350bhp power option, what do you get?

[John Scherrer]

.. I wondered why a light flywheel wouldn't be high on the list of everyone's priorities.

- likely because everyone doesn't need a lightened flywheel.

Yes, it will allow the revs to build very fast if you blip the throttle in neutral/clutch in.
Yes, the revs will fall away very quickly on throttle lift in neutral/clutch in.
Yes, it will give a rough idle speed, will make it easier to stall moving away, may cause the engine revs to drop out of the power band between gear shifts.

Manufacturer's engine will need surgery to fit ..

Heel and toeing not really affected too much, you'll just have to be a bit quicker with your foot timing.

[SteveC]

Thanks John.

I think you might have just saved me £1k.

[phil4]

I went for the same ball-park price range. I think thats the sweet spot for an enthusiast spec coming from an older Atom. I

What is an enthusiast spec? All Atoms are enthusiast cars so no matter the spec - so by default you have an enthusiast spec, not sure I get your meaning here.

I can't speak for Pete, but what I take him to mean by that is someone who buys an Atom knowing a fair bit about it and it's options. Ie. not someone buying the bare minimum looking to flip it, or someone with the money to tick all the boxes, or to tick ones that "sound cool", but instead someone who makes choices, rather than just going for the "best".

I disagree with the 33% better argument. An Atom fitted with Ohlins, power upgrade, lap timing, forged wheels, and especially a sequential gearbox will be miles better than an Atom with no lap timing, single or non-adjustable shocks and a manual gearbox.

Can you quantify "miles better"? Atom's have had manual gearboxes since the beginning, and they don't make the car any less exciting to drive. Likewise the lack of a lap timer. Indeed the lack of a lap timer is almost an irrelevance to many who don't go near a track. The non-adjustable shocks don't really make or break the car, they just give some flexibility when you want to change the car to suit you and what you want to do that day.

To me, the car does not really suit a manual gearbox unless you want to potter around, it's begging the sequential to get the real performance from it. It's the reason every other car/competitor in this league has a sequential gearbox, 620R, BAC Mono etc.

I disagree with you there, you can drive the car plenty hard with a manual gearbox, and certainly don't need to potter around.

If you want an Atom to impress your friends or cruise on the road, then granted it along with 23 way Ohlin adjustable shocks, manual box and all the rest are not needed.

I think you've taken a very extreme view there. Not everyone that buys an Atom wants to drive it on track, and even those that do aren't looking to squeeze every thousandth of a second out of it. Ariel's moto is "serious fun", the latter word there being quite key to why many buy their cars. When you're not tracking it, and not trying to squeeze every last ounce out of it, but instead some fun driving it quickly, then the options you mention aren't mandatory at all.

I won't for one second criticise you for the choices you're making, but they are your choices, and you're driving the car for the reasons you intend... not everyone (and indeed a good many) have different plans for their car, and don't need, for example, a sequential box to make that happen.

[Peter255]

Thanks Phil

FWIW I think the k20 3.5 is more suited to the sequential box due to the peaky screamer nature of the k20. There the razor sharp changes are perfect for keeping the engine in the power band from 6-8K.

The 4 is now flexible and torquey across a wide rev range, and does not seem to benefit from chasing the red line. To me that makes the sequential less beneficial. You need it less due to the massively enhanced mid range grunt. There is less need to change gear as much and no need to chase the limiter.

I'll be honest i love the Honda H pattern shift. It is widely regarded as one of the best, and its a joy to heal and toe with a lovely little blip. I don't care about an automated shift in X milliseconds to save me some time. I am not racing so whats the point? I'd prefer to be a second slower around a track but do it all myself manually. Plus crucially my car is mostly a road car where the sequential is a compromise and can be harsh and occasionally annoying.

But thats just my logic, and my view. Each to their own.

[robfitz]

Thanks John.

I think you might have just saved me £1k.

I am coming to the Atom from a high revving K20 on ITBs and a really light flywheel from clockwise. The Ariel flywheel is near the top of my list of options as fitting one has always made quite a difference to the experience on that and previous cars.

I’ve never fitted one on a turbo engine so I do have a doubt as a result of that, you just aren’t going to get that razor sharp response. £1k is also a lot compared to the clockwise one. On balance I think it will still be better with than without - less drive line inertia always good.

The fitting point made above is largely irrelevant, no different to changing the clutch.

[Anon]

You make a good point Phil and a very logical and fair response.

I was responding and disagreeing to the argument that an £80k Atom is not 33% better than a £60k Atom regardless on how you intend to use it - it's way more.

I suggest you go out in a Atom 4 and see for yourself. Of course the manual gearbox is nice,it really is once you learn it, but if you want to utilize the true performance from it you need the sequential and this along with all the other track goodies pushes the price up. Even though the engine has a high-level of torque, I am always still in the 4k-6k rpm to get the best from it. After 6k it just stops pulling, you can't really hear or feel the rev limiter.

On the road you just use the clutch with the sequential. Anyway it doesn't matter, I will get what I want and everyone else can get what they want going fast on track, that is what I consider serious fun.

[Anon]

I am coming to the Atom from a high revving K20 on ITBs and a really light flywheel from clockwise. The Ariel flywheel is near the top of my list of options as fitting one has always made quite a difference to the experience on that and previous cars.

I’ve never fitted one on a turbo engine so I do have a doubt as a result of that, you just aren’t going to get that razor sharp response. £1k is also a lot compared to the clockwise one. On balance I think it will still be better with than without - less drive line inertia always good.

The fitting point made above is largely irrelevant, no different to changing the clutch.

Rob, you will no doubt feel the difference low down in the rev's, the engine feels heavy and a little docile when idling and reving it. In contrast to my B58 engine in my BMW - it's as light as a feather and so free in comparison. Pulling away slowly off boost, changing gear you can feel the weight of it. I will do a video and show you. BUT, when you are in the boost, full beans you will not notice, I certainly do not although I have not had the light weight flywheel fitted, so it's a little hard to say for sure.

Heal towing, is not a problem, in fact this is easier with the 'heavy' flywheel, getting the lightly one will probably require you to heal a bit harder to change gear much faster.

[reg]

You make a good point Phil and a very logical and fair response.

I was responding and disagreeing to the argument that an £80k Atom is not 33% better than a £60k Atom regardless on how you intend to use it - it's way more.

I suggest you go out in a Atom 4 and see for yourself. Of course the manual gearbox is nice,it really is once you learn it, but if you want to utilize the true performance from it you need the sequential and this along with all the other track goodies pushes the price up. Even though the engine has a high-level of torque, I am always still in the 4k-6k rpm to get the best from it. After 6k it just stops pulling, you can't really hear or feel the rev limiter.

On the road you just use the clutch with the sequential. Anyway it doesn't matter, I will get what I want and everyone else can get what they want going fast on track, that is what I consider serious fun.

It's fluff though isn't it, because a better driver in the cheaper car will always be faster and smoother. Fun is one thing, but let's not confuse the 'speed advantage' of spending an extra £20K of bling against upgrading the nut holding the wheel

I'd have loved the Sadev on the 3.5, but every sequential Sadev I have used leads me to drive a certain way. On the road this is not conducive to harmony with the locals

[SvenTheHammer]

You make a good point Phil and a very logical and fair response.

I was responding and disagreeing to the argument that an £80k Atom is not 33% better than a £60k Atom regardless on how you intend to use it - it's way more.

I suggest you go out in a Atom 4 and see for yourself. Of course the manual gearbox is nice,it really is once you learn it, but if you want to utilize the true performance from it you need the sequential and this along with all the other track goodies pushes the price up. Even though the engine has a high-level of torque, I am always still in the 4k-6k rpm to get the best from it. After 6k it just stops pulling, you can't really hear or feel the rev limiter.

On the road you just use the clutch with the sequential. Anyway it doesn't matter, I will get what I want and everyone else can get what they want going fast on track, that is what I consider serious fun.

It's fluff though isn't it, because a better driver in the cheaper car will always be faster and smoother. Fun is one thing, but let's not confuse the 'speed advantage' of spending an extra £20K of bling against upgrading the nut holding the wheel

I'd have loved the Sadev on the 3.5, but every sequential Sadev I have used leads me to drive a certain way. On the road this is not conducive to harmony with the locals

Absolutely Reg.

No amount of bling can take place of talent behind the wheel.

[Karl V]

Speaking of which [mention]SvenTheHammer[/mention], I haven't seen your wings yet...

Bumped into Tom today who was raving about your aero kit. Bling + talent - now there is a combination!

Fancy a catch up soon?

[SvenTheHammer]

Speaking of which @SvenTheHammer, I haven't seen your wings yet...

Bumped into Tom today who was raving about your aero kit. Bling + talent - now there is a combination!

Fancy a catch up soon?

They look epic Karl. Just had them PPF’d, by the guys at Autowerks. They did a great job again.

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[Herohonda]

That is Stunning.
Which Aero kit is that? I think it really changes the look of the car.

[SvenTheHammer]

That is Stunning.
Which Aero kit is that? I think it really changes the look of the car.

They are the factory wings from Ariel.

[Jerry]

Dam that looks sensational. Is it effective? Will ask Henry for a 4 pricelist.

[robfitz]

Nice seat pads too Sventhehammer