Noble Automotive

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Noble Automotive Ltd.
Type Private
Founded 1999
Founder(s) Lee Noble
Headquarters Moat Way, Barwell, Leicestershire, United Kingdom
Key people Peter Boutwood, Managing Director
Industry Automotive
Products Sports cars
Website Noblecars.com

Noble Automotive Ltd., more commonly known simply as Noble, is a British sports car manufacturer.

It was established in 1999 by Lee Noble in Barwell, Leicestershire, for producing high-speed sports cars with a rear mid-engine, rear-wheel drive layout. Lee Noble was the chief designer and owner of Noble. He sold the company in August 2006. He resigned from the company in February 2008.

Noble is a low-production British sports car company, currently developing the M600. Its past products include the M12-GTO3R and Noble M400. The M12 and M400 share chassis and body, but differ in engines, suspension, etc. The M15 has a new space frame chassis. The body and chassis of the Noble is built by Hi-Tech Automotive in Port Elizabeth, South Africa alongside Superformance cars. Once the body shell is completed, it is sent to the Noble factory where the engines, suspension, etc. are added.

Noble does not currently manufacture any of its models. The rights to the M12/M400 were sold by Noble Automotive in February 2007 to 1G Racing from Ohio, and 1G is expected to release an updated version, named Rossion Q1.[1] Noble is currently in the final stages of producing its newest model, the M15/M600 (the latter of which will be a high performance model of the former).

Contents

[edit] Noble M10

Main article: Noble M10

The Noble M10 is a two-door, two seater model built in convertible form only. It is powered by a naturally-aspirated (i.e., no forced induction) 2.5-litre engine. It was introduced in 1999, but is no longer in production, having been replaced by the M12. Only a few were ever made as customers moved deposits onto the M12 as soon as its credentials were announced. The M10 is similar in performance of the Lotus Elise in many respects. The Toyota MR2 Spyder is noted for having a somewhat similar appearance to the M10.[citation needed]

[edit] Noble M12

Main article: Noble M12
Noble M12 GTO-3R at the 2003 Goodwood Festival of Speed

Like the Noble M10, the Noble M12 is a two-door, two-seater model, originally planned both as a coupe and as a convertible. All M12s have been powered by modified turbocharged Ford Duratec V6 engines. The M12 has a full steel roll cage, steel frame, and G.R.P. (fibre glass) composite clam shell body parts. These cars are extremely lightweight and stiff. Although looking to be track derived, the M12 performs very well on both road and track, with surprisingly good ride quality, but a rigid feel. This is achieved by having no anti-roll bars on the car. This allows suspension to be made hard without making a back breaking ride.

The coupe evolved through four (4) versions, of Noble Cars itself. Indeed the M400 is an ultimate version of the M12. After the production of these 4 coupe variants, Noble Cars sold the rights for the production of this model to "1G Racing" an US company which, starting from 2008, is going to sell a new model based on the M12.: the "Rossion Q1". And there is another company which is also going to production with a model developed from the M12: Salica Cars [1] with their Salica GT 3.5TT 500bhp, or Salica GTR with beefed up engine and 550bhp.

[edit] Noble M400

Main article: Noble M400
Noble M400

The M400 is the track variant of the M12 and weighs the same as the GTO3R. It has 425 bhp (317 kW; 431 PS) and has been reported to do 0-60 mph (0–97 km/h) in as little as 2.97 seconds. Car and Driver (March, 2007) achieved a 0-60 mph time of 3.3 seconds and a 0-100 mph time of 7.8 seconds. Noble indicate only that the car is capable of achieving 0-60 mph in under 4.0 seconds. Its top speed is listed as 185 mph (298 km/h). A top speed of 177 mph (285 km/h) has been achieved by Noble's former press officer. Lateral Gs are reported in excess of 1.4.. The model designation M400 is derived from the fact that the power and weight specifications for the car correspond to 405 bhp (302 kW; 411 PS) per tonne. It has both a 3 point seatbelt and a 4 point harness. The most notable differences from the M12 are the use of bigger turbos that generate higher boost, a front anti-roll bar, stiffer springs, different shocks, Pirelli P Zero tyres, a smoother gearchange, different seats, and a slightly narrower central tunnel. The M400 is designed to be an outstanding track car that is also pleasant to drive on the road.

[edit] Noble M14

Main article: Noble M14
Noble M14

The Noble M14 debuted at the 2004 British Motor Show and generated significant interest in the motoring press. It was planned to compete with the Porsche 911 Turbo and Ferrari F430. It was based on the chassis of the M12, with only minor modifications. It had a new body and a more up market interior. Following the debut of the car Lee Noble decided that the car was insufficiently different from the M12/M400 to justify the price increase despite having taken a number of deposits. Noble instead developed a brand new car, the M15, developing further from the M12 and M14, although the cars have few common components.

[edit] Noble M15

Main article: Noble M15
Noble M15

Production of the M15 was planned to begin in early 2006, but has not taken place. The Noble M15 was intended to appeal to a far broader market and compete directly with the Porsche 911 Turbo and Ferrari F430. As a result the Noble M15 was expected to have a number of features not previously found on Nobles such as Sat nav, traction control, electric windows and ABS. The Company has issued a press release about the M15, and the M15 will be produced after the introduction of the M600. The M15 of the future will be different than the car shown in 2006.

Despite increased comfort and usability compared to previous Noble cars press releases stated that Noble expected the M15 to be significantly quicker than the M400 around a race track. It is able to accelerate from 0-60 mph (0–97 km/h) in 3.5 seconds and has a top speed of 185 mph (297 km/h).[2]

The car was based on a brand new platform with a longitudinally mounted engine connected to a bespoke gearbox created by Graziano. The double wishbone suspension is a development of the system mounted on the M400. Mounting the engine longitudinally allowed the designer to increase cooling flow to the engine which allows the 3.0l twin turbo V6 to produce 455 bhp (339 kW; 461 PS). The engine was designed to meet emissions regulations and the new steel/aluminium space frame was designed with a view to passing crash test regulations around the world. The M15 was planned to be the first Noble which gains European and US type approval. The company has since released press announcements regarding the M15 and its future. Only one of the M15 prototypes was built, and the company used that car to further develop the model. The company has announced that the M15 as presented to Top Gear was determined to be good, but needed to be better, which has allowed the company to create the new M600 and develop the M15 into a more track focused vehicle.

The designer's opinion: “The M12 is a great car, but it’s very focused and I wanted to produce a supercar people could use everyday,” said founder Lee Noble. “It was time for Noble to take a big step up in terms of refinement, practicality and style.”

The M15 appeared in Top Gear and presenter Richard Hammond was very impressed. It was a lot quicker around the Top Gear-track than the old Noble. According to Richard this has to do with the new, stronger gearbox which enables Noble to allow more boost and let the same engine produce more power. The Stig managed a lap time of 1:22.5 which is currently 26th on the powerlap board.

[edit] Noble M600

Noble is currently producing a new Noble under the name of the Noble M600. It has been announced by the CEO of Noble that the Noble M600 will have a Volvo twin-turbocharged V8 engine,producing 630 bhp (470 kW; 639 PS),[citation needed] and will be along the lines in competition of the Ferrari F40. It is announced that it will have a Carbon Fibre body shell and a 6-speed gear box. There has already been a test for the M600 as spy footage released online shows the car undergoing track tests. Recently, the M600 prototype 2 was tested in the USA by Noble, comparing its performance with a Porsche Carrera GT and Ferrari Enzo.[3] This prototype was detuned to just 500 bhp (373 kW; 507 PS).

Noble revealed official pictures of the Noble M600 and revealed it will officially receive a Volvo-based Yamaha 4.4-liter DOHC twin-turbo V8 producing 650 HP with a top speed of 225(theoretical) mph.[4] The 2,800 pound 1,250 kg Noble M600 will run 0-62 mph in 3 seconds flat and only another 3 seconds to achieve 100 mph. It has supercar grip with over 1g on the skid pad. The brakes rotors in the Noble M600 are steel. The Noble comes with no ABS or ASM,TC will be optional. Making the Noble M600 a pure drivers car. The British supercar will be around 200,000 pounds when it hits the market. Only 50 will be made annually.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ "Rossion Q1: New U.S. Supercar Comes From Noble Stock". Edmunds, Inc.. 12 July 2007. http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=121670. Retrieved 8 April 2008. 
  2. ^ Noble Automotive Ltd - M15
  3. ^ "Noble M600 Testing". Gtspirit.Com. 2008-12-05. http://www.gtspirit.com/2008/12/05/noble-m600-testing/. Retrieved 2009-09-18. 
  4. ^ Wert, Ray (2009-08-19). "Noble M600: 650 BHP, 225 MPH Driving Excitement". Jalopnik.com. http://jalopnik.com/5340649/noble-m600-650-hp-225-mph-driving-excitement/gallery/. Retrieved 2009-09-18. 

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Producers

  • Noble Cars - official website of Noble Cars
  • Rossion Cars - official website of 1G Racing (producer of the Rossion)
  • 1G - 1G Racing (owner of the Rossion label)
  • Salica Cars - official website of Salica Cars (producer of the Salica GT)

Links to models and Specifications

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