Atom 4 buyers spec discussion thread

[Anon]

£8k is wishful thinking. We can only wish!

To add, even with a ~£8k seq gearbox I'm at £65k, I can't go more than that. If the gearbox is more then, it makes the car not affordable for me. Originally it was ~£45k! lol for the 3.5.

Simon

[ALTANO]

How will the 4 hold its value? If you want out of a
£60k car after 2 years what will it be worth
compared to a £45k car. With a 2 year waiting list
Surely these are a safe place to put your money even
If one has gone a little over the top with the options.

[markwetherall]

Newbie here.

Order placed, 2 years away.

Spec:

LSD
Full aero
Traction control etc
Colour chassis, gloss black or white
Aero screen
4 pot front brakes, sport rear, good enough for what I need
Brake balance control.
Passsenger foot rest
Not sure on shocks, 3k for One way Bilstein or 5k for Öhlins.
Towing eye
12 v feed
Black brake and clutch lines
Exhaust not sure. I will wait to hear what they sound like. But must be trackday legal
Decat pipe

That is to start with.

Corky, I’m not too dissimilar:
LSD
Full windscreen (what are people’s thoughts who have these, worth it?)
Baffled sump (will be doing 5/6 track days)
Traction control etc
AP basic 4 pot front and rears brakes (seems worth it on the back for the small difference)
Brake balance control.
Passsenger foot rest
Öhlins (again because of the small difference and they look pretty)
Towing eye
12 v feed
Interested to see price of wheels

My thoughts are that the nice stuff that I want (but don’t need) I can get later ie power boost, front and rear spoiler etc as I’m trying to keep it around £50k ish


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Issue with the windscreen I always had was the amount of wind it pushed through to your legs. I found it made the car a lot colder to use and a lot more windy. I also added side panels to try and cut down on wind. I then went back to the gun sights. You get just as wet using the windscreen as the water comes back into the car from the sides of the windscreen anyway. I also found that is used a crash helmet all the time just due to it being more comfortable when on a run out. I am not ordering one with my 4 but that is a personal choice not to

[Som]

Whats the general view regarding the 350 BHP upgrade?
Is that a must have by default for non-track Atoms to get the noise and extra kicks?
Is it an easy upgrade if not chosen initially but may be a year down the line after getting accustomed to the standard A4?

As above, I am not keen on the windscreen and I think they take away a very key USP of the Atom experience.
But is it recommended to have the side panels for safety and a bit less draft?

[markwetherall]

Why wouldn't you have the 350bhp upgrade. Whole point of the Atom is fun, an extra 10% bhp and torque is always going to be fun. I am definitely going for the 350bhp upgrade. I will also go for the standard exhaust mind as I want to use the car on track

[Preseh]

My only concern for the 350bhp upgrade is the price for the performance gains. I'm sure there are reasons for it but I've seen remaps on that engine get way more horsepower and for a lot less money. At the moment I'm going to hold fire and see what the consensus is. Should be relatively easy to fit retrospectively I reckon.

I'm also going side panels - think I read once that an Atom failed scrutineering for a sprint race due to the exposure without panels. Also, it should make it easier for my girlfriend to tolerate as a passenger

[Hedge]

I think potential punters should go in one first, before plumping for the upgrade. It really is shockingly fast, the "base" version, believe me. And, V8 aside, I've been in every iteration to date.

Certainly, for road use only, there really is very little point in the upgrade. But there's always the pub-bragging-rights, that come into play. If only subliminally. And that most certainly is "a thing"

Cheers,
Hedge

[autobackup]

I am coming to the UK next weekend and the following weekend will be down in the West Country for 3 nights so I am hoping to visit the factory on the way back on Monday 26th and (weather permitting) blag a ride in the new AA4.

I will be very interested to compare it with my recently upgraded 3.5R which - according to my local rolling road - has 362 HP on tap and is mind-blowingly quick - I can actually get the front wheels off the ground if I give it full beans!!

[Anon]

...is mind-blowingly quick - I can actually get the front wheels off the ground if I give it full beans!!

That is insane!! lol almost like a bike.

[GraemeW]

Certainly, for road use only, there really is very little point in the upgrade. But there's always the pub-bragging-rights, that come into play. If only subliminally. And that most certainly is "a thing"

Cheers,
Hedge

You can always lie. I sometimes do, when asked by an ignorant non owner "Is it the supercharged one?" I just say yes. Makes for a shorter conversation at the petrol pumps

[Alistairbuchanan]

The ECU may well come locked so that no one but Ariel can modify it. Turning up the boost a wee bit will always give easy power.


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[Corky]

The ECU may well come locked so that no one but Ariel can modify it. Turning up the boost a wee bit will always give easy power.


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That's my thoughts too. Plenty of Type R tuners out there if you can mod.

Do you really need more power, breaks traction easily in the lower gears. But then again

[wasp]

I am hoping to visit the factory on the way back on Monday 26th and (weather permitting) blag a ride in the new AA4.

Ariel will have it at the bike show at the NEC which runs until 25th November, so I doubt that they will have it back at the Factory too early on the Monday, so you're probably best giving them a call Paul.

Cheers,
Stu

[Anon]

The ECU may well come locked so that no one but Ariel can modify it. Turning up the boost a wee bit will always give easy power.


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That doesn't stop tuners around the world from issuing new firmware builds that overwrite OEM's in order to increase performance. There are companies in some countries that offer firmware updates for a weekend that increases a cars BHP for a short period i.e. a weekends racing and then places the firmware back to factory settings after the weekend on track. They can do this because they know how to pad out the firmware and how to sign the firmware with the correct checksum algorithm so the OCU in question doesn't reject it. It's fairly primitive. I'm not sure the same can be done with Honda hardware and I am not advocating this because Ariel need to make money. People sometimes don't like doing this because it nulls the warranty, but you don't get a warranty with an Atom due to the nature of the sport.

Personally I will want Ariel to work on my car because I want to help them continue making cars not to mention I want to make sure no damage is caused to it.

[Toilet Duck]

I can actually get the front wheels off the ground if I give it full beans!!

Can you drive Atoms when playing Forza then?