Post
by Hedge » Mon Oct 01, 2018 11:41 am
Ok, so I appear to be one of the first people outside of the factory to have had a test drive in the 4. I didn't drive it, I was sat beside Ariel's development driver (Will). I can give you a few initial impressions of the car but there won't be much of a wait before all the various journalists at Autocar, PH, Top Gear, EVO etc do the same, since they're taking it in turn right now, having a car to test themselves.
To the naked eye it's clearly similar to any other Atom but, as I'm sure you're all aware by now, there are less than a handful of components carried over from the previous iteration. It's an Atom - of course - but just beefier. The front is bigger/ fuller - or less narrow, however you want to describe it. The tubing is fatter/ thicker. The rear deck is wider. The engine is (much) bigger. The fuel tank's on the other side. There's more room inside. Everything about it has changed - it seems that way. At least before you head off, that is....for this is very much a car greater than the sum of its parts, when it comes to changes over the 3.5.
The version I was pedalled in was a basic car. So, no big brakes. No fancy suspension. No CF boots. No engine upgrades. No additional aero. This version is going to cost around 40k.
It's worth pointing out that Will "can peddle". He's put 5k miles under the car we were in, since Jan. Fair to say it's well worn in. The first thing you notice is the ride. It's definitely more supple, more composed & more comfortable overall. You also notice the curious whistles going on behind your ear from the engine; they are a constant feature, whether you're pressing on or otherwise. A notable feature of the new engine (other than the sheer size of it) is the boost control settings. I think there's 4 (but it might only be 3). In quiet mode, it drives like an NA. Turn the boost up & it's a different story.
Ok, so it's worth stipulating here something about just how quick this car is. I'll have a go, anyway.
Put it this way: this thing will obliterate a 3.5R on the road. On track as well, I'd have thought (though obviously I can't verify for that). This is the bog standard 40k car, remember. I think a 3.5R is a 60+k car? The 4 is on a different level of quickness. If I say it's like night & day, you'll all probably - much like I did - shale your head, scratch your chins & mutter "wotevs" or "really?" under your breath. But, believe me, it is. It is SO BLOODY FAST, it's unreal. Added to that, is the composed way it steers/ grips through bends. As I say, Will can drive, but some of the speeds he was cornering at around the villages were nuts. On a totally different level to the 3.5 SC i had until recently.
It's like two cars in one, in essence. And this is before it gets the bigger brakes (AP, this time, not Alcons), the lighter wheels (there shall be a version made that sits in between the basic wheels & the CF ones), the Ohlins (about to go into development), the aero (MUCH more down force that previously & full width across the front, full "sides" down the back & any engine upgrade.
It'll be interesting to see how the scribes react to it.
Fire away with questions. I might be able to remember a few more bits about it, yet.
Cheers,
Hedge
