Cars to “Master-Debate” over, Day 13
Posted In Cars
Noble M15 – $130,000
a. “Noble who?” I suppose you are either a car geek or British to recognize the name of a company producing sports cars that want to take on the likes of a Porsche 911 GT3 and Ferrari F340; pure fiddle-faddle right? Or is it balderdash? Piffle? What do those Brits say again…
b. 3.0L twin turbo V6 Ford Duratec engine making 455 horsepower
c. 0-62 mph 62 mph (100 km/h) in 3.3 seconds and has a top speed of 185 mph (gearing limited; 200mph aerodynamic limit)
d. The steel tubular space-frame chassis and a roll cage covered with graphite-reinforced plastic body paneling that makes the M15 57% stiffer than the one used in the M12/400 models.
e. Much more refined than previous Noble models: includes satellite navigation, traction control, electric windows and ABS
f. Cool fact (well, not really) – Ford parts bin car. The engine is a tuned Ford Duratec, and interior bits and bobs from the steering wheel to the 4 spoke wheel belong to the ghosts of Fords past and present
g. Another cool fact – The M15 never made it to production. Originally set to roll out in 2006, only 3 prototypes were ever produced and they remain in the U.K. One of them ended up becoming the M600, Lee Noble took another when he sold the rights (ran out of cash…) and later left Noble in February 2008 (eventually launched Fenix Automotive), and the third was road tested by numerous TV shows and magazines before being stored away. You may see the Rossion Q1 in the US though- it is a US-built, rebodied Noble M400. Noble sold off the rights to the M12/M400 in February 2007 to 1G Racing in Ohio.
h. Runner up – Noble M600, a paltry $300k. Production will be limited to 50 cars per year powered by a turbocharged version of the Volvo 4.4 litre V8 with two Garrett turbos that can produce up to 650 hp but can also be limited by the ECU to 450 or 550 hp. 0-60 in 3 seconds and 225 mph top speed and it nearly killed Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson. No ABS, no climate control, no satellite radio, no stability control, no all wheel drive, basically nothing getting in the way of you actually DRIVING the car.