Noble is a small British automaker that caught the market’s attention with its RWD sports, featuring minimal electronic intervention and able to achieve incredible speeds.The goal of founder Lee Noble is to offer customers vehicles that draw most of their driving ability from pure mechanical power. In the 2016 Birmingham Motor Show in the UK, the brand introduced: the M600 Speedster,—the convertible version of the iconic M600.The Noble M600 was originally presented in 2009 and soon achieved considerable media coverage because it is a simple supercar with minimalist design both outside and inside, which far exceeds its competitors in dynamic performance.
With an engine of 4,400 cubic centimeters, V8 twin engine and 650 horsepower (which Yamaha had developed for Volvo), the M600 accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 60 mph) in just 3 seconds. But the vehicle’s most unusual trait is its impressive speed from fourth gear, which pushes a top speed of between 345 and 360 km/h (215 to 225 mph).
This incredible acceleration capability is offered in its purest version since the vehicle does not have ABS brakes, nor stability control, four-wheel drive, active stability ailerons or automatic transmission. Therefore, the administration of his enormous power depends solely on the driver`s ability.
The only safety feature is a simple traction control, which can be disconnected from a protected button, the same design of the buttons used in the British bombers, which shows how dangerous it is to drive this beast without electronic help.
The mechanical simplicity and electronic minimalism are what make the Noble M600 one of the fastest cars in the industry and one of the vehicles with greater acceleration capacity among the super sports cars.
The new version
In the Speedster 600 version, the biggest difference is the adaptation of a removable roof that transforms the car into an attractive convertible, and instead of having the traditional 6-speed manual gearbox from Graziano, in this case, the roadster version will have an executable sequential gearbox from the wheel cams.
The market price for the new convertible version has not yet been released, but considering that the M600 costs US $330,000, it is very likely that the price of the roadster will be within the same range.
Thus, the M600 Speedster competes with models from classic car manufacturers such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, Bugatti, McLaren, and Porsche while being a simpler, less luxurious and less extravagant car, one that uses less technology to deliver incredible speed.
Noble supercars offer the ultimate driving experience in the market, but only for expert pilots who fully trust their abilities. In the hands of inexperienced drivers, this beast can be very dangerous, and that makes it a luxury that can only be enjoyed to the fullest by a chosen few. ■
