The Ultimate Affordable true Supercar?

While picking up my cobra last week @ Dynamic Motorsports, I twisted Dean's arm to get a ride in the Noble (not much twisting needed!!). I thought my Cobra was quick until I drove the Noble. Totally awesome car!!!

Brian

Yea, yea...........it aint a V8 tho is it?
A lightened Grp.4 replica with all the good Grp.4 bits like 4x Webers,closed-chamber heads,flattop pistons & Hall Pantera 180 degree exh.system sounds frigging unbelievable if youre into the aural side of things, this was the only reason I ever bought a Harley Davidson to my regret..)---and IS everything we all wanted. And with Hall's Bunny ear-scoops (worth .2 secs thru the quartermile,- Halls measurements).....for the Webers,the light-weight rims all looks wicked and is almost as light as the Noble....well almost.........Slip in a 408 stroker-crank kit, and you'll match the Noble.In fact my old time-slips around Kyalami International Race-circuit with my old motor are within a couple of secs. of the smaller engined Noble.-( they build them here too you know,in South Africa as well as some of the best Cobras and GT 40's ive ever driven anywhere in the world.) I drove a Gt40,(S.A.built)Replica of mine in Hamberg, germany for two years on various race tracks there..........so Ive had a chance to compare most of the replicas.....
How about this: I am half way thru building a space-framed GT 40 chassied, glass-bodied Pantera replica which will weigh LESS than the Noble and be running a very trick light weight V8 with full-on,cockpit-controlled engine,feul,electric ECU with 48mm Throttle-bodies sticking up thru the back in full glorious view , revving to 7500 thru the gears, running low profile 15x 345/35 P7's with a 4.27 / gear. it will be seriously quick off the line and no way a IgNoble will catch this on TrackDay with a competent driver.
Thought I'd toss this in.........Cheers, tai.

Tai:

Your project sounds fantastic. Seems like a full out race car. However, the Noble is a limited production car in England with a corresponding certification. Much like the Pantera was during the late '70's and through the nineties. I guess my interest was in the Noble's very streetable mild mannered nature around town, creature comforts and yet fabulous speed and handling versus an animal of a Pantera that would have to be built up from scratch that would be needed to keep up with it, let alone beat it as you describe.

Yes Phil1,-you're absolutely right & thanks for the info on the Noble,which is indeed just like you've indicated from what I have seen in and experienced in the series 1 car. I have also been promised a ride in the new 3-litre Twin-Turbo they build here in S.A.,and am looking forward to it.By the way,do you know that the Leicester based,British-built Noble factory were working on thier 170th.car when I was there in May this year. Not bad hey,for a little tiny set-up.- but this is what the Brits are famous for anyway isnt it?
The M12 GTO 3 has not been selling that well as expected since Lee Noble came out with the GTO 3R, which is the M12 with a 3 litre Twin-Turbo, as Phil expalained, 6-speed box,L.s.d. diff.,and a slightly more agresive nose treatment. Lee Noble of course is well knowen in our side of the world for his great Ultima car which has caused such a stir everywhere. South Africa's premire event covering 3 combined disciplines: Cone Racing, 400 & 800 runs from standing start, was last year won by a glorious Ultima, driven by a Dr.stuart Kiddle(?)from Durban,Natal,running a trick Alfa twin-turbo built by one of our best Alfa-Freaks herein JHB.... Awesome. Track Day at the Snetterton race track near the Noble factory, -the only car that beat the Noble that day was a full-tilt,Caterham R400, proberly one of the cheapest, best value,Track Day cars obtainable,-(They churn them out here in S.A. and are seen everywhere,-the Krugersdorp Hill Climb last month, which has been in existence since the early 50's and a very difficult climb with tretcherous corners and lots of bad road surfaces...) It took the Caterham (a Lotus & clone...) quiet a few laps to finally pass the Noble, but I guess u cant really compare the two just like you stated so elloquentely phil 1.
Cheers,tai

Hi PHILL1 again.
Sorry to go on about this subject but i could'nt stop myself........
You talk of;..." very streetable, mild mannered nature round town...& yet fabulous speed & handling,.. might be an animal of a Pantera." -
Well my present car of 8 years atleast,is a slightly lightened,(2800lbs ready to go)skinny-bodied '76 with the nessesary, mechnically correct, Grp. 4 spec.'bits' mostly obtained from Gary Hall,who I cant say anything but; "superb service and quality always &what a pleasure....",- buying from him since the early 80's when I sold my first Vallelunga and bought a '83 GT5. The only mods I have done to the bog-standard, rust- free orginal body are the addition of Hall's Bunny-Ear scoops which are usefull when running the quad Webers etc.,(for many reasons,- but thats another story. And yes Guru Jack DeRyke, thank you for reminding me to screw down the Bunny Ears to keep them from being ripped out at high speed... )-
Anyhow,with the Webers & individual-runner Hall intake-manifold giving a much broader spread of power thru the rev range,combined with a mild cam,180 degree exh.,closed-chamber hds.,std.4.27:1 gear etc. my old Pantera is exactely as you say,- and no need to spend anywhere near as much money as you mentioned.
On the handling side, which I am very into; Poly bushes, Sphere-balled sway-bars frt.& rear, slightly stiffer spring rates, with 15x 12 (345/35P7'sI on light-weight, (they really are. Ive weighed them.)English Split Compomotive spun-ally rims. Tasty. Look just like the Lambo Diablo rims without the awful,garish,over-designed,over everything, beamouth of a monstrosity. No maybe its not that bad, -makes a nice sound with a comp. exh. system....Boy ! what a 'juppie mobile'-- sorry all you Yups out there......

Cheers guys, tai.
P.S. Just HAVE to say : A great big congrats.& thankyou to you Jack DeRyke- (..what the hell surname is that anyway Jack ? Its almost as bad as mine!-Dutch orginally? -'the Rich'in dutch,and you certainly are 'rich' indeed with expert info.& infinite pacience,- well beyond any call of duty. We are all very fortunate to have your wealth of knowledge made avaiable to us all,around the globe thru PI. What a fanstatic Webb-site! I have not seen better anywhere and what a NewsLetter / Magazine,- Full-on, beutiful repro.and color& always great articles...Well Done All.

If you go the assembled "roller" method with the Ultima you start at 89,000 US delivered. Figure $15k to 25K for a hot engine another 6k to 8k for a tranny and figure 3k for installation and you come in at 113K base cost in US dollars. With the Ultima, the extra 38K or so above the Noble gets you, according to Car & Driver's tests, 0-60 times of 3.3 and quarter mile times in 10.9 seconds with 150mph through the trap. Zero to 180 is 14.8.
A US owner in Maryland has one and says while the car is a bit more spartan when compard to the Noble, it is no more spartan than an Enzo. And, it's just as quick with a 200mph top end. So, for an extra 38k you are up with everybody. But, if you compare 75k for the Noble or 113k for the Ultima spending upwards of 450,000 for the new Porsche and 1.5 million in the US for the Enzo seems, from a performance point of view, a very bad deal.