First Chinese Atom?

[apollyon25]

Yes she is Ben.

And I have to say that the NZ model is the best ride ever. Enough give to handle the curves and firm where it needs to be.

[Steve Garner]

Well I just read thru a lot of opinion and just a bit of fact so here goes MHO. I own and race a UK built Atom here in China and have been racing it for the past 5 years. Lots of wins and very few DNF's. I am an engineer and own a manufacturing company in China and believe after 30 years of working here that perhaps I have a bit more experience in China than perhaps a guy that just owns a TV that was made here. The opinion that China makes shoddy goods is sometimes true and often not. It depends, just as it does everywhere.
I have also visited the Ariel China factory and have raced a "made in China" Atom. I finished 2nd to a replica Lotus full race car in a race with 12 other street Lotus (the only class they let me race in) and thumped the other 11 cars. I have also visited the UK assembly shop They make nothing that I could see, but they do have a wonderful shop for assembly and very nice people working there.

The China factory is really nice. The jigs they use to fabricate the frame and the separate jig to measure and certify the frame is ingenious and excellent. As would be expected, many parts have to be imported and are exactly the same as is used in the UK plant. (Engine, trans, brakes, wheels, tires, instrument cluster, rod ends, ....

The local content is the chassis and the fiberglass bits and the beautiful finish. Expecting super low costs is silly given the high cost (duties) for importing most of the high cost items

Quality.. the car is excellent.
People at Ariel China are terrific and I would say that Peter is quite sincere that you are welcome to come see their plant.
The local beer is world famous. Not my favorite, but really pretty good. The hospitality is world class.

[wisp]

[quote="Steve Garner"]
Expecting super low costs is silly given the high cost (duties) for importing most of the high cost items

[/quote]

Steve,
Nice to get such positive feedback. 

I see elsewhere in the region they are not cheap. If that's Singapore dollars it would make the car around US$120K or £73K. Although the car pictured (2008) would have been imported from the UK rather than nearby China.

[Monza]

logical price if all material included ...

[Alec]

[quote="Monza"]
logical price if all material included ...
[/quote]

As there's only one passenger seat, I take it that the second one's a spare. 

[wisp]

http://www.chinacartimes.com/2010/08/19 ... riel-atom/

The factory is small, but has large potential to supply China’s weekend race warriors, one of the big drawbacks to the factory is that they are currently only able to produce track cars but are hoping to build road legal cars once they receive government approval to do so. Sales are currently made to order and several dozen units have already been shipped out of the doors of the Qingdao based factory to consumers all over china for weekend use one of China’s many race tracks.

[John Scherrer]

Hi Wisp - I think Bruce trumped you on Aug 26th ..

Want to see an Atom without lights - Go to China

http://forum.atomclub.com/https://atomclub.com/phpbbnew/viewtopic.php?p=219102#p219102

[wisp]

[quote="John Scherrer"]
Hi Wisp - I think Bruce trumped you on Aug 26th ..

Want to see an Atom without lights - Go to China

http://forum.atomclub.com/https://atomclub.com/phpbbnew/viewtopic.php?p=219102#p219102

[/quote]

Maybe. But my post has text and better images with reference to mass production of race only units. 

[John Scherrer]

Good point, well presented ..

I'd get my coat but it's alreday on .. (big freeze this end)