How the Brits love the past. Consider Atalanta Motors, which will show its first completed model since 1939 at the Concours of Elegance at Windsor Castle in September. Yes, a celebration is planned for Her Majesty the Queen’s 90th birthday too. Atalanta, established in the 1930s, and with only 21 models produced before the outbreak of WW2, which finally doomed the fading British empire, were among the rarest, and some claim most technically advanced British sports cars of their day. More history here: Atalanta is a character in Greek mythology, a virgin huntress.
The newest Atalanta – £149,950 – is a barely modernized traditional British roadster. It uses an old style – or out dated – aluminum over ash body construction. There’s a modern 2.5-liter aluminum (aluminium in Brit speak) four-cylinder engine with variable valve timing, producing ~185 horsepower and 200 lb. ft. of torque. As in 1937, high performance supercharged options are available. A five-speed manual is the only transmission choice.
Contemporary updates also include hydraulic disc brakes with four piston calipers, front and rear. A lightweight, non-assisted rack and pinion steering with a fully collapsible column has been substituted for the original gear. And in another stroll down memory lane, there are laced 18×4 Rudge Whitworth style wire wheels fitted with 550-18 Blockley tires. An aluminum rimmed wheel option is available to reduce unsprung weight.
