven to the track. Once you are dealing with a true track car you might as well get a used race car and be done with it. A Formula Ford is likely to be faster around the track than something like this.

[Dino Scuderia]

CAD/CAM is becoming cheaper by the day so anyone can do it.

Expect more and more of these home brewed wonders.

[Matra et Alpine]

FF wont be anywhere NEAR this.
Our OMS is WAY faster than even the 2000cc FFs ... that body looks to have aero properties that the FFs are banned from having

Dino, I agree in part, but even before CAD/CAM the UK had dozens and dozens of kit car designers and builders. Mate is restoriing a Jasag hillclimb car, designed and originally built by Jim Sword from North Scotland who is STILL designing and in his 80s. Computers never came into it afaik and his cars were solid winners every time.

We probably have more kit car companies go bust each year to be replaced than all the other nations put together. It's in our blood

AND an extremely healthy trackday community where even in pouring rain, winds and chill we can fill a tracl. Having something "different" is a plus .... the '8 always stand out among the 20 odd EVOs/Scoobies !! And many create their own "road legal trackday cars" .... this Fiat was soo stiff there's no way you'd drive it to the track even though legal


or ... how about a Saab turbo engine in the back of a spaceframe VW Corrado body ?

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8SxP4AxDMo"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8SxP4AxDMo[/ame]

Runs in "modified production" class
Man dont you guys wish you lived in the UK right now ?

[RacingManiac]

FF runs on really crappy tires though....I always wonder how much faster FF might get with decent rubber...

[:Exige:]

AND an extremely healthy trackday community where even in pouring rain, winds and chill we can fill a track.

Wet track days are clearly the best. Less tyre wear? Yes please!

Just to clarify, I used the Formula Ford example earlier as a comparison of fun, not performance. However one thing I would like to mention is that if you're running a race car then you're likely to be running slicks, which will close the performance gap in the corners considerably. The BAC will be using road rubber, and even R888s are going to be a massive disadvantage.

But then a set of slicks will set you back a good £700 (a little cheaper if you buy part worn), and you'll need wets too. At a track day it's not about all out performance, it's about having fun really. Road tyres are probably going to be more fun than track tyres. I was at Silverstone for the British GT Press event the other day, and while I was there I tried out a Formula Silverstone on the infield circuit. They ran them with road tyres, but it wouldn't run out of grip unless you really chucked it into the corner and lifted off at the same time (this also explains my current obsession with cheap open wheeled race cars ).

Edit: Me and RacingManiac must have some sort of hivemind going on with the whole tyre thing!

[Matra et Alpine]

FFs run on slicks for sure
NO aero paclage is a big factor. The OMS once you get it up to speed and the wings working sticks like a limpet in hte corners. In fact you dont want to go slower as then the grip will go. HUGE rush keeping it on the edge

Deffo on the fun side of trackday and some of the BEST trackdays I've had have been in slow cars but which were challenging or engaging or in one case jsut a bloody handful needing wrestled at every corner ( MGB GT ----- on slicks )

Modern road legal trackday tyres though are phenomenal and some can be DAMN close to the grip level of slicks - but then suffer badly by going off quickly when overheated. Soft Kumho road legal race rubber lasts 10 laps at local circuit £140 per corner.

At last trackday I had my arm twisted into doing a days session in a Legend. Front engine, RWD, bike performance on fat rubber. Scottish champion going to let me loose in one of his It's definately about fun-fun-fun.

and to be on topic, I tihnk this looks fun and the performance sounds a match. I'd do it

[RacingManiac]

I guess my exposure to FFs are quite limited here, as most of the time I've seen them race at Mosport they are typically on treaded tire:

Ontario Formula Ford Championship - Tires

[Matra et Alpine]

Yeah national/regional differences - usually down to costs or sponsors.

FF in teh UK is supported by Dunlop and the tyres are Dunlop slicks S09-392

[LeonOfTheDead]

As someone mentioned before, some tracks demand road legal cars, and I also believe some owners believe a genuine racing car leads to a more expensive and fragile experience.
As far as it regards me, I don't mind them in a sort of "the more, the better" logic, even if I do agree it's getting a little silly. I find it hard to believe than most of these toys will actually be driven to the track on their own wheels.

[LHamilton_w]

sleek, but I'd still rather have an Atom 300.

[Sledgehammer]

It is actually, but it's not road legal.
From Ariel USA website:

Not universally road legal, but they can be individually registered. Colorado itself has two road legal atoms driving about. Every state is different, and some states will not register an atom. However, if it had been registered once by a state that will register it, it is then able to be registered.