It’s been a while, but today we can finally bring you news of the new Noble. The new M600 supercar is unveiled today: a classic, low-slung supercar with a mid-mounted V8.
CAR scooped the new Noble M600 comprehensively last year, and our story was spot-on. The M600 uses the promised Volvo 4.4-litre V8 – the engine that was co-developed with Yamaha for use in the S80 and XC90 – but breathed on with two turbochargers.
So the new Noble M600 is a powerful beast?
You could say that. The driver has a choice of three – three! – power settings. Twist a dial in the divine cockpit and pick 450, 550 or 650bhp. Depending on your mood or the level of rush you’re in.
Drive is sent to the rear wheels through a six-speed Graziano manual gearbox, and performance is red-hot. The M600 takes its name from its 600bhp-per-tonne power to weight ratio, so it’s small wonder this thing tops 225mph and hits 62mph in just 3.0sec. Presumably with the power switch turned up to 11, turning the wick up to deliver a fulsome 604lb ft of twist.
The new Noble M600 must be quite lightweight, then?
It is for a car of this ilk. The kerbweight is 1275kg, thanks to the dietary benefits of carbonfibre bodywork – but the tub and chassis are stainless steel. Most of that weight resides over the driven rear axle, with 40% over the front.
The new Noble rolls into showrooms in November 2009, wearing a dizzying price tag of some £200,000. Only 50 cars will be made annually, all in the Leicestershire, UK factory and – controversially – all for UK sales. There are no current plans to export the M600.
Just remember the new Noble car company is nothing to do with founder Lee Noble, who left the company two years ago. Noble is now under the management of Peter Boutwood, who thinks Noble can risk moving upmarket – away from the £75k-100k price point and well into the six-figure territory currently owned by Ferrari and Aston Martin.
He’s nothing if not ambitious. We’ll have to see if the M600 lives up to the promise when we drive the car later in 2009.