Wow, what a track toy!!! | FerrariChat

Wow, what a track toy!!!

Discussion in 'Northwest' started by BritBlaster, Oct 4, 2005.

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  1. BritBlaster

    BritBlaster F1 Rookie

    Jul 25, 2005
    2,865
    Bellevue, WA
    Full Name:
    Paul
    I thought for a few minutes how great it would be to import one of these for track-days, and then some semblance of sanity kicked in -- but the idea is still on life-support in ICU. Anyway ... 2.9s 0-60mph, only a few tenths of a second off the Enzo lap-time. The videos are very, very cool and feature my favorite TV-presenter of all-time, Jeremy Clarkson (the UK's answer to Adam Corolla, if Adam went nuts about cars). Check it:
    http://www.arielatom.com/04/frames.htm
    (look on left-hand side for the top-vid under the "See the movie!")

    Talk about a visceral experience!! Remember to dress warm!
     
  2. Willis360

    Willis360 F1 Rookie

    Aug 4, 2001
    3,928
    Redmond, WA
    Full Name:
    Willis H
    If I remember correctly, someone here in WA state imported one before the US dealer was set up.

    Would be fun one to drive. Probably need to get some motorcycle body armor to drive one. Does any one know if our state allow helmets in cars driven on the streets?
     
  3. FerrariWA

    FerrariWA Formula Junior

    Dec 14, 2004
    719
    Seattle/London
    Full Name:
    Thomas Summerfield
    This has been on TOP GEAR and Fifth Gear, and both have loved it, you can get it in a supercharged version which gives you 600bph per ton. E ven cooler is that you can see everything working while you drive becuase there are no body panels
    http://www.ariel.us.com/
     
  4. GaryReed

    GaryReed F1 Rookie

    Feb 9, 2002
    3,109
    Seattle
    Full Name:
    Gary
    I did the "Run to the Sea" event to Seaside, OR last month in my Fiat and there was an Ariel that went on the drive.
    http://www.abfm.com/sea.htm

    The guy (and gal) who owned it were wearing full motorcycle suits and helmets while in the car.

    There's no heater or other amenities, but it looked like it would be a blast to drive.

    It only weighs 1,300 pounds, which is a thousand pounds lighter than my Fiat Turbo Spider!
     
  5. BritBlaster

    BritBlaster F1 Rookie

    Jul 25, 2005
    2,865
    Bellevue, WA
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    Paul
    You have great taste! ;-) TG and 5G are two of my favorite shows... haven't seen TG on the TV over here, and I'm getting a wee bit niffed about all the 5G repeats (no shows from 2005 yet...).
     
  6. FerrariWA

    FerrariWA Formula Junior

    Dec 14, 2004
    719
    Seattle/London
    Full Name:
    Thomas Summerfield
    Ah I know, I download all my episodes online, there was a site for it, but got SHUT DOWN by BBC, they were playing TOP GEAR on Discovery, but it was more "Best of" if you know what I mean. I have been using Limewire of get the 2005 episodes..slowly. But now I dont have to worry as I just back to england. I am brit as well. Now living in Bath, very close to where the Ariel is made.
     
  7. BritBlaster

    BritBlaster F1 Rookie

    Jul 25, 2005
    2,865
    Bellevue, WA
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    Paul
    Small world! I was born and raised in the Keynsham/Saltford area ... just down t'road from Bath...
     
  8. Grey_Gull

    Grey_Gull Formula Junior

    Jul 24, 2004
    564
    Wed. nights @ 10 pm on the Discovery Channel
     
  9. teak360

    teak360 F1 World Champ

    Nov 3, 2003
    10,065
    Boulder, CO
    Full Name:
    Scott
  10. MarkPDX

    MarkPDX F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa

    Apr 21, 2003
    15,111
    Gulf Coast
    I'm pretty sure he's a car guy..... I have heard he's got a couple of Datsun race cars and a 355.
     
  11. matta72

    matta72 Rookie

    Dec 26, 2003
    49
    Racine, WI
    Full Name:
    Matt
    I do believe Adam is a car guy. He has talked about his cars on his radio show Loveline. I remember something being said about a supercharged M3. I also remember him talking Ferrari with Tommy Lee on the show. On this weeks Overhaulin' he pulled up in a new Aston Martin that he wanted Chip Foose to do some work to.
     
  12. BritBlaster

    BritBlaster F1 Rookie

    Jul 25, 2005
    2,865
    Bellevue, WA
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    Paul
    Adam is a car-guy, but hardly fanatical. Jeremy Clarkson eats, lives, breathes cars -- I think even his heart might have 4-valves per ventricle.
    I just saw the "Adam Corolla Project" show and he drives around in a 350Z apparently most of the time. His assistant [chosen so Adam can look "straighter"] is a riot...

    Thanks for the heads-up on Top Gear Grey_Gull, it'll be added to my TiVO list immediately!
     
  13. Willis360

    Willis360 F1 Rookie

    Aug 4, 2001
    3,928
    Redmond, WA
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    Willis H
    If you look carefully, Adam has an Aston Martin in his driveway in the scene where he drove home. He probably bought the 350Z as the "beater" car to drive to the project house.
     
  14. kyleseyz

    kyleseyz Karting

    Jan 24, 2005
    184
    Seattle
    Full Name:
    Kyle
    Adam is a Nissan guy, a big Z fan, and the local who owns the atom is the reason why it has a Civic engine.

    As fun as this thing would be on the track, any fifth gear fan should remember when the Radical SR3 was driven on track against the Ariel, aaand the radical beat it. :D
     
  15. BritBlaster

    BritBlaster F1 Rookie

    Jul 25, 2005
    2,865
    Bellevue, WA
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    Paul
    Ah yes, but that was with the Atom sans supercharger. With 600bhp/ton the only view the Radical driver would have of the supercharged Atom would be a few brief seconds of the tail-lights before fading into the distance only to be repeated later on each subsequent lapping...
     
  16. Willis360

    Willis360 F1 Rookie

    Aug 4, 2001
    3,928
    Redmond, WA
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    Willis H
    Actually, the Radical came out ahead in the December 2004 issue of CAR (performance car of the year issue). Ex-F1 driver, Martin Brundle drove an Ariel Atom 2 (supercharged), Radical SR4, and a Caterham R500 Evolution, at Anglesey. Atom posted 47.35 and Radical did 45.98. The Atom had some balance issues that affected handling.
     
  17. BritBlaster

    BritBlaster F1 Rookie

    Jul 25, 2005
    2,865
    Bellevue, WA
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    Paul
    I stand, or sit, corrected!
    My memory of the Radical was that it had a 1.3L motorbike engine -- there's no way that would be able to keep up with a 2.0L supercharged engine...or so I thought...
     
  18. kyleseyz

    kyleseyz Karting

    Jan 24, 2005
    184
    Seattle
    Full Name:
    Kyle
    I just have a soft spot for the beauty of LMP car styling, and I think the Atom looks like a Ducati, naked, and i'd much rather have an Aprilia!
     

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