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Source: AP Racing post
COVENTRY, U.K. – The fourth generation of the highly acclaimed Ariel Atom, the Atom 4, is the fastest and most capable yet and when the company wanted to offer an upgraded braking package, it turned to AP Racing.
Winner of Britain’s Best Driver’s Car 2020, and the only vehicle in the preceding 12 months to receive a five-star Autocar road test, the Atom 4 is hailed as the model’s most significant transformation since the original car launched in 1999.
The new Atom brings a host of performance and design improvements while staying true to the model’s unique philosophy. Following upgrades to the engine, chassis, suspension and steering, the Somerset-based Ariel Motor Company knew that customers would need equally impressive braking performance. With 320bhp in a vehicle weighing just 595kg, the company turned to AP Racing, the world-renowned clutch and braking supplier, to explore an optional brake upgrade package.
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Thanks to an awareness of AP Racing’s reputation for high specification braking systems, including significant high-performance sportscar market coverage, Ariel tasked the supplier with designing a bespoke solution for their unique two-seater.
“Ever since it first reached customers in 2000, the Atom has continued to reinvent itself, becoming more impressive each time,” explained Matthew Dodd, key account manager, AP Racing. “Built around the idea of an attainable sportscar with rewarding performance that delivers sheer driving pleasure, the Atom 4 combines the best of British design, engineering and manufacturing. When it came time to develop a performance brake package upgrade, Ariel saw AP Racing as an ideal partner.
“From the outset, we worked alongside the in-house Ariel team to better understand the Atom 4’s stock braking performance and what we could do to improve it. Insight into how existing customers used their Atoms further highlighted the need to develop a braking system that would minimize weight and deliver the exceptional power required for track-enthusiast Atom 4 customers without compromising daily drivability.”
While the stock system uses two-piston calipers front and rear with 278mm and 253mm discs, respectively, the AP Racing package provides a set of cast aluminum four-piston calipers and 288x25mm vented discs on all four corners – a significant improvement over standard. There is also the option for AP Racing track-spec 288mm discs, which feature a two-piece design and an aluminum mounting bell to reduce weight even further.
As with all of AP Racing’s braking systems for performance road cars, the Atom 4’s upgrade package delivers excellent brake pedal feel, incredible performance, and a clean aesthetic, while also incorporating all the features demanded by the modern road car market, including dirt seals, protective coatings and noise abatement.
The entire post, with images, can be viewed by clicking HERE.
