11/22/05 I've been looking for a fun way to put on the remainder of the 1200 break-in miles. Coincidentally I've also been meaning to make a trip down south to Ashland, to visit Brammo Motorsports. They are now manufacturing the Ariel Atom under license for sale in the US and it's a car I've had a long-standing interest in. The round trip is around 700 miles, just about perfect. With the weather being unseasonably nice lately I finally decided to go for it. So yesterday I called up Craig (the company founder), made arrangements and headed out. The drive down last night was uneventful. The Monster makes a great freeway cruiser (well, aside from its thirst that is). Plenty of power to pass people, whether they want to be passed or not. 90 mph is about 3250 rpm in 7th gear, the engine pulls with authority from here without downshifting but since a drop of a gear or two is just a finger flick away I'd often do it just to hear the throttle blip. Gas mileage on the freeway is better, too - got almost 16 mpg out of a tank on the way down. Arriving in Ashland I take a wrong turn (how, I don't know - the hotel is plainly visible from the exit) and after a mile or so pull up in front of a 7-11. Pull out the laptop, grab an available wi-fi link (out of 3 within range), pull up the hotel website, plug the address into the nav, then have it lead me right back to the freeway where the hotel is right in front of my nose, larger than life. Duh. Well, at least I got to play with all the high-tech toys.

In the morning it's frosty but the sun is coming out and the fog is clearing. The Monster's windows are iced over. This could get interesting...

The goal is to drive the Atom on some fun roads. In anticipation of chilly temperatures I brought a warm jacket, windproof ski pants, gloves, and a helmet. The unknown is how much ice remains on the roads from a storm a couple of weeks ago. After my usual Balance bar breakfast I head over to Brammo. The facility proves very difficult to find (later I'm told they want it this way for now). Showing up at the listed address puts one in front of a mailbox at the edge of an empty field. This is pretty stealth. A phonecall results in directions and soon I'm looking at the Atom in the flesh. But first, a bit of background. Brammo was founded to produce an American supercar, powered by a version of the Falconer V12 (see their website for details). As the development continues Craig has been looking for some projects to make use of the facilities and resources he has put together. Eventually this led him to the Atom project. To prepare for production, the car was completely reverse-engineered and put into SolidWorks.

From there, full fixturing was developed including a motion-controlled rotisserie fixture that can be adopted for robotic welding down the line (for now the welds are done manually). The chassis was broken down to pre-made laser cut CNC bent tubing for ease and consistency of manufacturing. Several improvements have been made to the chassis including better occupant protection.

This is serious stuff and not just some backyard shop. Cool :) Separately, I saw a RST V8 motor sitting around, along with a 6-speed sequential gearbox. When queried, Craig said Brammo now sells therese in the US - another side project. Almost 400 hp from a tiny package that weighs 190 lbs complete with the tranny. The only problem is cost - $44K for the motor and another $17K for the box. A complete, ready-to-roll Atom can be had for less than just this motor! It'll be interesting to see who buys these and for what use. The V8 destined for dp1 is much more realistically priced, although a bit bigger and about 50 lbs heavier. Still, the RST is a beautifully executed piece of machinery. Very neat.

With the factory tour completed it's time to go for a drive....

This particular Atom is powered by a 220 hp Honda motor. Several versions equipped with a GM Ecotec motor will also be available. I put on the warm clothing, attach the camera to my helmet and set out towards the hills...

Getting in consists of simply stepping over the side tubes and sliding down into the seat. At idle the engine transmits some vibration to the chassis and seat (no worse than the Westie did, but I'm told even this will be ironed out for production). I've heard the term 'four-wheel motorcylce' quite a few times, always an exaggeration used to describe merely impractical cars by people who don't understand motorcycles. THIS, however, is IT. You can see both front wheels through the bodywork as you drive. There is zero wind or weather protection and, in my opinion at least, a full-face helmet is mandatory. Pulling away is much easier than it was in the Westie, with the Honda automotive powerplant being much better adapted to the mundane task of getting the car off the line than the Hayabusa mill. Once moving, the experience is raw and tactile but does not hammer you unduly. I'd say the Atom is between the Elise and the Westie in this regard. In many ways it is what the Elise should have been - an unashamed toy with no pretense of being a 'real' car. The Elise with its windshield, top, 'normal' interior, doors, etc., leads one to expect a certain level of refinement (which it ultimately falls a little short on) and yet all those things dilute its focus as a toy. I guess the 340R fixed much of that but I've never driven one so can't say. Handling-wise the Atom is very direct though in my opinion the car I drove could use some development in terms of geometry settings and damping, something Craig said they're working on. It's a little darty, taking tuns in two steps - initial leap, then a set. The Westie used to do that when I had too much rear toe-in. The Atom would also benefit from reducing unsprung weight - the wheels tend to bounce a bit too much under this light chassis. I think SSR comps might be called for, along maybe with lighter brake calipers. Power is very satisfying but not overwhelming - just about right. There are more powerful versions planned, up to 300+ hp, but I wonder if that would just ruin the balance of the machine. I doubt it could usefully put that down. 220 hp in such a light device is FUN, however :)

Once out of town I quickly become comfortable with the car's character and proceed to blast around with a huge grin on my face. Nothing too crazy, just enough to feel out where the edges of the envelope might be and get a good idea of what this critter is about. Basic setup is mild understeer that can be easily neutralized with throttle - not unlike the Elise. The roads are mostly dry and gravel-free, the sun is out, and all is well with the world. It's a perfect escape from daily reality - just what such toys are about. The video shows some of the highlights. (17M)

The verdict? - I love it! I'm still grinning now, hours later. Yep, I ordered one. Due some time mid-spring, specs TBD.

On the way back home I took the Monster over the same road for a back-to-back comparison. A very different experience but what really surprised me is that I was able to carry a pace identical to the Atom, with more confidence and more in reserve. I'd say that in the real world, where you're not pushing beyond 7/10ths and staying well inside the comfort zone, the M5 is as fast or faster. I'm comfortable prodding the Monster a little at times, knowing it would playfully wag its tail but wouldn't bite. Nowhere near as extreme an experience as the somewhat-skittish Atom, but just as effective at getting down the road. And that is quite a testament to BMW's technical achievement. On a racetrack of course would be a different story, the M5's heft is likely to overwhelm its brakes and tires while the Atom would actually get to warm up its track shoes and put them to good use. Also to be fair I only had a short time in the Atom on an unfamiliar road (in the Bimmer I kinda knew what to expect road-wise, as well as much more seat time, both of which helped the confidence level) so don't take this as gospel - just a subjective opinion based on limited experience. Things may be different than they first appear. I guess I'll find out for sure in due time :) Regardless of real-world musings (who cares about the real world anyway!) the Atom is an awesome toy and I really look forward to its arrival in my garage.

In the middle of the woods I stopped by the side of the road to take in some air and a snack. After all the sound and fury everything is suddenly perfectly still. Only noise is a small creek making its way down the slope. Quite a contrast, as if I hit 'pause' on the whole world. Then - onward.

Done with the back roads and heading north on I-5, the Monster remains ever-playful launching itself through gaps in traffic. At some point a late-model Cadillac is taking up the left lane so I blip two gears down, dart right and floor it. I see the Caddy's tail drop and a cloud of smoke erupts from its exhaust as the driver tries to close the door on me before we catch up to a car in the right lane ahead of us. He doesn't have a prayer - blow him away as if he's standing still. This episode made me laugh out loud as the Caddy shrunk in the mirror. M POWER. And I wasn't even using half of it :) The Monster is also very confident in long sweepers as the freeway winds over mountain passes - much more so than the M Coupe was over the same roads, for example. Coolness.

Of course I hit Portland in rush hour and here the Monster's bulk is a liability - changing lanes is a chore although I finally figure out how to properly work the SMG box in stop-go traffic so at least that part is less of a hassle now (trick is to keep a bit of throttle on downshifting into 2nd and 1st, just enough to eliminate compression braking). The final stretch negotiated, the M5 is back in the garage sporting 1180 fun miles on its clock. Need to make the service appointment in the morning.