The Ariel Atom 3.5r: A Track Day Car like No Other

As we stood at the entrance of the deserted Bedford Autodrome, our eyes fixed on the sleek and menacing form of the Ariel Atom 3.5r, we couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement and anticipation. The rain poured down around us, casting a misty veil over the track, but we were undeterred. We had come to test this car, and we were determined to push it to its limits.

The Atom 3.5r is an upgraded version of the legendary Ariel Atom, and it's clear that the manufacturer has spared no expense in creating a truly exceptional track day car. With a price tag of over £30,000, this is not a car for the faint of heart or wallet. However, for those who are willing to invest in their driving experience, the rewards are well worth it.

As we climbed into the cockpit, we were immediately struck by the sheer level of detail and craftsmanship that has gone into the construction of this car. The Sadev pneumatic paddle shift transmission is a particularly impressive feature, adding an extra 20,000 to the car's price tag. This system allows for lightning-fast gear shifts, making it perfect for track days where every second counts.

But what really sets the Atom 3.5r apart from its competitors is its bespoke Arrow kit side pods, which contain not only a charge cooler and oil cooler but also a beautiful TTX 36 spring damper unit. This addition gives the car a level of pliancy and control that is hard to match, making it an absolute joy to drive on track. The carbon fibre bodywork adds a touch of elegance to the car's design, while the V8 spec magnesium rims give it a serious racing presence.

The brakes are also top-notch, with big Alco brakes and sticky Koehler extra rubber providing plenty of stopping power when needed. And then there's the optional sunshine package, which is sadly not available on Ariel's list. However, we can't help but feel that this is what sets the Atom 3.5r apart from its competitors - it's a car that has been thoroughly specced to deliver an unforgettable driving experience.

As we set off onto the track, the rain pouring down around us, we couldn't help but feel a sense of trepidation. The weather was far from ideal, and we knew that the track conditions would be slippery and unforgiving. But we were determined to make the most of our time in the Atom 3.5r, and to give you an honest impression of what it's like to drive this car.

From the moment we put pedal to metal, it was clear that this car is something special. The supercharged engine growled and snarled as we accelerated, its power delivery smooth and effortless but also utterly unrelenting. We surfed along in fourth gear, feeling the rush of adrenaline as our speed increased with every passing second. And when we dropped into fifth, the sheer excitement of it all was almost overwhelming.

The six-speed manual gearbox is a nice touch, adding an extra layer of complexity to the car's already impressive dynamics. The lever was always just a bit too far back for us, making the driving position feel slightly awkward - but this has been addressed with the addition of a 40-millisecond upshift and 50-millisecond downshift time.

For those who love Krump cars like the Ariel Atom and the Caterham 620R, this is going to be an absolute dream come true. The Atom 3.5r is every bit as exciting as anything we've ever driven on track, and it's clear that Ariel has a real winner on their hands. Whether you're a seasoned racing driver or just someone who loves the thrill of the drive, this car is sure to deliver.

As we brought the car back into pit lane after our first session, the rain seemed to be letting up slightly - but we knew that the conditions were still far from ideal. So, with a plan to do another lap as soon as the weather cleared, we made our way to the safety of the pits, eager to get back behind the wheel and see what the Atom 3.5r had in store for us.

But before we could even think about getting back out on track, we were approached by an Aton fan with a unique request - would we be willing to do another lap, this time head-to-head against his own Ariel Atom? The conditions still weren't ideal, but the prospect of a friendly competition was too enticing to resist. And so, we agreed to take on the challenge, knowing that it would be a battle for the ages - and one that would give us a real insight into just how good the Atom 3.5r really is.

As we took our places at the start line, waiting for the signal from the track officials, we couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement and anticipation. This was going to be more than just another lap in the Atom 3.5r - it was going to be an epic battle for supremacy, with two drivers pushing each other to the very limit. And so, with a deep breath, we put our foot down, ready to see who would emerge victorious...

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enthis is the atom 3.5r Ariel's most extreme atom since the crazy V8 and the most comprehensive Evolution since the atom adopted Honda power so what's changed well for starters it now has three 350 horsepower and 243 ftlb of torque that equates to a power to weight ratio of 636 brake horsepower per ton and a not 100 mph time of just 6 seconds starting price for the 3.5r is £65,000 but spec one like this test car and you can add another 30k to that figure 20,000 of that goes on the sadev pneumatic paddle shift transmission then there's the carbon Arrow kit side pods containing charge cooler and oil cooler beautiful oand TTX 36 spring damper units plus V8 spec magnesium rims big alcom brakes and sticky kho extra rubber the only optional extra not on Ariel's list is sunshine which is a shame as predictably it's raining for our session at Bedford autod drone still rather than give up and hide in the pit garage we thought we'd bring you a track battle with a difference so sit back and enjoy aial Aton 3.5r versus an English summers's day it's a battle against the elements more than anything else so it's going to be interesting and we actually considered just scrubbing this today but then we thought you know what we've got an aerial atom we've got a deserted racetrack so what the hell we're just going to go out and have some fun so far from stopping play I think rain will facilitate play today woohoo Jesus there's like a time of wave just come in the side of the car what a ridiculous day to be driving this but I wouldn't miss it for the world I've got a waterproof suit on that makes me look like I'm an expert from the deadliest cat it's just shot up my trailer Leg that is ridiculous you have to be so careful on the standing water both under power and under the brakes obviously there's no ABS no traction control I'm absolutely freezing this is the end of May in Britain everyone one of the most interesting upgrades on this car are the oin dampers the TTX Stampers they've got about a million different settings for bump and rebound they're Exquisite to look at and they give the car such pliancy but such control atoms always used to feel a little bit tense and a little bit hard to read you didn't get so much feel from them at the point you needed it now with these o Stampers it's such a transparent car it gives you so much confidence and yet as a road car it still has the pancy to work so you're not totally compromising the weekend toy running these it really is so so wet out here and with so much talk you can just surf along in fourth and fifth really this is fourth gear W wheel spinning fifth just get such a rush in this car it is exceptionally exciting everything about it the sharpness of the throttle the pure anger of that supercharged engine it's just like someone's put a power drill to the side of your Stull when you've got your foot on the throttle this six-speed box is a hell of a chunk of money it's a good 20 grand it just totally completes the car the six-speed manual is a nice box it's got a great shift but the lever was always a bit too far back which made the driving position feel a little bit awkward you don't have that now you just got this Mighty shift it's 40 milliseconds on up shift I think it's 50 milliseconds on downshift but it makes an already manic car totally Bonkers cuz it's utterly unrelenting in its acceleration you don't have to take your hands from the steering wheel which is a good thing believe me and it just matches the character of the engine to a T I hope you can hear the gunshot reports from the exhaust as well cuz that is just such a crazy noise to go with this Buzz saw wine I've always been a huge huge fan of krums and I still love the 620r to bits I would kill for one of those and given the choice I think I've always ear on the side of katum but this car big money though it is he every bit every bit as exciting as anything I've ever driven on track I think and what's more it's not just about lap time it has that side to its character that infectious just being an ass character that I think is an absolute essential quality in a track day car otherwise what's the point just buy a racing car if you want to go for lap time I just could carry on driving this thing all day around here I can't get any wetter I need windscreen wipers on my crash helmet but I just can't believe how drivable this thing is it should be spitting us off at every opportunity Britain might be utterly useless at summer but we make the best lightweight track and road sports cars in the world it's such a shame that we can't do a lap time in this car and we really will do our best to get it back when it's sunny cuz I'd be fascinated to see what it would do all out but for now the fun you can have in this thing is just off the scale what a fantastic machinethis is the atom 3.5r Ariel's most extreme atom since the crazy V8 and the most comprehensive Evolution since the atom adopted Honda power so what's changed well for starters it now has three 350 horsepower and 243 ftlb of torque that equates to a power to weight ratio of 636 brake horsepower per ton and a not 100 mph time of just 6 seconds starting price for the 3.5r is £65,000 but spec one like this test car and you can add another 30k to that figure 20,000 of that goes on the sadev pneumatic paddle shift transmission then there's the carbon Arrow kit side pods containing charge cooler and oil cooler beautiful oand TTX 36 spring damper units plus V8 spec magnesium rims big alcom brakes and sticky kho extra rubber the only optional extra not on Ariel's list is sunshine which is a shame as predictably it's raining for our session at Bedford autod drone still rather than give up and hide in the pit garage we thought we'd bring you a track battle with a difference so sit back and enjoy aial Aton 3.5r versus an English summers's day it's a battle against the elements more than anything else so it's going to be interesting and we actually considered just scrubbing this today but then we thought you know what we've got an aerial atom we've got a deserted racetrack so what the hell we're just going to go out and have some fun so far from stopping play I think rain will facilitate play today woohoo Jesus there's like a time of wave just come in the side of the car what a ridiculous day to be driving this but I wouldn't miss it for the world I've got a waterproof suit on that makes me look like I'm an expert from the deadliest cat it's just shot up my trailer Leg that is ridiculous you have to be so careful on the standing water both under power and under the brakes obviously there's no ABS no traction control I'm absolutely freezing this is the end of May in Britain everyone one of the most interesting upgrades on this car are the oin dampers the TTX Stampers they've got about a million different settings for bump and rebound they're Exquisite to look at and they give the car such pliancy but such control atoms always used to feel a little bit tense and a little bit hard to read you didn't get so much feel from them at the point you needed it now with these o Stampers it's such a transparent car it gives you so much confidence and yet as a road car it still has the pancy to work so you're not totally compromising the weekend toy running these it really is so so wet out here and with so much talk you can just surf along in fourth and fifth really this is fourth gear W wheel spinning fifth just get such a rush in this car it is exceptionally exciting everything about it the sharpness of the throttle the pure anger of that supercharged engine it's just like someone's put a power drill to the side of your Stull when you've got your foot on the throttle this six-speed box is a hell of a chunk of money it's a good 20 grand it just totally completes the car the six-speed manual is a nice box it's got a great shift but the lever was always a bit too far back which made the driving position feel a little bit awkward you don't have that now you just got this Mighty shift it's 40 milliseconds on up shift I think it's 50 milliseconds on downshift but it makes an already manic car totally Bonkers cuz it's utterly unrelenting in its acceleration you don't have to take your hands from the steering wheel which is a good thing believe me and it just matches the character of the engine to a T I hope you can hear the gunshot reports from the exhaust as well cuz that is just such a crazy noise to go with this Buzz saw wine I've always been a huge huge fan of krums and I still love the 620r to bits I would kill for one of those and given the choice I think I've always ear on the side of katum but this car big money though it is he every bit every bit as exciting as anything I've ever driven on track I think and what's more it's not just about lap time it has that side to its character that infectious just being an ass character that I think is an absolute essential quality in a track day car otherwise what's the point just buy a racing car if you want to go for lap time I just could carry on driving this thing all day around here I can't get any wetter I need windscreen wipers on my crash helmet but I just can't believe how drivable this thing is it should be spitting us off at every opportunity Britain might be utterly useless at summer but we make the best lightweight track and road sports cars in the world it's such a shame that we can't do a lap time in this car and we really will do our best to get it back when it's sunny cuz I'd be fascinated to see what it would do all out but for now the fun you can have in this thing is just off the scale what a fantastic machine\n"