England is full of dreamers. At every auto show a wealthy individual will unveil a new supercar. Press photographers will busy themselves, second-rate totty will hand out brochures and by the end of the show he'll claim to have taken "numerous orders" from "discerning individuals."
Then the plucky entrepreneur will return to his garden shed, tinker with the car for a couple of years, sell precisely none and call in the liquidators. It's all depressingly predictable. When was the last time you saw a Jenson or a Strathcarron?
But there is an exception. For the past four years, Lee Noble has been bolting together magnificent sportscars from an industrial estate in Leicester, England. His first effort, the M10 roadster was pig ugly, but it had the handling balance and thrust to threaten a Lotus Elise. It's successor, the M12 coupe, announced Noble's arrival as a genuine alternative to Porsche.
In recent weeks it has been modified with the introduction of a new 3.0-liter V6, which is based loosely on the lump found in the Ford Maverick SUV (sister car to Mazda Tribute). Extensive modifications and the addition of two Garrett T25 turbochargers have transformed its character, though, and it now produces 344 bhp at 5800 rpm and 380 lb-ft of torque at 3500 rpm.
Just as significant as the power output is the Noble's mass - at 2,315 pounds, it's 650 pounds lighter than a Porsche 911. Its performance pulverizes the standard 911 into submission and even threatens the Turbo. Noble claims a 0-60 mph sprint time of 3.7 seconds and a top speed "in excess of 170 mph," and we've little reason to doubt either claim.
Producing a car with searing straight line thrust is relatively easy. Making one that can match a Porsche when the road twists is much more difficult. Lee Noble produced the development chassis for the McLaren F1 supercar and his experience has been used to fine effect in the M12.
This is a car that shows all the hallmarks of careful, detailed design. There is a subtlety and tactility to its primary controls that's missing in the overweight and overwrought offerings from most mainstream manufacturers. The turn-in is as sharp as it is crisp and the throttle and steering combine effortlessly to alter the car's trajectory. With no electronic gizmos and so much power, the M12 will catch out the unwary, but the transition from understeer to oversteer is both linear and predictable.
There really is little to fault. Some of the switch gear has been plundered from Ford's parts bin, but the overall effect is elegantly simplistic and the build quality is first rate. The styling may be slightly fussy, but it has a unique identity and is undoubtedly dramatic. The price tag of #47,950 ($75,280) is also good value for a hand-built supercar.
Leicester may not sound as glamorous as Weissach or Maranello, but from humble workshops has sprung an extraordinary car. Is the Noble M12 GTO-3 a genuine rival for a Porsche 911? You better believe it.