It’s been a while since we’ve heard anything from British boutique automaker Noble, maker of hardcore performance cars like the current M600. But the company is back with a new supercar called the M500, which Noble described on Twitter as a “friendlier little brother to the M600.” But only a little friendlier.
The M500 will use a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged Ford EcoBoost V6, reports Autocar, similar to the engine used in the American automaker’s GT supercar (and also legions of F-150 pickup trucks). The V6 will reportedly be tuned to produce around 550 horsepower, which is a bit less than the GT’s 647 hp or the 662 hp produced by the Noble M600’s 4.4-liter turbocharged V8, but still quite a lot. The V6 is expected to send its power to the rear wheels through a dual-clutch automatic transmission.
The car looks fairly dramatic even if, as CNET pointed out, it uses headlights taken from the current-generation Chevrolet Corvette. But even with its parts-bin styling, the M500 is a bit easier on the eyes than the anonymous-looking M600. However, unlike the carbon-fiber bodied M600, the M500 is made from fiberglass to save money. Noble managing director Peter Boutwood that the company wants the M500 to sell for less than the M600’s roughly $450,000 sticker price. However, the M500 is expected to weigh around the same as the M600 (meaning less than 3,000 pounds) assuming Noble doesn’t bulk it up with convenience features.
The M600 is known as one of the last truly analog supercars, lacking any electronic driver aids. That also makes the Noble more challenging to drive than the latest tech-laden supercars from Ferrari or Lamborghini. It will interesting to see if Noble takes a similar approach with the M500, or if it adds some electronic aids to truly make the new supercar “friendlier.” But that’s not the only unknown regarding this car.
Noble unveiled the M500 at the annual Goodwood Festival of Speed in the U.K., but it didn’t bring a working car. Instead, it brought a model that didn’t even have an interior. It’s unclear exactly when a production version will show up, or whether it will be sold in the United States.