Hello from Abu Dhabi, Capital of the UAE

[desertwind]

Greetings Ariel Atom enthusiasts from the Garden Capital City of the UAE.I have been considering an Ariel Atom for ages, in fact ever since Saunders revealed his modern motoring masterpiece years ago. Sadly, there were none here (in the UAE), no dealership, no support, no nothing (I still think that to be the case now), but I have found one that I may finalize shortly. Recently, I was very close to getting a KTM X-Bow, but sadly was not able to conclude a deal on any of the several cars that I found. My dream garage would include both (an Ariel and the KTM).My automotive CV includes several Honda S2000, Bentley Continental R, Acura NSX, Porsche 996 GT3 (Mark 2), Porsche 997 GT3 (Mark 1), Aston Martin Vanquish S, Mistubishi EVO X, and Nissan GTR. Indulge me in proffering quick descriptions, as follows:Honda S2000: Brilliant to drive, never breaks down. I have owned three over the years and still have a minter.Bentley Continental R: Beautiful triple black car, Mulliner Park Ward Limited Edition. Handmade quality, graceful, powerful (in a straight line), room for 4 but very, very heavy. Also very, very, very, very expensive to keep running properly.Acura NSX: I imported an ultra low mile NSX from Texas. Great car in every sense of the word. Reliable, fast, great support community. A Japanese car WITH personality! Only problem was that it was an Auto (the thinking was that it would be easier to drive in traffic. Sure it was, but it wasn't a manual). Kept it for as long as I could and then had to let it go. Am very interested in replacing it with a later model manual version in the future.Porsche 996 GT3 Mark 2 & Porsche 997 GT3: Brilliant car, powerful, boisterous, sharp handling, no traction control (wiggly tail) finally a Porsche with a personality. Very happy till I drove my brother's 997 GT3, which was a revelation as to how much better the later car was, so made him an offer he couldn't refuse and bought it. Wife found out and forced me to sell one, so the older car had to go. Kept the 997 till I had problems with my left knee, which meant I couldn't enjoy the car as it was intended, so sadly it went too soon after.I then decided it was time quench my James Bond aspirations, so I got an Aston Vanquish "S". What a gorgeous car. In every sense of the word. What an engine, beautifully built, raucous engine note. BUT, as unreliable as no-name washer/dryer combo. I owned that car for about 3 months of which I actually only used it for about ten days, the rest of the time it preferred to be at the workshop getting niggly fault after niggly fault sorted. Frustration exemplified!I decided I wanted something more reliable, so a mint Mistubishi Evolution X was chosen. Wow! What a brilliant driver! Even as a DSG auto, it was utterly brilliant. The endless grip, amazing power, sublime chassis easily overcame the relatively low rent interior (which I understand is itself light years ahead of earlier versions of the EVO) and silly XXL rear wing. I really loved that when decelerating the DSG would automatically double declutch down (I don't know if I am describing it correctly). I found myself doing silly,silly speeds without ever knowing it. Dangerous that,but incredible nonetheless.I was happy until I drove the Nissan GTR. It had all that the EVO X had but it was EVEN better, looks, power, performance, way cool dashboard, interior. So, goodbye EVO X and hello GTR. I found one, lightly used, and bought it. What an utterly amazingly capable car to drive and own. After a while though, this utter capability becomes a bit too predictable. Unlike the NSX, I was unable to bond with the GTR. Jeremy Clarkson (of BBC TV Top Gear infamy) was right, it was absolutely more than capable yet it possessed a soulless character. That plus the increasingly frequent serious speeding fines forced a decision to bid farewell.Since then I have been driving a mint, ultra low miles Mercedes SL 55 AMG. Even though it feels less capable (to both the EVO X & GTR), to me it has more personality. Finally, I now know what I want in a car. It must be fun to drive. Clarkson was right again. Fun to Drive.So, apart from the Ariel, I might consider a late model Mercedes CLK Black Series, or a BMW 1M (have to see if I can live with the clutch).

[Curt]

Welcome, and great first post. I'll be interested to see your impressions when the Atom is added to to your stable.

[beckertb]

Welcome to the forum.I, too, have a diverse group of cars. From viper to ferrari to hummers to nsx's to porsches and Ford GT. The Atom is hands down the most fun to drive car I own. Clearly there are limitations in practicality but it is just a blast to drive on the street and fairly capable on the track as well. Biased, yes, but excellent choice.ben

[Richard Buckingham]

.... so I got an Aston Vanquish "S" ... as unreliable as no-name washer/dryer combo.

LOL! You'll fit in just perfectly around here, welcome!

[Payne]

Welcome. As mentioned, you'll fit in great here. The great thing about the Atom is that it's a 100% stock honda driveline (or a simple bolted on blower if you get a 300). Whatever shop worked on your S2000s could easily work on an Atom, or even a Honda dealer in a pinch. The car is so simple/basic there's not much at all to do other than suspension adjustments other than engine/gearbox work.I'm in the UAE from time to time, would love to learn a bit more about the car scene there if you're interested in showing a stranger around. I'd return the favor if you're ever in San Francisco.Cheers,Jason

[Steve]

Great to have you with us! Welcome!