Ariel Atom
 

The Atom owners have similar concerns etc as Cobra owners:

Atom Club Forum web site:

http://www.atomclub.com/?section=1

Their Registration Thread is restricted to Forum members:

Concerns have been raised that premature bias may result from our varied discussions of State Registration being found by search engines.

Therefore ALL old and new discussions of State Registrations is available free to established members of the AAOC Forums and Owners Club members only. Existing discussion(s) have been moved to a private forum. Future discussions that tread over the line will be moved as they pop up.

We apologise to new casual users who are looking to research and possibly buy an Atom, but current owners are just now establishing the process for future ones. We hope you understand their reasons for asking that their discussions be kept private on this forum.

Here is a list of KNOWN States that have registered a Atom and their users:

http://forum.atomclub.com/index.php?topic=3177.0

*** From NY Times.com: April 25

Registering an Atom: Location Matters
By NICK KURCZEWSKI

An Ariel Atom may be quick, but a buyer must wait four months to take delivery of an American-spec car.

Customers have two choices: to take delivery of a complete car or to opt for the “roller chassis option,” which includes a track-tested chassis and all the mechanical parts — except the Honda drivetrain. The roller option starts at $40,480, and it is up to the owner to provide a suitable engine and transmission for his or her Atom.

In some cases, the extra effort becomes necessary when registering an Atom for use on public roads. In contrast to Britain, where Atoms are street-legal nationwide, requirements vary widely from state to state.

In Virginia, an Atom can be registered like a typical car, according to Mark Swain of TMI Auto Tech, the American distributor. In other states, “the difference is often in the paperwork,” Mr. Swain said. He added that other Atom owners — there are about 300 in the United States — form a network that can provide useful state-by-state information about registration.

In Florida and Texas, an Atom can be registered as a “kit car,” just like a home-built hot-rod, even if it purchased completely finished.

But New York State has stricter rules for registering a low-volume sports car for street use, making the build-it-yourself option the only choice for anyone who intends to drive an Atom on the street.

In New York, the customer must buy the Atom as a rolling chassis and have the drivetrain installed separately. Then he or she can apply to register the car as “homemade or unique,” in the parlance of the New York Department of Motor Vehicles. If the application is approved, a safety inspection is conducted at an official vehicle inspection station.

But since the Atom cannot be registered before it is inspected, the department notes that the car must be towed or transported by trailer to the inspection station.