Noble Hopes To Start Deliveries Of Manual Only, $205,000 M500 This Year

Noble has been promising a new model since 2018 and now we have more details about it.

A smaller, more affordable option than the erstwhile M600, the M500 will ditch that car’s Volvo-sourced V8 in favor of a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 from Ford, Autocar reports. As standard, the engine makes 500 hp (507 PS/373 kW), but Noble intends to pump that up to 550 hp (558 PS/410 kW) by the time the car hits the road.

That’s less than the 650 hp (659 PS/485 kW) the M600 made, but Noble is more interested in making an accessible driver’s car than it is in winning CarWow drag races. As a result, the only transmission option will be a six-speed manual from Graziano.

Read Also: New Noble M500 Premieres At Goodwood With Ford GT Engine

 

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It will also not come with anti-lock brakes or airbags, nor will it get a fancy active suspension. Similar to the M600, the new supercar will get a double-wishbone suspension at each corner, with coilover springs and passive dampers. The steering will be hydraulically assisted, and Noble’s managing director, Peter Boutwood, said that the ride and handling should be pretty similar to its last car.

Under the skin, the M500 will get a steel tubular spaceframe that is “70 percent M600,” according to Boutwood, but that has been reworked slightly to make things like getting in and out of the car easier thanks to lower side sills.

To keep costs down, the bodywork won’t be quite as fancy as we’re used to seeing these days and will simply be made out of fiberglass. That should contribute to a starting price of just around £150,000 ($205,352 USD at current exchange rates), though that is an estimate and has not yet been formalized.

Noble plans to offer lightweight carbon fiber options, including a body made entirely of the stuff, but wants to ensure that it can keep prices within reason. And anyhow, since the car has no active dampers or fancy electronics, it should be pretty lightweight to start with, with estimates suggesting that it will come in at just 1,250 kg (2,756 lbs) wet.

All told, we should see a supercar that’s capable of hitting 60 mph (96 km/h) in just 3.5 seconds and have a top speed of a little less than 200 mph (320 km/h). With that performance and at that price, Noble is hoping to make around 50 cars per year, with deliveries starting in 2022.