by Steve Garner » Tue Jan 26, 2010 9:01 am
Well I just read thru a lot of opinion and just a bit of fact so here goes MHO. I own and race a UK built Atom here in China and have been racing it for the past 5 years. Lots of wins and very few DNF's. I am an engineer and own a manufacturing company in China and believe after 30 years of working here that perhaps I have a bit more experience in China than perhaps a guy that just owns a TV that was made here. The opinion that China makes shoddy goods is sometimes true and often not. It depends, just as it does everywhere.
I have also visited the Ariel China factory and have raced a "made in China" Atom. I finished 2nd to a replica Lotus full race car in a race with 12 other street Lotus (the only class they let me race in) and thumped the other 11 cars. I have also visited the UK assembly shop They make nothing that I could see, but they do have a wonderful shop for assembly and very nice people working there.
The China factory is really nice. The jigs they use to fabricate the frame and the separate jig to measure and certify the frame is ingenious and excellent. As would be expected, many parts have to be imported and are exactly the same as is used in the UK plant. (Engine, trans, brakes, wheels, tires, instrument cluster, rod ends, ....
The local content is the chassis and the fiberglass bits and the beautiful finish. Expecting super low costs is silly given the high cost (duties) for importing most of the high cost items
Quality.. the car is excellent.
People at Ariel China are terrific and I would say that Peter is quite sincere that you are welcome to come see their plant.
The local beer is world famous. Not my favorite, but really pretty good. The hospitality is world class.
Well I just read thru a lot of opinion and just a bit of fact so here goes MHO. I own and race a UK built Atom here in China and have been racing it for the past 5 years. Lots of wins and very few DNF's. I am an engineer and own a manufacturing company in China and believe after 30 years of working here that perhaps I have a bit more experience in China than perhaps a guy that just owns a TV that was made here. The opinion that China makes shoddy goods is sometimes true and often not. It depends, just as it does everywhere.
I have also visited the Ariel China factory and have raced a "made in China" Atom. I finished 2nd to a replica Lotus full race car in a race with 12 other street Lotus (the only class they let me race in) and thumped the other 11 cars. I have also visited the UK assembly shop They make nothing that I could see, but they do have a wonderful shop for assembly and very nice people working there.
The China factory is really nice. The jigs they use to fabricate the frame and the separate jig to measure and certify the frame is ingenious and excellent. As would be expected, many parts have to be imported and are exactly the same as is used in the UK plant. (Engine, trans, brakes, wheels, tires, instrument cluster, rod ends, ....
The local content is the chassis and the fiberglass bits and the beautiful finish. Expecting super low costs is silly given the high cost (duties) for importing most of the high cost items
Quality.. the car is excellent.
People at Ariel China are terrific and I would say that Peter is quite sincere that you are welcome to come see their plant.
The local beer is world famous. Not my favorite, but really pretty good. The hospitality is world class.