RE: Noble M500 revealed at Goodwood

[Moonhawk]

Scg004s said:

I think it looks very similar the corvette headlight

Having looked at some higher resolution images on google - it looks like they actually are the same. Noble have been raiding the parts bin again

[Clockwork Cupcake]

Sandpit Steve said:

The various bits and bobs on a car that are required by legislation are a complete nightmare for a low-volume manufacturer, as the tooling and type approval process can go into six figures for each part. It’s a whole lot easier to buy front lights from Chevrolet at $1k a pair, that already have worldwide type approval and are readily available in large quantities.

Indeed.

The trouble is that, regardless of views on anthropomorphising cars, headlights are the "eyes" of the "face" of the car and have a massive influence on the public perception of it. Just look at the negative comments on the Morgan Aero 8 and it's cross-eyed Beetle headlights (later MINI headlights).

With modern projector and LED technology, there is far more scope for making something slightly different, even if it is just a custom fairing glass to slightly alter the shape.

However, having said that, I don't think the Corvette headlights are distinctive enough to scream "Corvette" at anyone other than a true car geek. Unfortunately, the kind of person who would buy the Noble M500 is likely to be a true car geek.

[sjc]

Clockwork Cupcake said:

Sandpit Steve said:

The various bits and bobs on a car that are required by legislation are a complete nightmare for a low-volume manufacturer, as the tooling and type approval process can go into six figures for each part. It’s a whole lot easier to buy front lights from Chevrolet at $1k a pair, that already have worldwide type approval and are readily available in large quantities.

Indeed.

The trouble is that, regardless of views on anthropomorphising cars, headlights are the "eyes" of the "face" of the car and have a massive influence on the public perception of it. Just look at the negative comments on the Morgan Aero 8 and it's cross-eyed Beetle headlights (later MINI headlights).

With modern projector and LED technology, there is far more scope for making something slightly different, even if it is just a custom fairing glass to slightly alter the shape.

However, having said that, I don't think the Corvette headlights are distinctive enough to scream "Corvette" at anyone other than a true car geek. Unfortunately, the kind of person who would buy the Noble M500 is likely to be a true car geek.

And a proper car geek who loves driving drivers cars won’t give two flying ducks where the headlights come from.

[ZX10R NIN]

+1 to that.

[Clockwork Cupcake]

sjc said:

And a proper car geek who loves driving drivers cars won’t give two flying ducks where the headlights come from.

True.

[Nerdherder]

kambites said:

f1nn said:

I’ll be very, very surprised if they sell 52 cars a year.

I think that'll come down to how much penetration they can get in China.

Well, they will get deeper into the market than the Chinese themselves.

..SomeoneHadToSayIt

[f1nn]

g3org3y said:

It looks terrible from that angle, proportions look wrong.

[RoverP6B]

Let's face it, though, at the price point they've chosen, fibreglass has such overwhelmingly negative connotations that the market won't accept it... and do we really expect Noble to get all the calibration for a dual-clutch box as finely tuned as a McLaren or Ferrari? Barmy not even offering a manual.

[sjc]

RoverP6B said:

Let's face it, though, at the price point they've chosen, fibreglass has such overwhelmingly negative connotations that the market won't accept it... and do we really expect Noble to get all the calibration for a dual-clutch box as finely tuned as a McLaren or Ferrari? Barmy not even offering a manual.

They’ll be a manual soon after.

[Clockwork Cupcake]

It's odd that glass fibre is uncool, but carbon fibre is cool.

I bet if they called the latter "Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic" (which is what this often is) then the coolness factor would plummet.

I wonder if GRP needs a re-brand? Call it "Silicate Fibre" or "Silicon Fibre" or even "Thermoset Polymer Matrix", and it would sound all hi tech again.

Edited by Clockwork Cupcake on Sunday 15th July 15:03

[Clockwork Cupcake]

The Crack Fox said:

I took a good look at this myself at the weekend, it looks a million miles from being finished, I think it's just a glass fibre shell and lots of wishful thinking.

Did you actually read the article?

"the M500 has been shown at Goodwood today as a full sized model (i.e there's no interior yet)."

[sjc]

The Crack Fox said:

I took a good look at this myself at the weekend, it looks a million miles from being finished, I think it's just a glass fibre shell and lots of wishful thinking. I hope they make it happen, but am not holding my breath.

It’s a type of foam for the mock up

[hondansx]

sjc said:

And a proper car geek who loves driving drivers cars won’t give two flying ducks where the headlights come from.

So true... now let's all jump in our GT86s that we don't own.

As someone has said, this is like something Rockstar Games has created for Grand Theft Auto, mixing so many supercar designs together that it's a big, rolling trademark infringement.

Don't understand how Noble have the money. How many M600s were actually sold?

[R400TVR]

7795 said:

Looks nice like all Nobles.

At that price point, it has some awesomely good competition.

Interior pics would be nice as that is what let down all the previous models; especially the M600.

Really? What is wrong with this?