M400 on topgear
Discussion
CRB1 said:
Jeremy C said "....and its up against the ...Noble M400, one of our favourite cars" How come its one of their favourite cars when they haven't given it a proper lap time. Come on.
You're right CRB1... Jeremy hasn't given the M400 a true TG review yet but my guess is that the comment was based on the M12's he's driven in the past and the fact that the M400 is an 'evolution' of the M12 with more power. Simon H. will no doubt have his comment to add tomorrow morning but let's not forget; TG goes out around the world to over 200M viewers over time. The M400 was within a knats whisker of one of the finest racing cars of all time and that says a lot for the car!
I was lucky enough to drive a race GT40 many years ago and was blown away by the machine. Remember; it's not a car that could be used every day on todays roads and was built for 1 purpose only. The M400 is truly in a league usually populated by far more expensive and impracticle cars. Whilst the lap time would be 'nice to know', it's pretty damn good to be up there with the GT40.
Respect to Simon and Lee for agreeing to put the M400 head to head with a race car of the GT40's pedigree!
Dom.
It’s a little frustrating that after waiting all this time they fail to show a lap time. That said, it is a light-hearted automotive show. The fact that power laps were rounded up to the nearest whole second when the show first started is a good proof of this.
I do hope that there is more to come in 2005 from the M400, and indeed the M14, but I wont hold my breath for an in-depth review of them on Top Gear like I was hoping for this evening.
On the subject of the 911 GT3 RS and 360 CS, I don’t think they will hold a candle to the M400 for outright lap-times even though various magazines would so far suggest otherwise.
I do hope that there is more to come in 2005 from the M400, and indeed the M14, but I wont hold my breath for an in-depth review of them on Top Gear like I was hoping for this evening.
On the subject of the 911 GT3 RS and 360 CS, I don’t think they will hold a candle to the M400 for outright lap-times even though various magazines would so far suggest otherwise.
I'm still hoping that TG will run the M400's Stig lap as a stand-alone test - I think that was always the plan, with the story about racers vs road cars thrown in as a bonus. I know that our car did a blinding lap time, but I don't want to steal TG's thunder if they do run the story in a later programme. So cards close to my chest for the time being, I'm afraid.
Simon Hucknall
Press Officer
Nobel Automotive Ltd.
Simon Hucknall
Press Officer
Nobel Automotive Ltd.
micknall said:
I'm still hoping that TG will run the M400's Stig lap as a stand-alone test - I think that was always the plan, with the story about racers vs road cars thrown in as a bonus. I know that our car did a blinding lap time, but I don't want to steal TG's thunder if they do run the story in a later programme. So cards close to my chest for the time being, I'm afraid.
Simon Hucknall
Press Officer
Nobel Automotive Ltd.
Was that the same lap that they've now already shown though? If so I get the feeling the GT40 lap was filmed completely separately as they had one down the weekend after some of us owners went to the topgear test track with plans motorsport.
Does go to show what an awesome machine the GT40 is though!
The GT40 and the Noble were filmed on the same day.
If you're referring to the laptime that's on the board (1m 25.3), that was set in Summer '03 with a GTO-3 borrowed from a dealer. The only prep it had was a quick wash down with a chamois - I didn't even have time to check the oil!
Simon Hucknall
Press Officer
Noble Automotive Ltd.
If you're referring to the laptime that's on the board (1m 25.3), that was set in Summer '03 with a GTO-3 borrowed from a dealer. The only prep it had was a quick wash down with a chamois - I didn't even have time to check the oil!
Simon Hucknall
Press Officer
Noble Automotive Ltd.
Having now viewed last night's Top Gear programme I don't feel so bad at having to turn down the four tickets that their promotion company offered me for that particular show...
How their producer can omit the M400 time one can only imagine - hmmm, maybe he/she's devoid of all motor knowledge (could their last job have been on Blue Peter (or, if an old fart, "How" - blimey, that takes me back!!!) or, the M400's time was so impressive that they want to use something exceptional to open the next series with.
Here we go again with the "wait-and-see"! ;-(
How their producer can omit the M400 time one can only imagine - hmmm, maybe he/she's devoid of all motor knowledge (could their last job have been on Blue Peter (or, if an old fart, "How" - blimey, that takes me back!!!) or, the M400's time was so impressive that they want to use something exceptional to open the next series with.
Here we go again with the "wait-and-see"! ;-(
I really do hope that the M400 gets a showing with the Stig; it was disappointing to watch last night and not exactly a PR success for Nobel (note the spelling on the BBC site) for it to be beaten by a 20 year old car... the Impretza took what small-glory there was to take from such a weak editorial piece. Personally speaking, and being my usual cynical-self, I can imagine that JC and the crew don't want the M400 topping the table.
Marlon said:
I really do hope that the M400 gets a showing with the Stig; it was disappointing to watch last night and not exactly a PR success for Nobel (note the spelling on the BBC site) for it to be beaten by a 20 year old car... the Impretza took what small-glory there was to take from such a weak editorial piece. Personally speaking, and being my usual cynical-self, I can imagine that JC and the crew don't want the M400 topping the table.
Yep have to agree that its not exactly a PR coupe. If it really did get a stunning lap time its even more of a shame. I honestly expected the M400 to win...
DanH said:Hang on, a £60k car was 0.6 seconds off a car that is now valued at over £250,000-£500,000 (GT40).
Yep have to agree that its not exactly a PR coupe.
A £40k EVO (or was it the even more expensive one) beat a car by 2 seconds+ that currently retails for £30-60k (Quattro Sport).
An you say that isn't a PR coupe for petrolheads? Strange.....
J
P.S. That didn't look like a proper WRC Ur Quattro to me, merely the production Quattro Sport car in the appropiate colours - consequently it was probably the odd 200 or so BHP down.....
joust said:
Yep have to agree that its not exactly a PR coupe.
Hang on, a £60k car was 0.6 seconds off a car that is now valued at over £250,000-£500,000 (GT40).
A £40k EVO (or was it the even more expensive one) beat a car by 2 seconds+ that currently retails for £30-60k (Quattro Sport).
An you say that isn't a PR coupe for petrolheads? Strange.....
J
P.S. That didn't look like a proper WRC Ur Quattro to me, merely the production Quattro Sport car in the appropiate colours - consequently it was probably the odd 200 or so BHP down.....
Cost is irrelevant imho, thats a 20 year old car and the M400 lost to it. The lasting memory is that it didn't win, not that it may have done a blinding lap.
Of course if they'd put it on the lap board we'd have some context...
DanH said:??? So on that basis if it lost to a F40 (18 years old) then you'd be naffed off as well then?
Cost is irrelevant imho, thats a 20 year old car and the M400 lost to it. The lasting memory is that it didn't win, not that it may have done a blinding lap.
Strange world.....
J
Gassing Station | Noble | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff