Noble’s long-awaited replacement for the M600 is to be powered by the same engine that services Ford’s GT supercar.
Branded a “less extreme” Noble, the mid-engined, two-seat car draws its performance from the Blue Oval’s twin-turbocharged 3.5-litre V6 EcoBoost unit. In standard guise, the motor churns out just north of 500bhp but Noble has fettled it to push power to the magic 550bhp mark.
Utilising a Graziano-made 6-speed manual transmission, power will be sent to the rear wheels with assistance from a limited slip differential. There is double wishbone suspension at each corner with coilover springs and passive dampers, while the steering system is hydraulically assisted.
Based around a steel tubular chassis – a large percentage of which is said to be shared with the M600 – bosses at the British company hope to put the Audi R8 and Maserati MC20 challenger into production before the end of the year.
Unlike its German and Italian rivals, though, the M500 promises to “deliver the ultimate driver reward” by doing away with safety aids and traction control devices.
“Rather than rely on electronic assistance, our back-to-basics approach concentrates on the more analogue qualities of design,” says Noble.
“By utilising a principle of pure engineering integrity from the chassis up, we ensure that the driving experience is an honest reflection of the drivers’ skill, putting you, the driver, back in control.”
Each car is “bespoke and built to our exacting clients’ individual requirements by a small team of craftsmen”, the company added.
The M600 first broke cover at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the summer of 2018 and since then Noble’s design team and engineers have continued to refine the car’s aesthetics. Elements at the front bear a close resemblance to the Ferrari 458, while the rear has more than a hint of current-day McLarens about it.
Inside, the dash configuration is in keeping with Noble cars of old. Therefore, the layout is simple, but this time the driver display incorporates digital dials for speed, revs and other important vehicle information.
The final look of the interior will largely be defined on a customer-by-customer basis, however, and although Noble has yet to announce prices for its latest model, estimates put the M500 in the £120,000-£180,000 bracket.
