Tiff and Jonny take on the Gurston Down Hill Climb in the ridiculous Ariel Atom V8. For more fantastic car reviews, shoot-outs and all your favourite Fifth Gear moments, subscribe to our Official Channel: goo.gl/IPXAgl
+Eric George it was on a track day at a local circuit. There was a special offer on. Keep an eye open at your local track day place and go when there's a good deal. Definitely worth it!
Well, he is a retired professional racing driver. Even if he's retired, the instinct of a driver is, more often than not, intact... not even hindered by age.
He also did quite a few races at Le Mans, and in touring cars and rallycross. He's a bit of an all-round racing start. My mate had a racing lesson with him at Thuxton as a 17 year old many years ago - he said he was a total nutter and great fun to be with!
I saw this car close-up in an all-British field meet in Seattle about 15 years ago, with a supercharged Hayabusa engine. That looked terrifying and I can not imagine such a small race car with a V8.
A friend of mine bought an Atom, it IS breathtakingly freaking FAST! the lack of a substantial body enveloping your soft, fragile, human form, is a bit unnerving. Until you take a turn behind the wheel. This car instantly instills great confidence in its abilities. And more importantly, gives a driver confidence in his ability to keep the car under control. Yet it does not lure the less than professional driver to risk speeds or other challenges that are beyond his level of experience. You know what you can do in this car, without any overconfidence at all. It will stick in turns, probably I think(although I did not push to this degree) that its first warning you had crossed its limits of cornering,would be to slip a bit to the outside,equally,with both tires at once. A clear "back off a bit buddy"message to the driver. Again, not my car, so that limit was kept VERY DISTANT. But this car is utterly predictable in a way that tells even a driver of moderate experience, no car racing at all included, that has the understanding of an intelligent man with good common sense, just what to expect, and to count on from this great car. Just don't expect to enjoy it in the rain, and it had the same level of passenger protection from say, flying insects, as a motorcycle. No, less than. On the bike, at least you have the guy in front of you to absorb the bug strikes!
Many years ago, some smart-alec put a big motorcycle engine on a go-kart, and took it to the drag races. It beat all the 900 h.p. big v8's, and everything else. They outlawed go-karts. Problem solved. The Chrysler turbine was beating out all the popular v8's, so they outlawed turbines.
Watching this video reminded of something. ....Atom has two seats. I always assumed at the back of my head that this thing has a single seat in the center like F1 cars. But it can seat 2 people. It really is a road car.
I only drive the standard Ariel Atom and my top speed and acceleration were restricted by my instructor. Still a fun car to drive and the nearest experience to doing karting again.
+cigarobsession If you're in the USA, Atom's are built in Virginia and there's dealers across the country and there's many updates to the car since this video was made, like bodies, windshields and engines and they start around $75,000
+Vampirebear13 The only one I've in seen the USA was in San Francisco while on vacation, I live north of Virginia and they never show up on the street lol.
I didn't say they 're commonly sighted on the road. But that there are dealers across the USA. TMIAutoTech Inc. is the American manufacturer and they're located in South Boston, Va. You can find any info you want at www.ArielAtom.com
My dad bought me a Homebuilt racing car for the street, Cromolly tubing V-8 1900 pounds! And that’s exactly how I’ve always described the car... it’s like owning your own personal roller coaster!
Ah Tiff........ I have missed your way of driving and presenting. I still remember you 'playing' with a GTR R34 like it was a toy, then the stonking McLaren F1..... But that Atom....... stunning car
I might go to the hill climb with a pushbike. "Can I race a pushbike here? Average power 125 watts. That's watts, not horsepowers. One watt is about one seven hundred and fiftyfirst of one horsepower."
I sat in the prototype years ago in Monaco. They started 18k us for one then.... That didn't last long lol they are to expensive now but Iike everyone I want one lol(even na 4 cyl) sweet car.
Crazy how it doesn't sound like a V8, I don't know the layout of this v8, but the V8s made by my country are all cross plane, so maybe I'm just used to the sound of that instead
Make a rear engined car AWD and it will be heavier, madly understeering, unpredictable and much slower. How to ruin a masterpiece. Leave it as it is, reduce the price, and I will use it as it is, to go to work in the snow if need be... the car is just perfect hardcore as it is. The only problem is to find an owner capable to manage a Road legal 1975 F1.
@@ilmaio Correct, that is why F1 cars are rear wheel drive. With a good driver they are always quicker than a 4 wheel drive car, at least in the dry/semi dry.
