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That is one seriously cool car OP. 5 years ago I bought a Ford Sierra Cosworth RS500 and it was one the best decisions I ever made. I grew up watching the BTCC and used to go and watch a lot of races with my dad and always lusted after an RS500 but never thought I'd get the chance to drive one let alone own one.
I'm just here to press the virtual like button - that's a fantastic choice OP.
Of course, once the grass verges grow to 3ft high in the summer now that councils are all skint, the best vehicle to maintain a decent sight line round a corner is a van, but the Atom should be fun nonetheless 🙂
A 5am summertime drive over to Applecross in something like that is the stuff of dreams.
Proper man maths
Well done
Not jealous at all......
Very nice OP. Just hope you do better than me with my silly car purchase...
I did similar man maths with a car purchase 10 years ago....still got the car, it’s lost quite a lot of money if I was to sell it. Only gets used about 4 times a year, one of those is to get it serviced the other is taking it for an MOT.
I am in the Midlands though so have to admit the roads down here aren’t the best. And I’m a rubbish driver so that doesn’t help!
My mates brother got one, he was on the waiting list ages then ran it for a year and sold it at a decent profit
I've driven an Atom on the track - not the easiest of things to drive, and quite frightening having just come out of a GTR. Power nothing. On the track day we had to drive it in second gear only as we'd most likely crash on a gear change and spin off as it was slightly damp. Scared the crap out of me.
What’s one of them then?
Making progress and being awesome.
A more responsible vehicle for the road which would be fun without ridiculous speeds would be the Caterham 7 160. All the fun but with much less power and really can be enjoyed at safer speeds unlike claiming an Atom can be.
Who should I be looking at to include track day insurance?
OP – interested to know if you are going down the helmet route or just sunglasses.
Try this list:
A-Plan 01635 874646
Adrian Flux 0800 369 8590
Classic Line 01455 639000
HIC 0330 123 1844
Lloyd & Whyte 01823 250700
MSM 01279 870535
Pace Ward 01782 286311
REIS 0115 965 1020
Moris 020 3427 5960
Helmet for most trips. It's quieter, warmer and gives you more protection plus there's an intercomm for passenger chats, phone and music.
Sunglasses don't cut it. You need a seal around the eyes really so I have ESS Advancer ballistic goggles but folk use Skiing goggles, Skydiving glasses etc. Even with goggles and a mask getting hit by a bumble bee at 50mph is never fun and gravel even less so.
A more responsible vehicle for the road which would be fun without ridiculous speeds would be the Caterham 7 160.
You're probably spot on there TBH but I just want to experience a supercharged Atom. For the roads I drive an early R53 Cooper S would probably be all I'd ever need.
Anyway, I'm playing the long game. After the Atom, any other fun car - no matter how ridiculous - will seem like a sensible choice to Her Indoors....
Wonderful stuff!
I've considered the same (expensive sportscar, keep for a couple of years, sell before much depreciation) before, since single, no kids, no mortgage. Just short of the £40k! I also don't think I'd get away with parking it in the residents parking zone outside my city centre flat!
I actually think that a nice, light car that is low to the ground and has a nice feel to it makes for the best drive. Loved taking my 140hp MX5 around the highlands, and also enjoyed borrowing a pal's S1 Elise that didn't have much power but felt amazing! I had a 250hp Saab Estate that, while much faster, wasn't exactly exciting to drive.
I was cycling across the Flow Country in Caithness last summer (a huge big empty moor/bog near the NC500) when 5 Atoms in a row came past - everyone looked like they were having a great time and we were all waving to each other.
I’ve always been a fan but could only afford an ep3 type r, I can only imagine how well the drivetrain works in car like the atom.
Hadn't realised they had Type R engines, if I knew how to post vids I'd drop the latest one I got from my eldest - he's rebuilt his EP3 engine (again), previously he'd got it to 450bhp (turbo'd) and now up to 611bhp...
Nope, running costs would be so much higher as I'd be driving it far more. It looks great and would great to just drive. I'm no boy racer and I enjoy driving so something like that would have me out for a drive at ever opportunity.
I'd love a Nomad. I'd need the suspension for the potholes, and the rally style lightbar as the only way to get a clear road round these parts would be to wait for 4am.
Now, where would I store it, and how will I pay for it?
Brilliant.
VS bikes, I reckon you've got all the advantages (crazy acceleration, direct feeling to the road), with slightly less overtaking as you still need a cars width for that, but with the massive advantage of being able to recover a loss of grip if you hit mud/oil on a corner, and crash protection.
I own a 140bhp v-twin motorbike and riding on the road is less and less appealing with the amount of people on phones/not paying attention etc.
Plus, you get an epiglottis full of beeees! Obviously.
Not quite an Atom but maybe too much power, cold tyres , and very lightweight
Man maths is winning there, lovely thing!
My cousin has one of the original Atoms, he could easily sell it for near what he paid for it despite it being thrashed and not kept particularly clean. I've never driven his but have had a go in one at an Experience Day a few years ago, drove a Caterham, F430 and a Gallardo on the same day. The Ferrari and Lambo were just big, fast cars with loud exhausts. The Caterham was lovely and raw, really enjoyed that despite it being the slowest car on track.
The Atom though, oh my God!! They were only letting people drive it who could show they were safe in the other cars, not many were making it that far. Thankfully as I'd driven the Caterham before it the instructor knew I could cope with a lively chassis (his words) so got to go in the Atom. First run was gentle, no throttle until in 5th gear then only shortish bursts on the straights. Such an impression just from that. Idle to the rev limiter was pretty much instant! The second run (was only meant to be one run but the instructor was in a playful mood due to the Caterham, it only runs on certain days) and he got me to floor it in second all the way up to 6th out of the pits. I had real trouble changing gears fast enough while keeping it in a straight line. An absolute animal of a machine.
You'll either love it or stick it in a hedge 🤣
Hadn’t realised they had Type R engines, if I knew how to post vids I’d drop the latest one I got from my eldest – he’s rebuilt his EP3 engine (again), previously he’d got it to 450bhp (turbo’d) and now up to 611bhp…
I'd be interested...
I had an EP3 CTR, and would look at the bolt on superchargers (never got one)... would take it to 300BHP immediately, 380ish with intercooler..
I could just IMAGINE what that engine, in a go cart would be like!!!!
Good choice OP!!
DrP
Great cars those. I've been lucky enough to have driven a couple on track and they're certainly a lot of fun. I'm no driving expert either but they're not intimidating to drive fast.
Jealous.
Of all the cars that have appeared on Top Gear, the Atom is the one that sticks in my memory and I'd love to have a go in one. Doubt my driving is up to dealing with its "livelyness" though!
Of all the cars that have appeared on Top Gear, the Atom is the one that sticks in my memory and I’d love to have a go in one. Doubt my driving is up to dealing with its “livelyness” though!
TBH I'm not finding it as intimidating as I feared. Let the tyres warm up a bit. Do your braking and gear selection in a straight line and don't apply the throttle too eagerly as you exit the corner. Much like a big sportsbike really. You can drive it slowly as well and just bimble about if the fancy takes you.
Obviously I've got a long way to go with it though.
Very nice.
My boss has a Nomad, bloody mental things, perfect for the rough roads around here!
Great stuff OP. You are only here once, if you can afford it then why not. Hope you enjoy it. I had a mate who had an elise as a track day car. It was his hobby and passion and he spent most weekends in Anglesey at the Ty Croes track.
If i could afford it I would buy something unusual but fun and just keep it. good for you!!
Needs to be narrower than 1.85m to fit down the side of the house though.
The answer would be a Caterham then. Rumour has it that when we shortened our garage, *just* enough room was left to fit a se7en in, as long as it didn't have a spare tyre fitted...
Nice, I bought a Caterham 20 years ago, used to do track days, at least one a month for a good few years. But haven't done one for years now. I never used to bother with track day insurance it wasn't worth the cost.
I still have the caterham though, it sits in the garage and never gets used these days, it's just no fun on the roads round here, no sooner do you over take one car then you're up behind the next 30 seconds later.
That atom won't be expensive to run, and you'll get your money back when you come to sell it.
Epic! Although BAngernomics may be a stretch...
On the basis that all moderately desirable cars are way cooler as daily drivers...
Two things:
- When I lived in London, I'd often park next to an Atom at Sainsburys - someone was using it for supermarket shopping. You should do so, if only to justify the man maths.
- Where do the bikes go?
Don't know if I missed it, but wOOdster... I now need to know what car you bought?
OP.... can't really think of anything that would put a smile on my face a lot more than an Atom. Every time I go go-kart racing I feel like I'm flying (probably only about 20mph) so God knows what you must feel like.
Dear OP,
you lucky, lucky bast... ( please see Life of Brian for finish)!
I posted recently about getting a fiesta st - for various reasons, its not happening.
I'm poor! I cant afford expensive cars!
However, i have had 2 "drivers" cars in the past. A DC2 and '72 Mini with a 1380 in it.
The DC2 was incredible, much better car than i am a driver, but it could get you banned "nae danger".
The Mini, would be lucky if i got it over a ton, but no matter where i went in it, it was a bloody hoot!
So i think i get what you say about the Atom. Some one else said they have just sold their GR4! Bloody hell, left arm for a shot of it time... but i can see what they mean!
If you can have fun in the Atom, without triple figure speeds (or not :)) then you knock yersel out bigman!
I'm well jel!
Great choice! Atom isn't about straight line speed. It's all handling and exiting corners like its attached to a steam catapult. Bangernomics is possibly stretching it a bit.
Now it just needs tuning. mate of mine does this....
His brother puts K20s and supercharged K20s in Elises. Now they are special.
looks great fun. And even less practical than a motorbike ... 🙂
Love those cars. I want a nomad though.
Plus want to get my hands on the father in laws lotus 7 or jps elan
well done op. dead jealous.
if i could i`d have a caterham 7 tomorrow. driven one a few times. easily the closest to bike fun levels ive found on 4 wheels.
just go out in it early sunday mornings and you`ll have a blast!
A while ago I thought about the idea of a fun car for my retirement years. The trouble is I live on the coast down in the South East. Most of the summer ( and especially this one) it is rammed. Add to that the general awful standard of driving in the Brighton area, the std of road care that East and West Sussex councils offer, the vague OAP driving that scares me shitless on a bike etc, and it all becomes a little pointless - living in Scotland, you have a huge advantage - and the lack of body work will let all the rain out.
I went to look at a Cayman - it was in Chichester, a 30 mins drive from me. It took 1 3/4 hours because of the traffic.
I ended up buying a sensible car instead - and another motorbike.
Looks like it would be fun but I imagine the novelty of driving it on the road would wear off pretty quickly. That said it's in a different league performance wise to anything I've ever driven so I'd love to have a go in one.
Chapeau to the OP... The very dictionary definition of man maths! 👍🏻
Just going through the current conundrum myself... Have decided not to move house now until GF's kids have finished school, so another 2-3 years... That means the £20k I'd got saved to go towards the house move can be "re-invested" for a while, and my current BMW 135i is now worth more than I paid for it so probably get £10.5k back for that...
Which brings me neatly onto looking at BMW M2's... 😁
Great car OP!
Make sure you have an agreed value on the insurance and don't crash it!
(they fold up nicely because those lovely looking curved side tubes are not in pure compression........)
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Thought I'd give a wee update on living with an Atom.
It took a while until I got to drive it. Bad weather slowed down the garage building process throughout May so I didn't bring it to its new home til the end of that month.
Initial thoughts were it was easy enough to bimble about in but trying to drive it quicker? I really thought: "What the **** have I done?" I could drive my diesel Focus quicker.
The acceleration was phenomenal. The assault on the senses terrific but cornering induced a sphincter tightening sense of uneasiness that left me concerned that I'd be going backwards through a hedge sometime soon. Getting the thing sideways on cold tyres a few times didn't help along with a few over zealous applications of the throttle that did the same.
Anyway, I persevered and things came together a little more. Then, a long chat with local Atom guru Nev Wood was illuminating. "Treat it like a big bike," he said, "Plan your corners ahead, get your gearchanging and braking done in good time and drive it through the corner. Don't apply the throttle until you've straightened up on exit. Especially in the lower gears."
He talked me through car setup as well and confirmed I was doing everything right. A bit more practice following Nev's advice and I was starting to get on the money.
The Atom has a lot of engine braking - like a bike - and is very torquey too so it's easy to drive without changing gear too much. You can make pretty rapid progress without too much fuss and you find yourself having fun without having to hit very high speeds. There's always that mad loud pedal to give you a giggle on the straights or overtaking.
It makes you a more courteous driver too. You don't need to press on and keep your speed up because you've got so much acceleration to despatch slower vehicles or just get back up to speed after slowing down for hazards.
Every drive is an event. I feel a tingle of excitement before every outing. People point and wave so you wave back. All the time. When you stop, people come up and take photos and ask questions. Every time.
Currently on holiday in Strathconon. Her Indoors brought the kids up in the Galaxy and I brought the Atom. What a hoot! Over the Lecht, Granton-on-Spey to Aviemore then Inverness and Muir of Ord. Just drove up to Gairloch on the A832 past Loch Maree (pic above) then back.
It's very tactile. You can feel (and see) what the car's doing all the time and the feedback is sensational. Her Indoors likes it because it's "like being outside".
So, sorry for going on but now absolutely loving it. I'm smiling behind my mirrored visor on even the most mundane bits of any drive.
The engine braking in my ep3 was so much that I learnt to heel toe, it made for much smoother down changes.
Having driven a caterham and an atom I'd have a caterham. Mainly for the comfy seat. The atom is bonkers in every way. It's a hard thing not to love for the sheer absurdness of it. Fair play!
I get the same cheesy grin driving my vw bay window van. It's daft, expensive, and pointless, it's mainly rust but I love it.
Yeah, been playing about with heel and toeing. I can see it being useful but I'm not very good yet....
Finding the hard plastic seats surprisingly comfy so far. Maybe coz I'm concentrating too hard to notice they're uncomfortable? 😆
Love it! Great update - enjoy!
Not jealous at all, still would love another go in one. Enjoy it!
Every drive is an event. I feel a tingle of excitement before every outing. People point and wave so you wave back. All the time. When you stop, people come up and take photos and ask questions. Every time.
Exactly what a second, fun car should be. Something different to the usual that puts a smile on your face and cheers others up.
Nice to see someone expressing the fun of driving a nice car, which doesn’t always appear allowed here
I bet it’s worth at least £5-10k more than you bought it for at the moment too !
My initial issue with heel toe is that the name is confusing as you definitely don't use your heel! It's more like big toe, little toe. I don't know what the Atoms pedals are like but it can make a difference to how easy it is, I find brake pedal a bit higher than accelerator is ideal. Practicing can make a drive more enjoy but lack of enjoyment probably isn't an issue for you.