By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

I’m sure that the Stormtrooper was quite proud of himself, driving an Exige and all. But I think we can now safely conclude that Darth Vader is faster. See the Exige after the jump! Via VWVortex

Continue reading "Stormtrooper Gets Owned by Darth Vader" »

By Ron Honig

WaytooFurious

Besides being a car nut one of my other hobbies is wood working. I would never think of combining the two. However that didn’t stop the builder of this Ariel custom listed on eBay. Built back in the 50s, it is powered by an Ariel motorcycle engine and uses a Citroen suspension. It reminds me of a Clubman and it looks like it really would be a lot of fun. The only thing that I would add is some comfortable seats. So what do you think, would it be good to drive in wood? More pics after the jump!

Continue reading "One of a Kind Wood Ariel Custom on eBay" »

Tonight, I’m headed to Oregon for a friend’s wedding. And while I know that it will be a good time, I can’t say I’m terribly stoked about the fact that it involves camping. I swear, if I spend another weekend sitting on the ground in the freezing cold, I’m never going outside again. Anyway, here’s the news:

• In wake of the fiscal foundering of American automakers, it’s interesting to see that one manufacturer made more money than it was expected to. Way to go Kia! The power to surprise indeed. Auto Observer
• It’s been clear that GM just isn’t feeling Hummer anymore, and it looks like the relationship could be over sooner rather than later. Final words from the General, "It’s not me, it’s you." And to think, we thought those two kids would last forever. Automotive News
• Will Audi make the next-gen TT mid engine? The rumor mill says that whether it happens or not depends on the Porsche brass. My gut says they won’t like the idea, but hey, I’m generally wrong. World Car Fans
• Times are tough all over. Well, not really. New York’s private Monticello Motor Club—set to open Sunday—has seen so many well-heeled folks wanting to join that it has raised the membership fee from 100 grand to 125 grand. Wow, it must be cool to be rich. Reuters
• To state the obvious, most cars come with a windshield, but Ariel offering one on it’s Atom is big news. It doesn’t look bad, but I think I’d rather just wear a helmet. Motor Authority

As you’d expect, the members of the Scottsdale Exotic Car Club have some pretty tight rides. Just check out these awesome pics from Saturday’s meet! Ace photographer Patrick Ernzen hooked us up with all these gorgeous shots, and while he said turnout wasn’t great, the field is still pretty impressive. Since I’m completely in love with the Ariel Atom—every single piece on that puppy matters—I was stoked to see all the pics of this blue one, and this Gallardo completely reinforced why I feel Lamborghini orange is the world’s most beautiful color. Check out the rest of Patrick’s handiwork over in our events section!

Ariel’s Atom was already insane. Previous incarnations of the bare-bones, 1100lb rocket had "only" 300 horsepower, but even then, the car’s performance inspired Top Gear’s Jeremy Clarkson to pronounce that "this car goes like nothing you can imagine," and describe it as "driving  nirvana." How will it perform when equipped with a supercharged V8 pushing 500 horsepower? Pretty well, probably.

PistonHeads via World Car Fans

You have to hand it to the Chinese—they know a good thing when they see it. But while their appreciation for cool cars may be above reproach, Western manufacturers aren’t really buying the whole "imitation is the most sincere form of flattery" thing. Mercedes-Benz was understandably pissed about the smart car knock-off which crashed the Bologna Auto Show, and over at Ariel’s headquarters, they’re probably still scraping the engineers who’ve gotten wind of Feiya’s Go Kart off the ceiling. Designed to mimic the company’s performance-oriented Atom, this rinky-dink version is more than two feet shorter than the original, and tops out a measly 58 MPH. Of course, what it lacks in power, it more than makes up for in crash-worthiness. Not.  Feiya Vehicle Company via Winding Road.

By John

Community Editor

The marketing slogan for the Ariel Atom pretty much sums it up: "Not just insane. Legally Insane." Since I first heard about these cars, I’ve wanted to get a closer look, and I wasn’t disappointed. In comparison, this stripped down rocket makes the Lotus Elise look like a Cadillac. But while this car lacks creature comforts—I’d almost want to wear a helmet—it delivers blistering performance. With 300 horsepower on tap and a curb weight of next to nothing, the Atom will go from zero to 60 in 2.7 seconds. It’s the closest thing you can get to to a road-going F1 car, and I still can’t believe it’s street legal.