allegretto

While I've never driven one, we've seen a few at our track.They have never been as fast as billed. Owners say they are very tail-happy.

What has your experience been like?

dp35

At first, before I got used to it and learned how to drive a car so light & with so much power/weight, it was tail happy and hard to drive at the limit. But with seat time I got a lot better, and now its just a blast to drive. Learning how to drive this car has been awesome. I'm no pro, not even a racer, but I do alright in mine.

Like 911's, Atoms have around 60% of their weight on the rear axle, so they will oversteer at the limit. Combine that with lots of power and absolutely NO driver aids, and inexperienced drivers will have problems.

Also, like a kart, the Atom's chassis likes to be "set" into corners, and if you don't drive it hard enough it won't handle well. That's probably what most people don't realize.

Unfortunately, there are only a few of us that track our Atoms regularly. Most Atom owners don't ever track their cars, and others do occaissionally but don't go fast.

An Atom is not right for everyone. Personally I like the fact that it has no traction control, ABS, power steering, power brakes, etc. The challenge of driving something so responsive and visceral is very rewarding. I'm not the type to have something like a Nissan GT-R, or even paddle shifting for track use.

Here's a video from Laguna Seca (including a Rennlister).

prg

There are a couple guys that track their atoms frequently at Hallett in Oklahoma. I'd been told that they understeered pretty severely when the power was applied. Is this what your talking about when you say they handle badly if you don't push it hard enough? These were comments of racers who didn't own the cars. Perhaps they weren't willling to aggressively trail brake and rotate someone elses car to get the best out of it. I've driven some formula cars that understeered badly when driven at 8-9/10ths, but were great when braked late with a lot of trail braking to initiate rotation.

They ran the atoms with the open wheelers at my last race weekend. They were running laps 6 seconds faster than the z06's on Hoosiers when they were in the street car group. It was a little bit of an adjustment for the atom guys to get used to being lapped!

dp35

I know those Hallett guys from the Atom forum, and they're some of the few that track theirs often. One of them is drag racing legend Eddie Hill. Those guys are using Dunlops slicks made for Radicals, and are improving all the time. Atoms are unique because they've never been raced or developed at all, so there's lots of room for improvement. Right now, they're faster than street cars and slower than open wheel racers.

I haven't experienced much understeer, but as you know, when a car is driven too slow and given lots of steering input, anything can happen. Ususally its power oversteer. These problems are worse with cool tires, another symptom of not driving it hard enough.

prg

Eddie Hill is a really fun guy to be around. He pits right next to the shop than runs my open wheeler. When you see him in a group, he looks like the guy thats gone 300mph!

RSA333

I drove the Caparo T1 and I think it is the best street legal prototype.

dp35

Wow, you are a lucky guy. More people have driven F1 cars than Caparos. No doubt that WOULD be the best street legal prototype, but its not even available yet, and I hadn't heard anything about it being sold or street legal in the US. Have you?

richard glickel

Ron,

Here's a different option. I saw a new Lotus 2-eleven @ Monticello this week and couldn't help imagining what fun that car must be on track. Toyota supercharged engine should deliver reliable fun for a good long while, I'd think.

Keep the 997 for daily driver and occasional PCA D.E. and drive that little Lotus on track every chance you get.

Richard

allegretto

Yeah, there's one at my track too. $80K,no bargain!

After my Cup 255 experience,and dealing with Lotus Reps,NEVER AGAIN!

But to be fair, there are others with different experiences.

In any case, prepare to break down.

Ron Cohn

I'll keep a lookout for the 211. I had considered this car too, along with the Ariel Atom. I had a ride in the Ariel once before but have not driven it.

Safety is an issue. These small cars run with the larger Porsche, Vettes and others on track days. Not too wise to tangle with any of these.

richard glickel

Funny that you'd mention the Vette, which I think is still "the best bang for the buck" as compared to the euro high performance cars. The new ZR1 looks fairly amazing to me.

Richard

Johninrsf

Most of the people I know who race Porsches started out being intoxicated by speed. Then, they realized that they got more satisfaction in winning their Class (even tho it may not have been the fastest Class on the track). Finally, over time, most of us realize that one of racing's greatest pleasures comes from the friends we make who all share the same passion for the Porsche marque and racing. In PCA and POC Club racing, I believe we have an outstanding group of individuals who, although from different backgrounds and with different financial capabilities, have a great time racing together and bonding around our favorite subject, Porsches.
I'm not sure you get that same type pf experience driving an Atom or Radical.
If you love Porsches, why not track/race one?

Giacomo

I love the direction Lotus has gone in the last decade. Who else makes 200+ hp cars that weigh 2000 lbs and are street legal?

trackjunky

+1

allegretto

Riiiight...

That's why one of those cars turns about a second or two faster than a 2350 lb 120 HP Spec Miata.

Don't drink the Kool-Aid, those are the "specs", not the cars.