THIS car is small. The front seat passenger cannot move without hitting the driver's elbows. When it rains, you had better pit in or be ready with a rain coat as there is no roof over your head.

Of course, you can also forget about air-conditioning.

Yet, the Ariel Atom 3 is big - if you look at performance, personality and punch.

This 300hp bare-to-the-bones car in a 500kg frame is for those who love pure speed.

Almost every part of the two-seater - engine, suspension, floorboards and chassis - is visible from the outside.

The supercharged 2-litre Atom 3 will out-run a Porsche Carrera GT or a Lamborghini Murcielago, both bigger capacity cars.

The UK-made Atom 3 accelerates from 0 to 60mph (96kmh) in less than 3 seconds, making it the world's fastest production car.

Yesterday, it made its Singapore debut on the grounds of the Changi Aviation Park, in an event organised by its distributors, Atomic Racing.

It was meant to be a quiet affair, by invitation only, but the news spread like wildfire. The curious and wheel-heeled came along, their European sports cars parked nearby.

Said Mr Alvin Wong Twei, director of Atomic Racing: "We just got the car out the day before so we thought we could organise something like a 'Tupperware' party among close friends.

"But we started to get more phone calls asking to see and feel the car up close. By 1pm some 60 people had sat in the car during the test drive session."

Sit they did, but drive they did not.

That task was solely handled by test driver Oliver Thomas who was expected to do about 180 laps of figure-8s.

But it was no "Sunday morning" drive in the Atom 3.

Mr Thomas floored the accelerator and drove sideways out of corners with muffled screams coming from some of his passengers.

Nobody else was allowed to drive the powerful car due to safety considerations, said Atomic Racing executive director Mark Chim.

Said Mr Chim, 42: "You can't take delivery of this car without going through the training package where we will orientate new owners to the car's capabilities. To not do so would be irresponsible."

Mr Chim felt the timing for the Atom 3's introduction to Singapore was perfect as events like Formula 1 race and news of a circuit being built in Changi would enhance the local racing culture.

Mr Chim added: "A car like the Atom 3 will only fuel the passion for those wanting to be involved in motorsports rather than watching from the sidelines."

Atomic Racing plans to conduct trackdays, courses and race events, on top of importing other performance track cars.

So what does it feel like to be behind the wheel?

Said Mr Thomas, 34, from the UK: "Fantastic! You get so much feedback from the car because you are not covered in a shell. You can see and feel what the car is doing every time."

Mr Thomas added that most of his passengers were speechless while he "worked up" up the gears. Only after he slowed down did they "start to breathe and commented on the test drive".

For banker Colin Chen, one of the lucky few who sat in the car during the test drive, the feeling was incredible.

Track version

Said Mr Chen, 44: "It felt like a motorcycle. It accelerated and stopped fast.

"The instant I got out of the car I thought, 'Now what excuse can I come up with to buy the car?' It's not going to be easy to hide this car from my wife."

The track version on display yesterday, which is not allowed on our roads, costs about $170,000.

The good news is that a street-legal Atom 3 could be on the way here, too.

Atomic Racing is in negotiations with the Land Transport Authority for the road-going version.

This version, which is estimated to cost $288,000, will possess the same brute performance on top of having a windshield, side panels and headlights.

But it will still be without a roof top.

This article was first published in The New Paper on Dec 14, 2008.