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AUTOS: Noble Unleashes 650-Horsepower Supercar
British sports-car maker debuts M600 to compete with Ferrari, Lamborghini and McLaren.
Wouter Melissen  | http://www.ultimatecarpage.com  |  Posted November 09, 2009   Goodwood (GB)
Noble's new M600 is powered by a twin-turbocharged V-8 sourced from Volvo. (Photo: Wouter Melissen)
With the M600, Noble Automotive has finally revealed the long-expected replacement of the highly acclaimed M12 and the more hardcore M400. Boasting 650-horsepower, M600 is a lightweight, no-nonsense supercar for dedicated drivers.

The M600 has a turbocharged version of the Volvo 4.4-liter V8 that was originally developed by Yamaha, equipped with two Garrett turbochargers. The V8 is mounted in a steel spaceframe chassis, which is clothed in lightweight composite body panels.

Like its predecessor, the M400, the M600 is aimed at the hardcore enthusiast; its option-list mostly reads “not available.” There is no ESP or ABS, and the gearbox is a six-speed manual with no flappy-paddle option.

The M600 was first shown to the public at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. (Photo: Wouter Melissen)
This minimalistic approach has helped to keep the weight down to around 2,800 pounds. Accordingly, the M600 accelerates to 60 mph in less than 3 seconds and has an estimated top speed of 225 mph.

The British sports-car builder introduced its M12 sports car at the turn of the century. But as the power of the twin-turbo V6 was boosted, it developed cooling and gearbox problems related to the transverse-mounted engine.

The issues were addressed in 2006 when Noble debuted the M15. Slated as the M12 replacement, the thoroughly redesigned machine featured a longitudinal engine. This was still the same Ford Duratec-derived engine, which produced around 450 horsepower.

The M15 was well-received and got a great review in the popular British automotive TV-show, “Top Gear,” but Noble nevertheless concluded that more was needed to take on Ferrari and Porsche.

It took a further three years before the M600 was deemed ready. Its styling clearly carries on where the M15 left off, and it is not unfathomable that the two cars will be produced side by side. What sets the cars apart is the adoption of the new V8 engine in the M600.

Announced in the summer of 2009, the Noble M600 was first shown to the public during the Goodwood Revival Meeting in September of that year. It is expected to enter production early in 2010.

Priced at $330,000, it is directly aimed at the Ferrari 458 Italia and Lamborghini Gallardo, as well as McLaren's upcoming MP4/12C.

Read More Articles Like This at Ultimatecarpage.com.
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Wouter Melissen

UltimateCarPage.com

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