Noble art of driving

The Noble M12 GTO-3R is a real driver's car, not a showpiece to be parked in Parnell on a Sunday morning, writes DAVID LINKLATER


The Noble M12 is probably the most exciting supercar you've never heard of. Specialist sports car makers are thick on the ground in Britain, but Noble has established itself as something special in the past five years. The latest M12 GTO-3R offers Ferrari-beating performance and a handling package that the British motoring press has been raving about.

The highly respected road-test weekly Autocar gave the M12 first prize in its annual Grip Challenge and awarded it second place in a Best Driver's Car contest. Another popular weekly, Auto Express, recently rated it first in a group test that included the Porsche GT3 and BMW M3 CSL. And multimedia motoring man Jeremy Clarkson rated the Noble his top driver's car of the year in 2001 and 2002, as well as announcing on a December 2003 edition of the Top Gear television programme that the M12 was his favourite British car.

Now, Noble is in New Zealand. Auckland-based Lotus Cars recently sold the first road-certified M12 GTO-3R outside Europe. Buoyed by early success, Lotus Cars boss Roger Phillips now has another example on the road as a company demonstrator.

Midweek Motoring recently spent a few hours at the wheel of the M12 GTO-3R, accompanied by the exhilarating whoosh of the turbo soundtrack and occasional cheers from teenage schoolboys.

The styling is functional rather than fancy, the cabin build is merely average and the mid-mounted engine is a modified version of the Duratec 3-litre V6 used in sporty Ford Mondeo models. Standing in a showroom, the M12-3R might not seem like it offers a lot for $189,000.

But the Noble is a driver's car in the purest sense, not a showpiece to be parked in Parnell on a Sunday morning. According to factory figures it's quicker to 100km/h than the $305,000 Porsche 911 Turbo or the $365,500 Lamborghini Gallardo (both 4.2sec versus the Noble's 3.7sec). The Ford engine has gained twin turbochargers, making 262kW at 6200rpm and 475Nm between 3500rpm and 5000rpm - very healthy outputs for a 1080kg two-seater.

The 3R specification (there's also a standard GTO-3 in Britain) brings a six-speed manual gearbox, torque-sensing differential, faired-in headlights and bespoke Noble-designed one-piece 18-inch alloy wheels. Nothing is permitted to interfere with the sheer sense of driver control: it's rear-drive only, with no anti-lock braking or traction control.

"Power" is not the right term for the Noble when the V6 hits 3000rpm. "Thrust" is much more appropriate, as the twin turbos spool up and an unstoppable force slaps the M12 towards the horizon.

It might have been designed with track days in mind, but the Noble chassis is also eloquent over real-world Kiwi roads. It's a fascinating mix of raw mechanical sensation and supple suspension that communicates every nuance of the tarmac below to the driver. With just 1.7 turns to lock, the steering is incredibly direct, but it never feels nervous; instead, the M12 simply flows into corners. The virtuoso handling is achieved without anti-roll bars front or rear.

The M12 is the brainchild of Lee Noble, racing driver and automotive engineer. A number of specialist sports and racing cars have paved the way to the M12 over the past 15 years, but Noble's most famous past-creation is the Ascari, a 322km/h Chevrolet-powered supercar that even had a brief outing at Le Mans.

The first car to actually bear Noble's name was the M10 roadster in 1999. The open-top vehicle was praised for its handling, but performance was modest from the Ford-sourced, 2.5-litre V6 engine. The next incarnation, the M12 GTO of 2001, gained a roof and twin turbochargers. It was upgraded to 3-litre GTO-3 and then GTO-3R specification (the model currently on Kiwi roads) last year. It's built around a steel spaceframe with integrated rollcage.

The Noble is still built in Britain, although the GRP bodies are manufactured in South Africa by a specialist company. Ford is the primary component source, donating not only the basic engine but also some cabin switchgear.

Beyond the GTO-3R, Noble is set to turn up the heat once more with a forthcoming M12 400 version that packs 317kW. A convertible version of the standard car will also be produced. Both are under consideration for the Kiwi market.

Noble will soon join Lotus and Pagani in a purpose-built Lotus Cars New Zealand Limited (lotuscars.net.nz) facility at Waiuku, due for completion in July. The showrooms, set in private park-like grounds, will house separate areas for each marque as well as other "special interest" exotic cars.

Lotus Cars plans to stock the 3R as part of its retail operation. However, for customers with specific colour or specification requirements, individual orders for the handbuilt supercar can be placed. Expect a delivery time of three to four months.