If you read our First Drive last fall there's not much I can add regarding the Noble M400. Can a small British car company really build a world-class supercar? Does it overcome the kit-car like assembly process necessary for U.S. sale? Is it truly a Porsche 911 GT3 rival? Is it even more capable than my GT? Can I ask too many questions in the opening paragraph of a blog entry?
The answer to all of the above is Yes! I'll state it simply -- this is the most capable street-legal supercar I've ever driven. At 2,500 pounds with a full tank of gas, and with 425 horsepower from the twin-turboed Ford V6, it's not inaccurate to think of the car as a Super Lotus Exige. And at $100,000 it's certainly not overpriced. Every input, from throttle to brakes to steering, happens NOW! Better still, it happens both instantly and with full confidence that the car will obey without questioning (or spinning). The Pirelli PZeros offer amazing grip, yet when they break loose they do so gradually, allowing for easy tail-out driving. Few cars would be ideal for breaking track records and winning drifting contests -- at least not without changing tires and suspension settings in-between -- but this one is.
I give Noble credit for creating a track-day car that doesn't feel out-of-place on the street. The ride is louder and stiffer than a 911 GT3's, but not by a wide margin. And with a 3.2-second zero-to-60 time it can dust the Porsche while scaring the ravioli out of Enzo drivers. No, I'm not ready to trade in the GT yet. But if the upcoming Noble M15 is as good as early reports suggest...
By boxermike
on April 26, 2007
07:02 AM
Long. Term. Noble.
Make it a project: Everyone loves reading about a good long-term project, and if you throw it in the long-term fleet for a year after you've built it, well, that's just gravy.
C'mon! Do it., Karl.
By blueguydotcom
on April 26, 2007
08:16 AM
Love the Noble. It's one of those cars on the "if I were loaded list..."
By kurtamaxxxguy
on April 27, 2007
10:13 PM
Why not a comparo? The GT .vs. the Noble ? Sounds like a good reason to spend a day out on California Speedway in Fontana !
Or better yet, take 'em both out there along with a Corvette Z06 just to see how close the 'vette matches the two supercars!