Noble M15
Encyclopedia
The Noble M15 is a sports car
designed and developed by Noble Automotive
, a high-performance sports car manufacturer based in Leicestershire, England.
Production of the M15 was due to begin in early 2006. The Noble M15 is intended to appeal to a far broader market than the M12-GTO3R or the M400
and compete directly with the Porsche 911 Turbo/GT-3
and Ferrari F430
. As a result the Noble M15 has a number of features not previously found on Nobles such as satellite navigation, traction control
, electric windows
and ABS
.
Noble founder Lee Noble has been quoted in indicating "the M12 is a great car, but it's very focused and [he] wanted to produce a supercar people could use everyday...It was time for Noble to take a big step up in terms of refinement, practicality and style." Despite increased comfort and usability compared to previous Noble cars, Lee Noble has also stated that the M15 is significantly quicker than the M400 around a race track.
The car is based on a brand new platform with a longitudinally mounted engine connected to a bespoke gearbox created by Graziano
. The double wishbone suspension
is a development of the system mounted on the M400. Mounting the engine longitudinally (rather than transversely as on the M400) allowed the engine designers to increase the cooling flow to the engine, which allows the 3.0l
twin turbo V6 Ford Duratec engine
to develop 455 bhp. The engine has been designed to meet European emission standards
and the new steel/aluminium space frame has been designed with a view to passing crash test regulations around the world. The M15 is planned to be the first Noble which gains European and US type approval
.
Like all the Noble M models, the M15 has a steel spaceframe and roll cage covered with graphite-reinforced plastic body panelling, ventilated disc brake
s front and rear and a turbocharged
3-litre V6 engine
, but unlike the previous models is designed to be more of a grand tourer/everyday sports car (an example of which would be the now-defunct Honda NSX
) rather than an all-out track day car.
The Noble M15 accelerates from 0-62 mi/h in 3.5 seconds and has a top speed of 185 mi/h. Its body shape is a coupe and it has 2 seats. In Britain it costs £74,950.
When it appeared on the popular British car TV show Top Gear, it was driven by Richard Hammond
who praised its handling ("it just grips and grips, and then there's a tiny little bit of understeer to tell you you're being a bit of a spanner.") When it was handed over to Top Gear's 'tame racing driver', The Stig
, it completed a lap of their circuit in 1:22.5, a time faster than a Ferrari F430 (1:22.9), and an Audi R8 (1:24.4). It was praised by Jeremy Clarkson
, who called it "one of those Giant Killers."
Sports car
A sports car is a small, usually two seat, two door automobile designed for high speed driving and maneuverability....
designed and developed by Noble Automotive
Noble (car)
Noble Automotive Ltd., more commonly known simply as Noble, is a British sports car manufacturer.It was established in 1999 by Lee Noble in Leeds, West Yorkshire, for producing high-speed sports cars with a rear mid-engine, rear-wheel drive layout. Lee Noble was the chief designer and owner of...
, a high-performance sports car manufacturer based in Leicestershire, England.
Production of the M15 was due to begin in early 2006. The Noble M15 is intended to appeal to a far broader market than the M12-GTO3R or the M400
Noble M400
The Noble M400 is a fibreglass sports car from the British car maker Noble. Manufacturing was outsourced to Hi-Tech Automotive, based in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. The M400 was noted by the automotive press for excellent handling and power.-Engine:...
and compete directly with the Porsche 911 Turbo/GT-3
Porsche 997
The Porsche Type 997 , also simply called the 997 is the current version of the 911 family sports car built by German manufacturer Porsche in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen...
and Ferrari F430
Ferrari F430
The Ferrari F430 is a sports car that was produced by the Italian automaker Ferrari from 2004 to 2009, as a successor to the 360. It debuted at the 2004 Paris Motor Show...
. As a result the Noble M15 has a number of features not previously found on Nobles such as satellite navigation, traction control
Traction control system
A traction control system , also known as anti-slip regulation , is typically a secondary function of the anti-lock braking system on production motor vehicles, designed to prevent loss of traction of driven road wheels...
, electric windows
Power window
Power windows or electric windows as well as electric or power window lifts are automobile windows which can be raised and lowered by depressing a button or switch, as opposed to using a hand-turned crank handle.- History :Packard introduced the first power windows in the 1940 Packard...
and ABS
Anti-lock braking system
An anti-lock braking system is a safety system that allows the wheels on a motor vehicle to continue interacting tractively with the road surface as directed by driver steering inputs while braking, preventing the wheels from locking up and therefore avoiding skidding.An ABS generally offers...
.
Noble founder Lee Noble has been quoted in indicating "the M12 is a great car, but it's very focused and [he] wanted to produce a supercar people could use everyday...It was time for Noble to take a big step up in terms of refinement, practicality and style." Despite increased comfort and usability compared to previous Noble cars, Lee Noble has also stated that the M15 is significantly quicker than the M400 around a race track.
The car is based on a brand new platform with a longitudinally mounted engine connected to a bespoke gearbox created by Graziano
Graziano
Graziano may refer to:People with the given name Graziano:* Graziano Battistini , Italian professional road bicycle racer* Graziano Girardi , Italian politician* Graziano Mancinelli , Italian show jumping rider...
. The double wishbone suspension
Double wishbone suspension
In automobiles, a double wishbone suspension is an independent suspension design using two wishbone-shaped arms to locate the wheel. Each wishbone or arm has two mounting points to the chassis and one joint at the knuckle. The shock absorber and coil spring mount to the wishbones to control...
is a development of the system mounted on the M400. Mounting the engine longitudinally (rather than transversely as on the M400) allowed the engine designers to increase the cooling flow to the engine, which allows the 3.0l
Litre
pic|200px|right|thumb|One litre is equivalent to this cubeEach side is 10 cm1 litre water = 1 kilogram water The litre is a metric system unit of volume equal to 1 cubic decimetre , to 1,000 cubic centimetres , and to 1/1,000 cubic metre...
twin turbo V6 Ford Duratec engine
Ford Duratec engine
The Duratec is a range of four, five, and six-cylinder gasoline engines produced by the Ford Motor Company, used in Ford, Mazda, Volvo, Caterham, Morgan, Tiger, Ginetta cars and by specialist engine tuner Cosworth....
to develop 455 bhp. The engine has been designed to meet European emission standards
European emission standards
European emission standards define the acceptable limits for exhaust emissions of new vehicles sold in EU member states. The emission standards are defined in a series of European Union directives staging the progressive introduction of increasingly stringent standards.Currently, emissions of...
and the new steel/aluminium space frame has been designed with a view to passing crash test regulations around the world. The M15 is planned to be the first Noble which gains European and US type approval
Type approval
Type Approval is granted to a product that meets a minimum set of regulatory, technical and safety requirements. Generally, type approval is required before a product is allowed to be sold in a particular country, so the requirements for a given product will vary around the world...
.
Like all the Noble M models, the M15 has a steel spaceframe and roll cage covered with graphite-reinforced plastic body panelling, ventilated disc brake
Disc brake
The disc brake or disk brake is a device for slowing or stopping the rotation of a wheel while it is in motion.A brake disc is usually made of cast iron, but may in some cases be made of composites such as reinforced carbon–carbon or ceramic matrix composites. This is connected to the wheel and/or...
s front and rear and a turbocharged
Turbocharger
A turbocharger, or turbo , from the Greek "τύρβη" is a centrifugal compressor powered by a turbine that is driven by an engine's exhaust gases. Its benefit lies with the compressor increasing the mass of air entering the engine , thereby resulting in greater performance...
3-litre V6 engine
V6 engine
A V6 engine is a V engine with six cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of three cylinders, usually set at either a right angle or an acute angle to each other, with all six pistons driving a common crankshaft...
, but unlike the previous models is designed to be more of a grand tourer/everyday sports car (an example of which would be the now-defunct Honda NSX
Honda NSX
The Honda NSX, or Acura NSX, is a sports car that was produced between 1990 and 2005 by the Japanese automaker Honda. It is equipped with a mid-engine, rear-wheel drive layout, powered by an all-aluminium V6 gasoline engine featuring Honda's Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control ...
) rather than an all-out track day car.
The Noble M15 accelerates from 0-62 mi/h in 3.5 seconds and has a top speed of 185 mi/h. Its body shape is a coupe and it has 2 seats. In Britain it costs £74,950.
When it appeared on the popular British car TV show Top Gear, it was driven by Richard Hammond
Richard Hammond
Richard Mark Hammond is an English broadcaster, writer, and journalist most noted for co-hosting car programme Top Gear with Jeremy Clarkson and James May, as well as presenting Brainiac: Science Abuse on Sky 1.-Early life:...
who praised its handling ("it just grips and grips, and then there's a tiny little bit of understeer to tell you you're being a bit of a spanner.") When it was handed over to Top Gear's 'tame racing driver', The Stig
The Stig
The Stig is a character in the British motoring television show Top Gear. The character plays on the anonymity of racing drivers' full-face helmets, with the running joke that nobody knows who, or indeed what, is inside the character's racing suit. The character was the creation of presenter Jeremy...
, it completed a lap of their circuit in 1:22.5, a time faster than a Ferrari F430 (1:22.9), and an Audi R8 (1:24.4). It was praised by Jeremy Clarkson
Jeremy Clarkson
Jeremy Charles Robert Clarkson is an English broadcaster, journalist and writer who specialises in motoring. He is best known for his role on the BBC TV show Top Gear along with co-presenters Richard Hammond and James May...
, who called it "one of those Giant Killers."