NOBLE M12 GTO 3R - 2004
By Steve Bell, Wednesday June 11, 2008
Barwell, Liecester. No the sort of place you associate a British sport car manufacturer to have its HQ. Founded and designed by Lee Noble, the car I’m testing here, the M12 GTO 3R, has gained global recognition. Although the majority of the mechanical and esthetic parts are courtesy of Ford, up close and personal the M12 certainly changes your perception about hand built British supercars. If one passes you’ll probably dismiss the styling. Have a good look around, and Noble’s simle but aggressive styling themes jump out. Its construction is very GT racer, with three main sections to the ccomposite glass fibre body shell. Saying it’s “very individual” somehow doesn’t do it any justice. Some compare it to a bad kit car. Expecting plenty of pointing fingers, the M12 slipped through town totally unoticed. Although TVR’s are more recognisable they don’t possess the same impressive aura.
Interior: Being just over 6 feet in height and having my waist level with the roof isn’t encouraging at first. Getting in isn’t as awkward as the Lotus Elise, although a Pilates lesson before hand might be a sound investment. Once in, the interior is certianly minimalistic. The indicators, wiper stalks and heater dials are all Ford stock, whilst the rest of the leather trimmed cabin has everything you need. The tall transmission tunnel houses the short, stubby gearlever and the floor is ridged with several underside reinforcement bars. Nevertheless, the racing seat is perfectly shaped even for someone of my frame, and there’s plenty of headroom without having to kink your head to one side. Build quality is excellent with every trim piece and panel gap extremely well made and screwed together. It may be bare inside, but it somehow looks fab. Most low volume British sports cars are way off the Nobles impeccable construction.
Engine: The Ford based 3.0-litre Duratec V6 has been tweaked by Noble who has added two-turbos. It certainly lays down the law when it comes to showing off: 0-62mph in 3.3secs, pushes out 352bhp, and tops a dizzy 171mph. Once you’re on the road, the M12 is relitively civilised and although the cabin has minimal soundproofing, it’s not the noisy enviroment you may think it is. The V6 is flexible and happy to sit in third gear around town, which is a suitably long gear ratio. The crisp 6-speed gearbox has a nice short, sharp direct feel whilst the clutch pedal won’t tire you left leg. Open up the taps and it becomes a completely different story. The mechanical noises start to fizzle and the gearbox whines like a Le Mans GT. What follows is completely unexpected. The turbo’s sing loudly sucking in the air, swirling it around and spitting it out again with a fantastic
p-tissh. The power delivery really does jolt your head momentarily and the torque keeps coming, but you’ll need to be a brave soul to back off before the M12 does.
Handling: The M12 is fantastic at taking the pressures of early morning congestion in its stride. Yes the suspension is very firm, but thinking it would crumble at the first hurdel isn’t going to be a sportscar nightmare. If you really want to use the M12 everyday you can, without having to tread on supercar egg shells. The GTO’s set-up is brilliant, though. Without fitting anti-roll bars, the ride is rigid but flexible. The chassis feels composed and flat with all four tyres stuck to the tarmac. There’s no traction control, and to be honest, you wouldn’t think that from the immense grip in place. The M12 can belt through the bends and corners at double figures feeling completely balanced. Steering communication is one of the best I’ve ever experienced in a hand built sportscar. Trouble is, you keep exploring the M12 not realising that darkeness is setting in and you’re running low on petrol.
Summary: I’m sure like me if you’ve ever tried to describe a driving experience that hits the spot, it normally includes a few expleatives. Let me tell you, the Noble is sensational. For one man to create such a fabulous car straight out of the box, is quite frankly an automotive genius. Lee Noble has put all of his passion into these cars and it really shows. Apart from a few expensive niggles (dismal airconditioning being one of them) the Noble M12 GTO 3R is one of the best low-volume second hand sports car you can spend £30K on. With that said, Lee Noble sold his sports car business and all the rights for the M12 GTO back in 2007 onto 1G Racing, which now produces its own version in the US. Luckily, the company is still making cars over here under new ownership in our equivalent of Maranello. Barwell, Leicester.
Summary:
Ride 3/5: Although tuned for the race track, it can also deal with everyday useage extremely well.
Perfomance 5/5: One of the quickest cars you’ll can buy for £30K.
Handling 5/5: Like a GT racer, but civilised enough to give us amatures a real treat.
Desirability 3/5: With the M12 GTO barely getting noticed on my test, it’s not going to pull the birds. Still, it is a great looking car but only appreciated by a select few.
Exterior 3/5: Designed and constructed like a Le Mans GT.
Interior 4/5: Bare, comfortable and surprsingly practical. It’s no Audi but on par with a BMW Z3.
Toys 3/5: Air conditioning. Who cares with that engine?
Reliability 4/5: Speaking with dealers and owners alike, the M12 is relitively trouble free. No reports on duff engines, but you’ll need to install a new air con system as the turbo’s affected the original version. Lower suspension ball joints wore and mounting blocks cracked. This was rectified with a factory recall, so make sure this has been carried out. Abused 5-speed gearboxes can suffer from selection problems, so you’ll need to make sure each gear can be engaged without too much effort. Engine fan mods are also usefull to cure overheating issues on earlier cars.
Service 3/5: Best to stick with the specialists, although most mechanical parts are from Ford .
Noble dealer customer satisfaction 4/5: With the owners I have spoken to, most seem happy with the service provided. Mole Valley have the only Noble factory approved technician, and are the choice of dealer most prefer to take their cars to. Overal, their service levels are very high.
Service schedule: Every 5,000 miles / £650.00 est. Major service every 10,000 miles / £900.00 est.
Hourly labour rate: Independent specialist £74.50
Tyres: 225/40 ZR 18 £220.00 Front / £270.00 Rear
Brakes: Discs (AP Racing) £150.00 each. Pads £90.00 per set.
Clutch: Complete £1400.
Insurance: 34 year old male, living in Berkshire, full 5 years no-claims bonus, £500.00 excesss, fully comprehensive, car parked on driveway, 12,000 miles per year: £668.12.
Direct Line
Vehicle spec:
Engine: 3.0-litre Duratec, V6 twin-turbo
Power: 352bhp
Torque: 390lb ft @ 3500rpm
Top speed: 171mph
0-62mph: 3.3 sec
Price as tested: £32,950
Useful links:
Top Marques
Mole Valley
Noble Driver
Piston Heads
British Car Enthusiasts
AUTO REVIEW online rates this car 
A very good article which you cannot find elsewhere.pity about the spelling .
— Gavin · Sep 14, 12:34 AM · #