DRIVERS REPUBLIC - Track Test - Part 3

Part 3 - New Caterham R500, Lotus 2 Eleven and Ariel Atom 300 are compared around a sunny Anglesey circuit by Chris Harris, Richard Meaden and Jethro Bovingdon.

The in-car videos of each lap, plus a 28 page magazine feature are available on Drivers-Republic.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• drivers
• republic
• chris
• harris
• richard
• meaden
• jethro
• bovingdon
• lotus
• 2Eleven
• Caterham
• R500
• Atom
• 300

[Rabbibunny]

Great set of videos, thanks for uploading! Sorry if this has been said before, but, why no Radical?

[CitizenSlide]

That wouldn't really have been fair though would it? The context of this test was bringing together the new Caterham R500 with the slightly made Ariel Atom 300 - the Lotus 2-Eleven was the 'sensible' option to keep them honest. A Radical SR3 would have been a good few seconds quicker than all of them.

[g8or8de]

Which one do they think is the best I wonder?

[CitizenSlide]

'Best' is a difficult term to define in this context. The best (in terms of being most effective around the track) was the Lotus 2Eleven, but for sheer fun we'd have to give the nod to the Caterham R500. Perhaps for scary excitement the Ariel Atom would win our vote. They were all awesome to drive, but I guess we all have a soft spot for the Caterham.

[themorganator]

Really looking forward to this site going live. Keep up the good work chaps!

[CitizenSlide]

Thanks. Our site is already live, but will be enhanced considerably within the next few months. The site you visit today has less functionality and does not yet include the integrated community that forms the full experience. As from next week we will be updating the content every few days.

[dyerasyd]

I think the closing comment is perfect. Paraphrasing: the future of sports driving is power to weight, where weight is minimal.

I love the scream of that supercharger in the Atom, but I think if I had the cash I would go the Caterham (yes - they are all in the same price bracket). There is just something about that car.

[SamuliS]

Oh dear, need to rob a bank and buy one of these cars. You boys have dream job there..

[MammonDurden]

An interesting set of videos, I'll be checking out the site.

Just a future production suggestion, get some personal mic's so you can equalise the sound levels. I turned up the volume so can just hear the presenters, then the car takes off and I deafen myself.

[bj2905]

@supersevenn you've hit the nail on the head. As far as I can see, the main factor for the time difference is less the cars and more the driving styles of the respective drivers. Harris is smooth on/off the throttle, hits the vast majority of the apexes and crucially doesn't slide it in or out of the corners. On a track that technical, the smoother, more race oriented driving style makes a huge difference. I genuinely think whatever car Harris was in would have been the fastest.

[FocSrallyX]

Amazing video series. I get my R400 in a couple weeks!!! Cant wait, this just made the wait worse!

[MrsShadowBroker]

@avecka Would have to be an SR4 - SR3s are way beyond the price range of these cars.

[avecka]

@CitizenSlide

Radical is a lot faster but a few seconds? is it just because the car creates downforce? but a Radical SR3 is not really a road car, it has problems with speedbumps and be serviceable as a racing car. unlike the other cars. it would have every intresanta if you had included a Radical SR3.

am I right?

[brucecheewai]

too much talking, not enough action. they spent 3/4 of the time talking. although it's still a good video.

[supersevenn]

Lotus is a great looking car! the cockpit reminds me of a porsche 917-30

Richard and Jethro need some driving lessons. Drifting is not fast

[vithaj92]

What these cars "lack" in terms of performance is as following:

Caterham: Downforce, with more downforce you could drive it alot faster. Wider tires can also be good.

Atom: wider tires, those look so small, they can't give as much grip as the car needs, more downforce would work aswell.

Lotus: Less weight is the only problem I think.

That said, these are all extrodinary cars!

[donaldsnedward]

Are Jethro and Fat richard a couple ?

[markgdn]

what balls you speak u would have a video of your car then wouldn't u lol how amusing