The Final Part of Our Stripped Out Sports Car Challenge

We welcome back to the final part of our stripped out Sports Car Challenge featuring track-oriented cars with only one purpose in life, which is to flippin' fast. We started with four of the best examples available, all of which cost less than £53,000. However, this is a take-no-prisoners knockout contest, and we've now lost two of the contenders. The Xenos failed to make the cut when it came to some fleet-footed maneuvers through the cones, while a Radical couldn't cut the mustard when we put pedal to the metal in our acceleration contest.

This leaves us with these two cars: the Ariel Atom and the Caterham. Both of these cars are designed to go around racetracks, so appropriately, we're gonna finish with a race. We'll be doing a rolling start, and I've given Karoon the inside line for turbo on the Bucking Bronco. "It's an age thing," I said, but I let the old man have a nice comfortable drive. Meanwhile, I'm going to take the Ariel Atom when it gets the spray champagne and kiss the pretty girl.

We're doing a two-lap race over, with a rolling start. On the inside line for Turbo on Cuz, I think this car is quite a bit better than the Caterham. "It's an age thing," but I let the old man have a nice comfortable drive. On the other hand, I'm going to take the Bucking Bronco when it gets the spray champagne and kiss the pretty girl.

As we begin the race, Karoon is driving the defensive right. The only way she's gonna win this is by not making any mistakes. But wait, the Caterham is struggling for traction! Its front end is so light relative to the other car that a light front end means a lack of grip, which gives the car a very nervous and unpredictable field.

The host is shouting encouragement, "Oh, make sure he doesn't get pause!" Karoon's dedication is pretty quick in a straight line, but it will struggle for traction. The Caterham's front end is so light that it can't provide enough grip to keep up with the other cars. The host thinks too much oversteer there, and it's gonna run on me to the outside! "I think we've had enough for this," he says.

As we move on to the next challenge, Karoon is driving the Ariel Atom, which is handling beautifully. It has fabulous traction in comparison to the Caterham, and it's very much more drivable. The host thinks that too much oversteer will be a problem, but Karoon is battling with the car's weight distribution.

The host is laughing as he describes the battle between Karoon and the Ariel Atom. "I've been a fast lift," he says, "can easily just shift mid-corner." But wait, what's this? The cat is out of the bag – the Caterham is struggling on the grass. "Oh no!" the host exclaims.

But then, something unexpected happens. Karoon gets beautiful composure and grip from her car. It's popular fun to drive, but she can't live with it! Every slide makes it impossible for her to make a piece of track in front of us. "I've got some space," she says. The Caterham is so dumped that the host thinks it can't keep up.

The final challenge has ended, and we're left with one car standing: the Ariel Atom. It won all three challenges by a country mile! But don't get me wrong – this car may not be ideal for shopping trips. When it comes to fun through the country lanes or flat out on the track, however, it reigns supreme.

It is worth mentioning that this has been an enjoyable experience and we can't wait to see what's next in our Sports Car Challenge

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enwelcome back to the final part of our stripped out Sports Car Challenge featuring track orientated cars with only one purpose in life during flippin fast we started with four of the best examples available all of which cost less than 53,000 pounds but this is a take-no-prisoners knockout contest so we've now lost two of the contenders the xenos failed to make the cut when it came to some fleet-footed maneuvers through the cones and a radical couldn't cut the mustard when we put pedal to the metal in our acceleration contest which leaves us with these the Ariel Atom and the Caterham now both of these cars are designed to go around racetracks so appropriately we're gonna finish with a race who drives which well you're a bit shorter than me so you can have that you can have a small one I'm having a big one oh it's a race over two laps we're gonna do a rolling start I've given karoon the inside line for turbo on cuz I actually think this cars quite a bit better than the Caterham it's an age thing but I let the old man have a nice comfortable Drive I'm gonna take the bucking bronco when it gets the spray champagne and kiss the pretty girl whisper whisper whisper but on the inside for the fast torrent okay get it through war walking you're nervous is dedication is pretty quick in a straight line but it will struggle for traction its front end of the Caterham are so light relative to the other car and a light front end means a lack of grip which gives the car a very nervous and unpredictable field Oh make sure he doesn't get pause yes go go go go go go I am driving the defensive right it's the only way I'm gonna win this these actions it's got fabulous traction in comparison the Caterham it's very much more drivable I think too much oversteer there it's gonna run on me to the outside I think we've had enough for this 3 plus plastic down here yeah I just way too much speed up Ariel is so dumped and the fast corners this thing I'm fighting with it I've been a fast lift JP can easily just shift mid-corner roids here we go on the grass the flick of a switch like Lincoln Papa Wade's battling with this death do you know what just got beautiful composure and grip great front end don't bite me please don't bite me please don't like me please don't bite me thank you it's popular fun to drive I mean it is grateful don't get me wrong but he's just pulling further and further away with every slide that I have every gear ship will need to make pieces inching further away from me he can't live with us no chance I could drive this car all day long it's balanced it's fun it's enjoyable I've got some space that was your limousine right this thing is just amazing in it yeah thanks to a perfect blend of balanced traction lightness and power the atom won all three challenges by a country mile it may not be ideal for the shopping run but when it comes to some fun through the country lanes or flat out on the track the 3.5 R reigns supreme youwelcome back to the final part of our stripped out Sports Car Challenge featuring track orientated cars with only one purpose in life during flippin fast we started with four of the best examples available all of which cost less than 53,000 pounds but this is a take-no-prisoners knockout contest so we've now lost two of the contenders the xenos failed to make the cut when it came to some fleet-footed maneuvers through the cones and a radical couldn't cut the mustard when we put pedal to the metal in our acceleration contest which leaves us with these the Ariel Atom and the Caterham now both of these cars are designed to go around racetracks so appropriately we're gonna finish with a race who drives which well you're a bit shorter than me so you can have that you can have a small one I'm having a big one oh it's a race over two laps we're gonna do a rolling start I've given karoon the inside line for turbo on cuz I actually think this cars quite a bit better than the Caterham it's an age thing but I let the old man have a nice comfortable Drive I'm gonna take the bucking bronco when it gets the spray champagne and kiss the pretty girl whisper whisper whisper but on the inside for the fast torrent okay get it through war walking you're nervous is dedication is pretty quick in a straight line but it will struggle for traction its front end of the Caterham are so light relative to the other car and a light front end means a lack of grip which gives the car a very nervous and unpredictable field Oh make sure he doesn't get pause yes go go go go go go I am driving the defensive right it's the only way I'm gonna win this these actions it's got fabulous traction in comparison the Caterham it's very much more drivable I think too much oversteer there it's gonna run on me to the outside I think we've had enough for this 3 plus plastic down here yeah I just way too much speed up Ariel is so dumped and the fast corners this thing I'm fighting with it I've been a fast lift JP can easily just shift mid-corner roids here we go on the grass the flick of a switch like Lincoln Papa Wade's battling with this death do you know what just got beautiful composure and grip great front end don't bite me please don't bite me please don't like me please don't bite me thank you it's popular fun to drive I mean it is grateful don't get me wrong but he's just pulling further and further away with every slide that I have every gear ship will need to make pieces inching further away from me he can't live with us no chance I could drive this car all day long it's balanced it's fun it's enjoyable I've got some space that was your limousine right this thing is just amazing in it yeah thanks to a perfect blend of balanced traction lightness and power the atom won all three challenges by a country mile it may not be ideal for the shopping run but when it comes to some fun through the country lanes or flat out on the track the 3.5 R reigns supreme you\n"