14000 miles in Noble's press car
Discussion
As a (kind of) Noble M400 owner, I thought you might like to know how I’ve been fairing with the factory press car during the last six months and 14,000 miles.
Yes, there’ll be cries of “,,,well he would say that, wouldn’t he?” but I honestly love this car and feel that I need to tell you about it.
During its short life, this car has been tested by Top Gear TV, Fifth Gear, Autocar, Evo, Top Gear mag, What Car?, Auto Express, Daily Mail, Car, Intersection, Track & Race Car, to name just a few UK publications. It’s been driven by car magazines from Denmark, Holland, France, Czech Republic, Taiwan, America and Germany, and many, many others. I’ve also loaned the car to other manufacturers for evaluation, and I can only guess what they put it through. Finally, I’ve put many miles on this car myself in the UK and Europe, as well as weekly trips to our local test track to give demonstrations to the press. It’s been thrashed, crashed (though only lightly), figured, maxed and ever so rarely driven gently. Yet, despite all this, its Green Flag card is unused and it’s never let anyone down.
Sure, KN54 YBZ gets its fair share of attention while it’s in the factory, but we stick to standard service and maintenance schedules like any other car. I’ll admit that I’ve had niggles with the car, but they’ve been minor, with only two ancillary components having been replaced from new. All other work has focused on wear and tear maintenance and the two main services the car’s required to date.
Brake pads and tyres? The car’s on its second set of pads (the harder DS2500s, due to higher than average track use), and its third set of Pirelli P-Zero Corsas. But I would expect most owners to better this, given how much time our M400 spends going sideways at rough-surfaced proving grounds.
Best of all, the car still drives, performs and sounds like new. That would be no great surprise if it had led a normal life (do Nobles lead normal automotive lives?) but few cars are subjected to this kind of daily abuse, so the fact that it remains so dependable is gratifying to our development team.
From a driver’s point of view, what I find most appealing about the M400 is the fact that you can treat it as an every day drive, enjoying its usability and comfort on the road, and then obliterate any other production car on the track. I use Bruntingthorpe frequently to demonstrate the car, and I have never – NEVER – driven a road car around the sprint circuit faster than in the M400 (and I’ve tested some of the fastest cars available in the UK using this track). Even in the wet, Bend 1 is 120mph, and in the dry it’s just about 140! Nothing comes close…
I know whatever I write will lack gravitas because of what I do for a living, but I can assure you that every word of this post is heart felt. If you haven’t driven an M400 yet, please contact your nearest Noble dealer and arrange a drive. And then try and prove me wrong.
Simon Hucknall
Press Officer
Noble Automotive Ltd.
Yes, there’ll be cries of “,,,well he would say that, wouldn’t he?” but I honestly love this car and feel that I need to tell you about it.
During its short life, this car has been tested by Top Gear TV, Fifth Gear, Autocar, Evo, Top Gear mag, What Car?, Auto Express, Daily Mail, Car, Intersection, Track & Race Car, to name just a few UK publications. It’s been driven by car magazines from Denmark, Holland, France, Czech Republic, Taiwan, America and Germany, and many, many others. I’ve also loaned the car to other manufacturers for evaluation, and I can only guess what they put it through. Finally, I’ve put many miles on this car myself in the UK and Europe, as well as weekly trips to our local test track to give demonstrations to the press. It’s been thrashed, crashed (though only lightly), figured, maxed and ever so rarely driven gently. Yet, despite all this, its Green Flag card is unused and it’s never let anyone down.
Sure, KN54 YBZ gets its fair share of attention while it’s in the factory, but we stick to standard service and maintenance schedules like any other car. I’ll admit that I’ve had niggles with the car, but they’ve been minor, with only two ancillary components having been replaced from new. All other work has focused on wear and tear maintenance and the two main services the car’s required to date.
Brake pads and tyres? The car’s on its second set of pads (the harder DS2500s, due to higher than average track use), and its third set of Pirelli P-Zero Corsas. But I would expect most owners to better this, given how much time our M400 spends going sideways at rough-surfaced proving grounds.
Best of all, the car still drives, performs and sounds like new. That would be no great surprise if it had led a normal life (do Nobles lead normal automotive lives?) but few cars are subjected to this kind of daily abuse, so the fact that it remains so dependable is gratifying to our development team.
From a driver’s point of view, what I find most appealing about the M400 is the fact that you can treat it as an every day drive, enjoying its usability and comfort on the road, and then obliterate any other production car on the track. I use Bruntingthorpe frequently to demonstrate the car, and I have never – NEVER – driven a road car around the sprint circuit faster than in the M400 (and I’ve tested some of the fastest cars available in the UK using this track). Even in the wet, Bend 1 is 120mph, and in the dry it’s just about 140! Nothing comes close…
I know whatever I write will lack gravitas because of what I do for a living, but I can assure you that every word of this post is heart felt. If you haven’t driven an M400 yet, please contact your nearest Noble dealer and arrange a drive. And then try and prove me wrong.
Simon Hucknall
Press Officer
Noble Automotive Ltd.
Hang on, thrashed crashed maxxed and burned, generaly misstreated by the press and rival manufacturers, used as a demo to show of and regularly tracked.
Occasional driven moderatley.
And you say all its been due is 2 (two) normal interval factory major services?
I presume you've been changing the oil a bit more frequently than that?
Regards
Paul C
Occasional driven moderatley.
And you say all its been due is 2 (two) normal interval factory major services?
I presume you've been changing the oil a bit more frequently than that?
Regards
Paul C
Dear Simon,
Then that begs the question do owners who track their M400s need to change their oil any more frequently than normal. I've allways understood that a full on track day is equivalent to about 1,000 road miles, and that the usual practice is to change oil every 4-6 track days.
Is this unecessary?
Regards
Paul C
Then that begs the question do owners who track their M400s need to change their oil any more frequently than normal. I've allways understood that a full on track day is equivalent to about 1,000 road miles, and that the usual practice is to change oil every 4-6 track days.
Is this unecessary?
Regards
Paul C
Simon,
Whenever I am asked to describe the Noble (by someone that has no idea what it is) I reflect on how it is unquestionably the modern day equivalent of the 427 AC Cobra S/C that Carroll Shelby produced in limited quantity back in 1965-1966. The Cobra also became the scourge of the perennial favorites like Ferrari and Porsche and actually beat them at their own game. Like the Cobra, you can also drive it to work Monday-Friday and take it to the track on the weekend and blow the doors off of everything there. And....they also both draw a crowd of admirers wherever they go. The difference is that the Noble is actually much more comfortable to drive Monday-Friday.
You must feel like one of the first astronauts on the moon. You've gone farther in an M400 that any other human being. One step for Lee......one giant step for the Nobility.
Whenever I am asked to describe the Noble (by someone that has no idea what it is) I reflect on how it is unquestionably the modern day equivalent of the 427 AC Cobra S/C that Carroll Shelby produced in limited quantity back in 1965-1966. The Cobra also became the scourge of the perennial favorites like Ferrari and Porsche and actually beat them at their own game. Like the Cobra, you can also drive it to work Monday-Friday and take it to the track on the weekend and blow the doors off of everything there. And....they also both draw a crowd of admirers wherever they go. The difference is that the Noble is actually much more comfortable to drive Monday-Friday.
You must feel like one of the first astronauts on the moon. You've gone farther in an M400 that any other human being. One step for Lee......one giant step for the Nobility.
thanks for the "from the heart" report Simon.
Obviously you would have expected the usual scrutiny that comes from this Forum
It's goods to hear that the M400 is holding up very well. Mark my words once the 3R is ready to be taken from me, kicking and screaming, I shall change to a lovely (not silver!) M400 - I can't wait. In the meantime these kind of reports just confirm what we already know. The M12 is a fantastic every day useable car. The M400 is just the cream topping !
Obviously you would have expected the usual scrutiny that comes from this Forum
It's goods to hear that the M400 is holding up very well. Mark my words once the 3R is ready to be taken from me, kicking and screaming, I shall change to a lovely (not silver!) M400 - I can't wait. In the meantime these kind of reports just confirm what we already know. The M12 is a fantastic every day useable car. The M400 is just the cream topping !
micknall said:
If you haven’t driven an M400 yet, please contact your nearest Noble dealer and arrange a drive. And then try and prove me wrong.
Not wrong, Simon.
robp said:
Just said that the M400s were going nicely. Bob says 'did you have a drive?' 'No' I replied. Whereupon he seized Giles from NobleLondon and before I knew it I was hooning round the circuit in the red 400
Job done.
Tuesday I wave goodbye to my beloved 3R and Elise TT230
Roll on Friday!!
paulcundy said:
Dear Simon,
Then that begs the question do owners who track their M400s need to change their oil any more frequently than normal. I've allways understood that a full on track day is equivalent to about 1,000 road miles, and that the usual practice is to change oil every 4-6 track days.
Is this unecessary?
Regards
Paul C
Dear Simon,
any chance you can answer the question?
Regards
Paul C
I would say you can't change the oil enough - the oil in my car has been changed every 3000 miles or sooner - going purely on that (my car is not an M400) which would you prefer second hand? Still it sounds fairly impressive. Incidentally what oil is the factory now using - is there really a difference in the different makes of oil?
Sorry it's taken a while to get back to you about this.
Firstly, we use Shell Helix 10/40 semi-synthetic oil for the running-in period up to 1000 miles. This is then replaced with Shell Helix Ultra 5/40 fully synthetic oil for all future mileage.
Obviously, keeping the engine oil temperature at acceptable levels is an important factor to its lack of degradation, and the oil cooler and ducting fitted to the production M400 helps considerably. If I demonstrate the car, or passenger a journalist on a test track, I also ensure that it is cooled down properly for a lap or two before being turned off.
The other point I'd make is that the car seldom does track days - in other words, an entire day of continuous circuit work. Press demos at Bruntingthorpe generally last one hour, and if the car is loaned to a magazine for a track test, the day is usually punctuated with photography and driver changes. In other words, this car gets some real hammer, but I doubt if it's as prolonged as taking it to a track day would mean.
Our last couple of press cars have covered approx. 30k miles in a year, before being replaced, and we've never had any issues with accelerated wear due to the oil breaking down. However, for serious track day work, I cannot fault Paul Cundy's decision to change his oil more frequently, especially if his car is not fitted with the cooler/ducting we use on the M400.
Simon Hucknall
Press Officer
Noble Automotive Ltd.
Firstly, we use Shell Helix 10/40 semi-synthetic oil for the running-in period up to 1000 miles. This is then replaced with Shell Helix Ultra 5/40 fully synthetic oil for all future mileage.
Obviously, keeping the engine oil temperature at acceptable levels is an important factor to its lack of degradation, and the oil cooler and ducting fitted to the production M400 helps considerably. If I demonstrate the car, or passenger a journalist on a test track, I also ensure that it is cooled down properly for a lap or two before being turned off.
The other point I'd make is that the car seldom does track days - in other words, an entire day of continuous circuit work. Press demos at Bruntingthorpe generally last one hour, and if the car is loaned to a magazine for a track test, the day is usually punctuated with photography and driver changes. In other words, this car gets some real hammer, but I doubt if it's as prolonged as taking it to a track day would mean.
Our last couple of press cars have covered approx. 30k miles in a year, before being replaced, and we've never had any issues with accelerated wear due to the oil breaking down. However, for serious track day work, I cannot fault Paul Cundy's decision to change his oil more frequently, especially if his car is not fitted with the cooler/ducting we use on the M400.
Simon Hucknall
Press Officer
Noble Automotive Ltd.
tomahawk said:
Simon,when I track the M400 the oil temp always goes to 140 after a lap or two.I took it in to a service centre after the first
time and was told the gauge was faulty and had it replaced. Still however shows 140 on track although oil pressure is fine. Any comments?
FWIW it usually max's to around 120 deg C on mine (with front number plate removed) and takes more than two laps to get there.
micknall said:
I’ve also loaned the car to other manufacturers for evaluation...
I’ll admit that I’ve had niggles with the car, but they’ve been minor, with only two ancillary components having been replaced from new.
Simon Hucknall
Press Officer
Noble Automotive Ltd.
Simon, as always your openness and input is greatly appreciated (needless to say, the same goes to your colleagues and the master tea-boy!).
So which manufacturers have wanted to test your mettle (note mettle and not metal as per your web site! :-)) Or put it another way, who sees Noble as a threat?
And, which two components were replaced on your heavily used demonstrator?
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