Noble M12 & SPF...

Mark IV · #1 (**permalink**) 04-06-2003, 10:40 AM

..Just returned from the Columbus, Ohio Ford Super Swap and what should I come upon?? Ron Rosen with a US version LHD Noble M12 supercar! Ron will be importing these Hi-Tech built mid engined rockets via a new company, 1G Racing. Guys, at $53,700 for a roller this is a screaming deal!

The car he had there was equipped with a Ford 3.0 twin turbo and Ron says it's a rocketship. The Noble has been recognized in Britain as one of the THE best handling cars built and with SPFs reknown build quaility it is really sweet.

The buyer will be able to buy a package to turn the Ford Duratec 3.0 liter engine into the Noble version twin turbo. Your engine builder will add the special rods and pistons to the 4 cam, 4 valve engine and hook up the suppled ECU and away you go! Well, not quite that easy but they have thought out a lot of the small issues that usually make this a more complex project.

With air conditioning available and a standard roll cage this can be both a street toy and a track day car.

Damn, now I want one....

Rick

And yeah, Dynamic has a couple of SPFs there. Plus a CSX4000 and CSX7000 down the aisle with All-Pro Cars...didn't ask Lee about the coupes....

computerworks · #2 (**permalink**) 04-06-2003, 11:09 AM

...just a little 'ricer-looking'...just a little...

Mark IV · #3 (**permalink**) 04-06-2003, 11:14 AM

..the new US spec cars will have a new headlamp treatment, dual stacked projectors with flush covers. Ron showed me the picture, very nice. The car has much more "impact" in person.

Rick

casaleenie · #4 (**permalink**) 04-06-2003, 11:32 AM

It's a LOT "ricer- looking".

pk · #5 (**permalink**) 04-06-2003, 11:48 AM

guys gimme a break lose the wing and it's a Lotus Elise, not even close to a "ricer".

Take a look at the new Subaru STI that's a "ricer". It does have 4wd active center diff,300hp and 300 lbs torque though so you might want to show it some respect at least when you're in your daily driver(Hal can ignore this!)

pk

pderouss · #6 (**permalink**) 04-06-2003, 02:41 PM

The photos do not really do the car justice. In the flesh it is much more aggressice and low slung and is racy not ricey. It is fast gaining a big reputation over here as something that can take on Ferraris and top end Porches for around half the price.

Mark IV. I met some more people the other day who had lost out to Mr L. One was down over $2 million on the deal!

Mark IV · #7 (**permalink**) 04-06-2003, 05:42 PM

Sounds to me like you have met the former "co-chairman" of AC....
Alan is not proud, he will gladly screw either a friend or a stranger!

I have a book in the history of my dealings with him. Problem is only a very few would have interest in reading it and fewer still have the money to buy it!

Never the less, I will start putting some of it down for posterity.

Rick.

And I am VERY impressed with the Noble, both the car and the company.

Dan Semko · #8 (**permalink**) 04-06-2003, 06:17 PM

Rick,
I checked out Ron Rosen's Noble a few weeks ago while visiting Dynamic in Ross, Ohio. The car is incredibly well built with ample safety padding around the entire internal roll cage. The weight distribution should make it a serious threat to most cobras especially in an Autocross. Ron is a great person to deal with on the car. I've dealt with the Rosens and their entire quality staff for several years and most recently this week when I received our new Superformance 1568. Their customer rapport and dealer support is second to none. If you decide to have the engine installed locally, I'd recommend Eric Hinderberger at Performance Engineering which is located behind Dynamic. His entire crew is top shelf and they guarantee everything they build from the most outrageous configurations to aluminum block 427 FE's. You certainly won't be disappointed if you put a package together with both businesses. If you like the Noble wait until you inspect the new Daytona Coupe. It will knock your socks off!

pderouss · #9 (**permalink**) 04-07-2003, 04:37 PM

MkIV.

I met him many times and believe that he is now in Australia. I was always very carefull in my dealings with him and came out OK. Some people over here were not so lucky and are probably still looking for him.

Mark IV · #10 (**permalink**) 04-07-2003, 05:40 PM

Yes,

Alan is in Aussie land. Remember when he annouced the move of AC production to Malta? This guy makes it up as he goes along!

It is a shame that he milked the company and almost destroyed it. Between the "Mamba", the deal to import Aussie Falcon Utes to the UK and some of his other scams I am surprised he did not screw more people!

Rick

Horse · #11 (**permalink**) 04-07-2003, 06:14 PM

The GTO is an amazing car-
I may have been a bit biased as my old daily driver (heck who am I kidding I dont get payed squat at work- it was my ONLY driver) was a Contour SVT. The same version of the duratec that the M12 originally had, and I was the VERY first person to Email Lee Noble about using thr 3.0 Duratec block for his car. So again I may be a bit biased - but the old 2.5 version could do 60 in 4.1 and outhandle a lotus!!!

somebody buy me one!
or get dave to pay me more- one of the two.

actech · #12 (**permalink**) 07-27-2003, 02:37 AM

Hello everyone.

I stumbled across this site by accident, so apologies for gatecrashing! I don't own a Cobra but do own an M12.

I agree with the comments about the headlight cluster made earlier in the thread and the new M12 GTO3R does look a lot more refined. The "ricer" look comment though is a little unfounded, granted on the road it does look a bit "fast and the furious" or "Max Powered" as we say in the UK, but on the track the wing comes into its own, because the performance and handling are phoenominal. Also remember that this is a GTO, 'O' for Omologato, it's a road going race car, not a shopping trolley come race car lookalike!

Honestly though, if you've never driven one, talk to Dean Rosen and get a test drive, they are extremely well built, as you will know from the Superformance Cobras, and they are very very quick. I've been on the track a few times now and nothing short of a Caterham R500, Radical SR3 or single seaters touch it.

The M12 is without a doubt the best supercar bargain around at the minute.

Cheers
Anthony
http://www.gto3.com

p.s. Great site chaps, glad I found it!

Tom T. · #13 (**permalink**) 07-27-2003, 10:06 AM

Anthony,

Welcome! Have you any pictures of your car to share with us? Would love to see them.

Best,

Tom T.

actech · #14 (**permalink**) 07-27-2003, 11:44 AM

Hello Tom.

I've got loads of pictures and videos of mine and various other Noble M12s. I've included a couple, but recommend looking at the gallery on my site www.gto3.com and downloading the trackday videos and various motoring programs reviews to see it in action!

This was taken last year at the first gathering of Nobles on a track. Only 50 had been made at the time and to get seven of them together was quite special!

This is my car parked up.

This my car and a couple of mates on the way to drag strip. We were watching not racing.

And just to show I'm in to all things petrol, a nice Cobra replica. The chap that built it had spent 2 years doing it up and had just got it on the road but was looking to sell it. He enjoyed building it and wanted to do another one!

Anthony

cobra fever · #15 (**permalink**) 07-27-2003, 11:57 AM

that is one nice looking car, how come we don't get those here.
Thanks for sharing the pictures.

Bill Wells · #16 (**permalink**) 07-27-2003, 12:48 PM

cobra fever...they ARE available here in the USA ( in Ross Ohio, outside of Cinci) ...see the adv in Autoweek, July 28 issue, page 22...or, call 1-866-M12-NOBLE. my guess is you will get some great folks answering the phone by the name of Ron or Dean or some of their other great sales associates ! Bill...I have been in one, and it is an exciting car !

actech · #17 (**permalink**) 07-28-2003, 01:06 PM

As I understand it the US version doesn't come with an engine, something to do with the regulations, is anyone quoting power figures for the US engine? Does anyone know who does the engine tuning?

John Noble Motorsport (no relation to Noble Moy who make the car) who do all the engine tuning for the M12 in the UK have now got the engine outputing to over 400BHP with the new six speed gearbox.

Anthony.

Mark IV · #18 (**permalink**) 07-28-2003, 03:30 PM

The US recommended setup of the Ford 3.0 with the Noble engine kit would be the same power. If a buyer chooses to "tweek" further it could be raised with more boost or detuned for less.

Rick

pderouss · #19 (**permalink**) 07-30-2003, 12:58 PM

I agree thet the Noble is a fantastic car and looks much better on the road than it does in pictures. They are starting to be seen regularly on British roads ( I saw one this morning for instance) and are for people who rally understand driving and do not want to be branded as a Ferrari owner. Would be interesting to race one against a Caterham. If it is on a fast track I suspect the Noble would win but on a slow and tight one the Caterham would probably be ahead. I have had a Caterham for about 6 years now and have yet to drive anything else that will brake and corner as fast though it has the aerodynamics of a brick so hits a wall at about 120mph.

Mark IV · #20 (**permalink**) 07-30-2003, 01:15 PM

Pederouss,

I would agree, I have driven my friends Catherham 1700 and it does handle like a "rat with sneakers" but runs out of steam at high speeds.

The Noble is a much better car in the flesh and has an agressive look without being too "boy racer."

Rick