Vmax

[FlyingTrotter]

Not really an ideal event for an Atom but I have agreed to go to the next Vmax up at Brunters - used to go in the Porker and managed 175mph - should be an interesting day seeing some of the old faces and their exotica and I'm sure the car will be popular with other attendees - I know there is a RUF yellowbird coming and a former Atom owner is bringing a very expensively modified 911 he expects to clear 210 mph

[John Scherrer]

Should be interesting Ian !

Is the 3-300 RPM max'd? - Will it hit the rev limiter in 6th, given enough road?

[FlyingTrotter]

Not sure John - it's part of the reason I said I'd go along plus the fun of seeing and going out in other exotic cars/taking folk out - I've been there a few times and I suspect the rear aerofoil will have an effect as will cross winds and how far along they install the timing beams but I'm hoping to get up to and perhaps a shade above 150mph - I had a "bread van" BMW M coupe the first time I went and that had a soft limiter that cut in a little beyond 155mph - the fastest RUFs and tweaked machinery gets to 210mph and every so often something from one of the mental tuning companies running 1000bhp or so gets higher

I'm sure Tom can predict the result for my car fairly accurately - I'll update afterwards

[FlyingTrotter]

It was a fun day - a lot of runs as the Atom was very popular and I took loads of passengers out - first few runs were 148 then got 149 managed a 150 towards the end of the morning and then a 153 and then fell back to 150

Car gets to 140mph+ at 8k revs in 6th half way along the runway and then it's a bit silly really - hardly anywhere left to go when its at 8k or thereabouts - when i took a 911 down it kept climbing all the way but the Atom really struggles and boy does it get light over the crest - if it had more grunt it would be plain scary at say 175

Didn't take the rear wing off but suspect it was losing me a few mph

[John Scherrer]

Good result Ian !
That must feel proper scary at those speeds ... 

[FlyingTrotter]

When it gets light in a cross wind at max revs it's " a little unsettling" - not something most owners will do obviously so not an issue

when returning to the holding area around the bends it illustrated to the passengers why we all buy these cars

By the way all the readings 148,149,150 and 153mph were on the timing trap with the speedo showing hard on the 160mph max

[wattie]

Wow, thats really quick!

Sounds like a fun day.....Bit of an adrenalin rush I would imagine.

Any pics?

Cheers Wattie

[FlyingTrotter]

There is a Vmax section on Pistonheads - this is one a chap took handheld on a GoProHD

Some others set to be uploaded

Supercharged Ariel Atom at VMax Hammer.

[CalScot]

Ariel Atom at 164MPH

164 mph on the radar gun. This was part of a DVD shoot. It's old news on here from a while back but this reminded me of it and since I'll never do this again, here you go!

[FlyingTrotter]

Wow that's some illustration of the aero issue - 170 to 200 bhp adds 11mph top end - I guess I should not be surprised

[CalScot]

[quote="FlyingTrotter"]
Wow that's some illustration of the aero issue - 170 to 200 bhp adds 11mph top end - I guess I should not be surprised
[/quote]
It was at the ECU cutoff of 8600RPM in 6th gear, so in theory, it could be geared a little higher and pull it. Or I could program it to run 9000 rpm and do 170. However, you can clearly see the acceleration die a death big time above 140. Put on a body shell and gear it right and it'll do over 200 no problem I would think but you'd need to be insane to try it.

[FlyingTrotter]

Having done 153 in a cross wind I wouldn't fancy that 200mph experience without some serious aero sticking me down

This is a post from the PH Vmax thread of the car leaving a GT3 behind - Ariel Atom launch vs Porsche 996 GT3

[CalScot]

Runway Titans WOT teaser

This is the trailer video. The Atom is at about 1:40 showing a Supercharged Yamaha R1 how to accelerate 

[Trigger]

I maxed my 3 300 at the Ring on the main straight last year. All a bit nevery as the car was light and twitchy. I wasnt brave enough to even look at the speedo ! But later checked the vmax on the dash it it was 159. I assume it prob was low 150s as well. Pretty scary tho if I am honest.

T

[FlyingTrotter]

Yep agreed Trigger - not what the cars about - won't be repeating the experience but was interesting as a one off