Noble seen in the Flesh
Discussion
Oh my god.
I have found a new god to worship. I saw god on the infield at Silverstone at the weekend. Naturally I was fixed with a combination of awe and wonder, and for the first time God's beauty actually meant something to me.
The Noble is a stunning car, and I haven't even driven it. The pictures on various websites and articles raised my curiosity but I was always a little dubious about the ostentatious rear wing and weak curves at the front of the car, but once seen in the flesh it all comes together to form a triumph of automotive design. Well done to all the guys on PH who have ordered/had delivered one of the M12s. I hope they live up to the image it gives whilst stationary.
Having sold my griff in a flurry of disappointment and regret I feel excited again by a car. I'm currently talking myself out of a test drive and telling myself that paying off the mortgage is the wise choice, after all I could get an M12 in a few years...... yeah yeah, keep talking and I might just convince myself (and the wife)
I have found a new god to worship. I saw god on the infield at Silverstone at the weekend. Naturally I was fixed with a combination of awe and wonder, and for the first time God's beauty actually meant something to me.
The Noble is a stunning car, and I haven't even driven it. The pictures on various websites and articles raised my curiosity but I was always a little dubious about the ostentatious rear wing and weak curves at the front of the car, but once seen in the flesh it all comes together to form a triumph of automotive design. Well done to all the guys on PH who have ordered/had delivered one of the M12s. I hope they live up to the image it gives whilst stationary.
Having sold my griff in a flurry of disappointment and regret I feel excited again by a car. I'm currently talking myself out of a test drive and telling myself that paying off the mortgage is the wise choice, after all I could get an M12 in a few years...... yeah yeah, keep talking and I might just convince myself (and the wife)
Yup! Saw the car you're talking about - the Yellow one. Must admit it has a lot more presence in the flesh than what you'd expect after seeing the pictures. Another remarkable sight was the Aston Martin Vanquish in the paddock area - simply stunning! Oh, and there was a nice black 550 Maranello. A nice day this was 
Well i took both out for a spin last June before i eventually ordered the Noble. My mate has a red rose Tuscan so i was familiar with the car and loved it.
However the driving experience of the two was vastly different. Tuscan feels like a big GT and very intimidating. Although very quick it never made me confident enough to give it a good thrashing. M12 on the other hand felt very intimate and easy to get along with, grip was phenomenal (testament to flying across a St Albans round-about at about 80!) and the sound of the wastegates is superb
My only reservation was that i wanted an open-top, but for driving thrills i don't really see them as competitors there just so different.
However the driving experience of the two was vastly different. Tuscan feels like a big GT and very intimidating. Although very quick it never made me confident enough to give it a good thrashing. M12 on the other hand felt very intimate and easy to get along with, grip was phenomenal (testament to flying across a St Albans round-about at about 80!) and the sound of the wastegates is superb
My only reservation was that i wanted an open-top, but for driving thrills i don't really see them as competitors there just so different.
Well, I've now had a ride in a Noble at Goodwood, courtesy of a lucky owner there (Thanks Scott).
Impressions were largely favorable, its comfy and functional inside, with the seats offering excellent support and the harness keeping me in place. The dash isn't sumptuous, but that's not why you buy a noble. If you want walnut look elsewhere.
Handling seemed very secure. Felt very little chassis flex (if any) but it's always difficult from the passenger seat. Performance was electric to 80, after that it was difficult to really get a sense as there are few reference points at Goodwood. As the whole car only weighs 980 kgs, adding a second person will slow it down also.
The wastegate chatter has to be heard to be believed. Not sure if I'd be overly enamoured with it on a day to day basis, but on a track it's banshee like. Come off boost and into a fast corner and you get the initial wooosh as they open, followed by the chatter as they retain and release pressure as you feather the throttle around the corner, before your quest towards the horizon starts again.
Wearers of false teeth will have to retrieve them from the dashboard as the brakes are probably the most impressive part of the setup. The car seemed very stable under heavy breaking, the brakes would stop a planet if they needed to.
All in all a very rounded package. It relies on a number of things.
1) You like the turbo characteristic of driving
2) You can put up with the wastegates on a daily basis
3) You don't mind being swamped like a superstar whenever you stop for petrol!
4) You don't have Imelda Marcos' shoe collection to take away at weekends
Excellent fun.
Impressions were largely favorable, its comfy and functional inside, with the seats offering excellent support and the harness keeping me in place. The dash isn't sumptuous, but that's not why you buy a noble. If you want walnut look elsewhere.
Handling seemed very secure. Felt very little chassis flex (if any) but it's always difficult from the passenger seat. Performance was electric to 80, after that it was difficult to really get a sense as there are few reference points at Goodwood. As the whole car only weighs 980 kgs, adding a second person will slow it down also.
The wastegate chatter has to be heard to be believed. Not sure if I'd be overly enamoured with it on a day to day basis, but on a track it's banshee like. Come off boost and into a fast corner and you get the initial wooosh as they open, followed by the chatter as they retain and release pressure as you feather the throttle around the corner, before your quest towards the horizon starts again.
Wearers of false teeth will have to retrieve them from the dashboard as the brakes are probably the most impressive part of the setup. The car seemed very stable under heavy breaking, the brakes would stop a planet if they needed to.
All in all a very rounded package. It relies on a number of things.
1) You like the turbo characteristic of driving
2) You can put up with the wastegates on a daily basis
3) You don't mind being swamped like a superstar whenever you stop for petrol!
4) You don't have Imelda Marcos' shoe collection to take away at weekends
Excellent fun.
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