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| Nomad laughs at curbs |
Acceleration: The acceleration is fast but not remarkable by standards set by Atom3S, Mono or Drakan. It has Elise-like acceleration - maybe a bit quicker. Honestly it feel fast enough, especially in the dirt where it will spin the rears easily. On the freeway, the car has enough power to move along at 80mph. It has terrible aerodynamics but is light enough with adequate power. I like the balance. The Nomad Sport that is coming next week sports the new supercharger which should be really manic!
Steering: The steering is fun and direct. The tires make the steering a bit slower feeling but still plenty of communication and feel. An observation from one off-road buddy is that the steering may be too quick for desert racing. To be clear, the Nomad is NOT designed for desert racing.
Handling: The Nomad turns in slower thanks to the fat off-road oriented tires. You can feel the tire sidewall and even the tread block squirm. The car rolls enough to unweight the inside tire during normal cornering. The handling is predictable and progressive. The shocks suck up most bumps nicely. I've not played with the shock settings on these double adjustable Bilsteins. On the dirt, giving the car some gas allows for a progressive over steer. The hydraulic hand brake offers the same grin inducing effect. Ride quality is great as the car is soft but still firm enough.
Brakes: The brakes are a bit soft though aggressive brakes are not desireable on the dirt as it is easy to lock up. On the street they require some more heat to start working. I need to check with TMI to see what exact compound are on this Nomad. This model comes equipped with the Alcons - which I've had on my first two Atoms. These calipers are first rate and pad selection is key. Of course the fat tires on this car are also surely impacting brake feel.
Ride Height: Around town the car is great as I drive through rain gutters that I have to slow down for with our Lotus/Alfa/Atom/Mono/Drakan/etc. This car mows down these obstacles with no issue. Speed bumps are no longer a pucker worthy moment. The car also sits high enough that you aren't staring at hub caps like some of our other cars. I think visibility to other drivers is greatly improved. The Nomad still demands a defensive driving style - expect that other drivers will not see you.
Other: I like the position of the hand brake - it is now between the seats. The seats are fixed but easy to adjust with 4 bolts. The side view mirrors are far better than the puny ones standard on the Atom3. They sport integrated LED turn signals - which are bright, even in the CA sun. The seat harnesses are still breaking in so tightening them is a bit of a pain. I've not used the Warn winch yet but will need to try emulate that one scene from "The Gods Must Be Crazy".
The chassis sides are designed to ease ingress/egress. This allows your shoulder and arm to hang out from the car. This is not very safe but it sure feels cool - much like a Caterham. Just try not to drag your knuckles while driving and please avoid getting t-boned. Safety zealots are going to have a field day moaning about this car - I say live your life and break free from the womb-like experience most modern sportscars offer.
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| Intense Palmer M16 |
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| Intense ACV |
TMI have installed a bike rack which prompted me to stop in and visit a local Mountain Bike company called Intense Cycles. These guys are the Ducati of Mountain Bikes. They have just launched a new bike called the ACV that is the mountain bike equivalent of the Nomad. I learned that Shaun Palmer is working with these guys and has a signature model. I used to ride a Sims
snowboard and Palmer was one of their pros. He raced mountain bikes as well as cars - Pikes Peak victory and a Toyota celebrity race at Long Beach. Anyhow, I thought it would be cool to get his signature bike strapped to the top of the Nomad.
have you been bothered by the water entering under the window screen that others talk about, looked for a solution? My car arrives in a few months and I accept it wont be water tight, but would like not to be sitting in a puddle for the sake of not having a few simple extras made....
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