Noble Automotive’s latest hand-built supercar is not for Sunday drivers…
If the computing power of an iPhone is enough to send a man to the moon, the multiple computers on modern supercars might be able to solve the conundrums of quantum physics. These cars’ systems are constantly monitored and analyzed, allowing them to adjust for maximum performance and enhanced stability. But more important: That technology is what allows us nonprofessional drivers to get behind the wheel (at least those of us with the means).
Noble Automotive will have none of that. If you want to drive their hand-built M600, you’ll need not only the US$281,000 it costs, but the skills to keep the 650 horsepower thunderbolt on the road and out of the ditch. Noble has forgone the typical driver assists; you won’t find stability control or even anti-lock braking. Only traction control has been included, but even this has been tweaked to give drivers more freedom to push the car and themselves. To turn off traction control, the M600 has fittingly borrowed the bomb-release toggle from a Tornado fighter jet. Power can also be adjusted, from 450 horsepower in “road mode” to 550 horsepower in “track mode,” all the way to a full 650 horsepower in “race mode.”
Turn off the already unobtrusive traction control and you’ll really have the chance to prove your driving abilities. The 650 horsepower pins you to the carbon-fibre seat as the M600 accelerates to 60 mph in a mere three seconds and to 120 mph in 8.9, topping out at around 225 mph. The car features Alcon brakes and a mid-engine chassis composed of steel that features a double-wishbone suspension for each wheel. With an aluminum and steel space frame and carbon-fibre body panels, the M600 weighs just 2,641 pounds.
The vehicle comes in four versions: The standard M600 Coupe (starting at US$281,000) is made of painted carbon fibre; the CarbonSport version (US$325,000) features exposed carbon- fibre bodywork; and the Speedster model is a roadster complete with targa top, available in both Coupe (US$336,500) and CarbonSport (US$380,700) versions. Each car is bespoke (fewer than 20 workers build each vehicle), with buyers invited to participate in the entire process, from exterior and interior design and option selection all the way through production, during which customers are welcome to visit the factory and watch their M600 being made. ■
BY KEITH GORDON
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