One week and 2000 miles in an M400
Discussion
Just covered a shade under 2000 miles in our M400 press car since last Tuesday.
I spend most of my working day promoting the car in the press and usually spend 3-400 miles a week in it. But the last week has been exceptional.
Despite awful weather conditions, plenty of night driving and one exhausting day of filming on a race circuit, our M400's cabin has been a truly comfortable, safe, warm and enjoyable place in which to cover huge miles.
My first long trip took me into coastal Dorset and Devon and, other than a half hour stop for lunch and fuel in Lyme Regis, I didn't leave the driver's seat for eight hours and 550 miles. No bum/back ache, no windnoise - despite high cruising speeds - and zero fatigue at journey's end.
Spending so much time in the car also made me appreciate other, more mundane qualities that the Noble possesses, like efficient ergonomics - sure, the dash isn't as stylish as a TVR's, but all the switches and dials are in just the right place; a supple ride - it's slightly firmer than a 3R's, but few cars regain composure so quickly after being driven over potholes and poor surfaces; effortless power on call, even when you're not trying to drive fast, thanks to prodigious torque and sensible gearing. Also, plenty of space to stow changes of clothes etc away BEHIND the seats, as I found during a couple of nights spent away from home.
And at the risk of contradicting what I've stated before about the Pirelli Corsas being less than great in wet conditions, I can report that only once - at just under a ton on the A55 in driving rain - did the car give me a small moment, when it hit a flood stretching the width of the dual carraigeway. Other than that, grip was flawless and straight-line stability exceptional, with a really planted-feel to it.
Finally, after a week of high miles and hard thrash, I added just half a litre of oil to the sump to bring it up to max.
Hope you don't mind me going on a bit about the depth of this car's abilities, but my intention is to illustrate that this model is far from being just a one-dimensional track car. It is, in fact, a highly accomplished road car, too.
Simon Hucknall
Press Officer
Noble Automotive Ltd.
I spend most of my working day promoting the car in the press and usually spend 3-400 miles a week in it. But the last week has been exceptional.
Despite awful weather conditions, plenty of night driving and one exhausting day of filming on a race circuit, our M400's cabin has been a truly comfortable, safe, warm and enjoyable place in which to cover huge miles.
My first long trip took me into coastal Dorset and Devon and, other than a half hour stop for lunch and fuel in Lyme Regis, I didn't leave the driver's seat for eight hours and 550 miles. No bum/back ache, no windnoise - despite high cruising speeds - and zero fatigue at journey's end.
Spending so much time in the car also made me appreciate other, more mundane qualities that the Noble possesses, like efficient ergonomics - sure, the dash isn't as stylish as a TVR's, but all the switches and dials are in just the right place; a supple ride - it's slightly firmer than a 3R's, but few cars regain composure so quickly after being driven over potholes and poor surfaces; effortless power on call, even when you're not trying to drive fast, thanks to prodigious torque and sensible gearing. Also, plenty of space to stow changes of clothes etc away BEHIND the seats, as I found during a couple of nights spent away from home.
And at the risk of contradicting what I've stated before about the Pirelli Corsas being less than great in wet conditions, I can report that only once - at just under a ton on the A55 in driving rain - did the car give me a small moment, when it hit a flood stretching the width of the dual carraigeway. Other than that, grip was flawless and straight-line stability exceptional, with a really planted-feel to it.
Finally, after a week of high miles and hard thrash, I added just half a litre of oil to the sump to bring it up to max.
Hope you don't mind me going on a bit about the depth of this car's abilities, but my intention is to illustrate that this model is far from being just a one-dimensional track car. It is, in fact, a highly accomplished road car, too.
Simon Hucknall
Press Officer
Noble Automotive Ltd.
derestrictor said:
Well done chief.
The boy Joust is quite right, these cars are the absolute muttata nuttiatum.
There's something so irresistably correct about the M400, too.
Tell me, how does it compare to an X50 911 Turbo ito accelerative mind alteration?
The Hound of The Mound of Orcdom.
A standard 3L car is quicker than an x50 to 120ish so the M400 should destroy it to those speeds. I'm guessing it will be able to hold off the 911 until higher speeds than the normal M12 but the 911 will still eventually come past due to it's better aero and small amount of extra power.
Is it bad to want to upgrade to an M400 predominantly because of the seats?
Interesting to get a bit of an insight into what you do micknall. Must be nice to get so much wheel time on a decent car and not have to worry about the mileage
>> Edited by DanH on Tuesday 1st February 17:46
m12_nathan said:
Dan - it looks like it is possible to get different seat in a standard M12....
Yes but I hate spending money on things like that
Still don't see why the M400 ones can't fit as looking at pics there is tonnes of clearance in the m400, and the centre console only shrank minimally. Can you remember who makes them? More sensible would be some more/denser padding from an autotrim shop.
>> Edited by DanH on Tuesday 1st February 18:19
Closest I can see is :
www.sparcousa.com/pseats_street.asp?id=97
Its a street seat. The motorsport ones have a deeper bucket with slots for the lap belt.
Simon, your report is appreciated and no worries as most us know you remain as unbiased as you can be under the circumstances - I know you mean it as I've seen you grin more than once when talking about the M12! :-)
... I for one would appreciate hearing more of your business antics in your Nobles!
... I for one would appreciate hearing more of your business antics in your Nobles!
micknall said:I found exactly the same, they are truely amazing bits of rubber in the wet...
And at the risk of contradicting what I've stated before about the Pirelli Corsas being less than great in wet conditions, I can report that only once - at just under a ton on the A55 in driving rain - did the car give me a small moment, when it hit a flood stretching the width of the dual carraigeway. Other than that, grip was flawless and straight-line stability exceptional, with a really planted-feel to it.
J
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