Potential New Owner Questions
Discussion
Last weekend at Mole Valley saw the GTR3 nobles and was really impressed at the quality etc... and the looks havnt driven one yet but i know they go like stink. So i now have convinced myself that i want one, but i'd be gratefull for any help -
PS - saw a gold gtr3 on the M25 with the front splitter ripped off - looked expensive!
1. Has anybody gone from a S2111s lotus or similar to one of these - was there much difference, regret? Could be a silly question i know. plus how useable is the performance on the road??
2. Whats the servcing cost like i.e. for a first year service and the cost of parts???
3. Whats the general reliability like, although i would use it as a second car really.
4. I think the 3 litre is the better bet, but is the gtr worth the premium over the GTO?? Have to say prefere the headlights and wheels but not sure if there is many other difference apart from slip diff.
5. Is second hand best bet as 56K seems like theres a bit of depreciation to come, i sould know ive got a lotus!
Thanks for any insight.
PS - saw a gold gtr3 on the M25 with the front splitter ripped off - looked expensive!
1. Has anybody gone from a S2111s lotus or similar to one of these - was there much difference, regret? Could be a silly question i know. plus how useable is the performance on the road??
2. Whats the servcing cost like i.e. for a first year service and the cost of parts???
3. Whats the general reliability like, although i would use it as a second car really.
4. I think the 3 litre is the better bet, but is the gtr worth the premium over the GTO?? Have to say prefere the headlights and wheels but not sure if there is many other difference apart from slip diff.
5. Is second hand best bet as 56K seems like theres a bit of depreciation to come, i sould know ive got a lotus!
Thanks for any insight.
Welcome !
I think you can find answers to most of your points if you research some previous threads. The 6-speed box is standard on the 3R and optional on the GTO-3. Sounds obvious, but you must drive the GTO-3 or 3R before deciding. Once you do, you will probably be hooked though, so beware !!!
Also, the GTC convertible model is coming at the NEC Motor Show (end of May).
There are several Noble owners who previously owned a Lotus Elise. I had one for 4 years and loved it.
I think you can find answers to most of your points if you research some previous threads. The 6-speed box is standard on the 3R and optional on the GTO-3. Sounds obvious, but you must drive the GTO-3 or 3R before deciding. Once you do, you will probably be hooked though, so beware !!!
Also, the GTC convertible model is coming at the NEC Motor Show (end of May).
There are several Noble owners who previously owned a Lotus Elise. I had one for 4 years and loved it.
There's allways one!Stuart,
I traded my S2 Elise 'Race Tech' in January for a GTO3R which I picked up last Weds. Today, well
Thursday, it had the 1000 mile service.
The main difference between the two cars is the price...no surprise there.
These two cars are two of the most able at cornering.
In one week of the Noble I have an analogy to describe the difference: Going fast round a bend or roundabout the Elise is saying 'look at me aren't I doing well'! The Noble, taking the same bend at the same speed says 'Next job'.
In other words it takes it, in its stride, no fuss.
Sorry to make such a meal of a small point!
Then there's the acceleration. The sound. The look.
The look of bewilderment on passersby. What IS THAT.
Get it?
Regards. Chris.
I traded my S2 Elise 'Race Tech' in January for a GTO3R which I picked up last Weds. Today, well
Thursday, it had the 1000 mile service.
The main difference between the two cars is the price...no surprise there.
These two cars are two of the most able at cornering.
In one week of the Noble I have an analogy to describe the difference: Going fast round a bend or roundabout the Elise is saying 'look at me aren't I doing well'! The Noble, taking the same bend at the same speed says 'Next job'.
In other words it takes it, in its stride, no fuss.
Sorry to make such a meal of a small point!
Then there's the acceleration. The sound. The look.
The look of bewilderment on passersby. What IS THAT.
Get it?
Regards. Chris.
I went from Elise S1 , heavily modded by LAD, to a bog standard S2 111s. Hated it. I used to sit in the S1 in my garage and make rasberry sounding noises and spitting all over the windscreen simulating track use. My kids thought I was a freak! It was THE best thing I ever bought.
The S2 however, never did it for me. I took it to Nick whale when the Stack unot failed after just 3 months, when it was in there I took a test drive in their M12 demo. I was sold. The Noble's grunt and presence on the road was truly awesome. One month later I was back at Nick Whales to pick up my new Noble M12 GTO 3. Did I miss the Elise? Never evn gave it a backward glance.
The S2 however, never did it for me. I took it to Nick whale when the Stack unot failed after just 3 months, when it was in there I took a test drive in their M12 demo. I was sold. The Noble's grunt and presence on the road was truly awesome. One month later I was back at Nick Whales to pick up my new Noble M12 GTO 3. Did I miss the Elise? Never evn gave it a backward glance.
Thanks for the comments so far, think i will definitely go for a test drive soon, although i think my mind is made up to got for the R version, although think im going to wait a bit for a few more second hand examples to start appearing in the showrooms 56K i cant justify, 40K i can sort of when im drunk! Plus i need to look for a new house with a bigger garage as my lotus only just fits in mine at the moment, also whats insurance like????
No visible damage though 
To me it's simple.
The Noble is a grown up Elise MK1. It's the car Lotus should have made.
Says it all to me really.
Check out my website www.lotus-elise.org.uk for a few views on the two cars.
J
The Noble is a grown up Elise MK1. It's the car Lotus should have made.
Says it all to me really.
Check out my website www.lotus-elise.org.uk for a few views on the two cars.
J
Edwardo,
Please bear in mind that the 3R is £52,500, not £56,000. You only reach the latter price if you spec it generously.
The 3R justifies its premium over the GTO-3 (£47,950) with a six-speed 'box, Quaife Automatic Torque-Biasing diff, full leather trim, CD/tuner, faired in lights and a different design of wheel (plus a few other minor additions).
Residuals are holding well on the 3Rs, so I'd guess that it'll take some time for them to dip to £40k.Our order books are filling rapidly now winter is over, and that usually bolsters used prices, too.
Comparisons to the 111S? I'll leave that one to other Noble owners. But I have owned an Elise and have also driven every Elise produced, and not one of them can hold a candle to the mid- and top-range performance of any 3.0-litre Noble. I also feel that the handling is more user-friendly, say on a circuit, than the Elise S2: it's more benign and easier to cope with if you stray beyond its (v.high) limits.
Total respect to all Elises, though. If I was rich enough, I'd have both the Lotus and the Noble in my dream garage!
As far as performance accessibility goes, when you test drive one, stick it in sixth gear and let the revs drop to 1k, then floor it: the pick up is as linear and smooth as a Mondeo's, but as potent as a normally-aspirated V8. There are also few sports cars that ride as well as the Noble at low speeds and are as genuinely comfortable to spend a long time in.
Hope this helps.
Simon Hucknall
Press Officer
Noble Automotive Ltd.
Please bear in mind that the 3R is £52,500, not £56,000. You only reach the latter price if you spec it generously.
The 3R justifies its premium over the GTO-3 (£47,950) with a six-speed 'box, Quaife Automatic Torque-Biasing diff, full leather trim, CD/tuner, faired in lights and a different design of wheel (plus a few other minor additions).
Residuals are holding well on the 3Rs, so I'd guess that it'll take some time for them to dip to £40k.Our order books are filling rapidly now winter is over, and that usually bolsters used prices, too.
Comparisons to the 111S? I'll leave that one to other Noble owners. But I have owned an Elise and have also driven every Elise produced, and not one of them can hold a candle to the mid- and top-range performance of any 3.0-litre Noble. I also feel that the handling is more user-friendly, say on a circuit, than the Elise S2: it's more benign and easier to cope with if you stray beyond its (v.high) limits.
Total respect to all Elises, though. If I was rich enough, I'd have both the Lotus and the Noble in my dream garage!
As far as performance accessibility goes, when you test drive one, stick it in sixth gear and let the revs drop to 1k, then floor it: the pick up is as linear and smooth as a Mondeo's, but as potent as a normally-aspirated V8. There are also few sports cars that ride as well as the Noble at low speeds and are as genuinely comfortable to spend a long time in.
Hope this helps.
Simon Hucknall
Press Officer
Noble Automotive Ltd.
EDWARDO said:
Thanks for the comments so far, think i will definitely go for a test drive soon, although i think my mind is made up to got for the R version, although think im going to wait a bit for a few more second hand examples to start appearing in the showrooms 56K i cant justify, 40K i can sort of when im drunk! Plus i need to look for a new house with a bigger garage as my lotus only just fits in mine at the moment, also whats insurance like????
Edwardo
If you want to try the car out on track, you could do a lot worse than pop along to the Autocar/Noble Track day on the 16th April where Lee and Micknall will be able to offer you advice. Details at our website.
Stuart
feels able to slip this teensy weensy plug in 'cause he's about to spend a little bit of money with Ted to promote them anyway
[quote=stuart_forrest]
If you want to try the car out on track, you could do a lot worse than pop along to the Autocar/Noble Track day on the 16th April where Lee and Micknall will be able to offer you advice. Details at our website.
Stuart
Stuart, the 3.0l Nobles output 352, and not 344 bhp, you might like to have your web site and booking form amended - details, details!
If you want to try the car out on track, you could do a lot worse than pop along to the Autocar/Noble Track day on the 16th April where Lee and Micknall will be able to offer you advice. Details at our website.
Stuart
Stuart, the 3.0l Nobles output 352, and not 344 bhp, you might like to have your web site and booking form amended - details, details!
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