Noble M14
Encyclopedia
The Noble M14 was a prototype
vehicle created by Noble Automotive
that debuted at the 2004 British Motorshow.
It had 400 bhp at 6,100 rpm from a highly-modified version of Ford's 3.0 litre (2,968 cc) V6 using a six-speed manual transmission
and twin turbochargers. The engine developed 385 ft.lbf of torque
at 4,750 rpm. It was planned to have a power-to-weight ratio
of 363 bhp per ton, and to get to 60 mi/h in 4.3 seconds with a maximum speed of 190 mi/h.
Noble expected it to compete with cars like the upcoming Porsche
911 Turbo and Ferrari F430
. It was expected to cost £75,000.
Following the debut of the vehicle Lee Noble
the creator of the car decided that it was insufficiently advanced over the current range of Noble cars to justify its price tag. Noble transferred development to a new car the Noble M15
, a pre-production prototype of which was presented in 2007 (and shown on TV's Top Gear) but never launched. Noble is now believed to be working on two updated replacements - the M600 and the M15C (see Autocar magazine, 20 October 2007).
Prototype
A prototype is an early sample or model built to test a concept or process or to act as a thing to be replicated or learned from.The word prototype derives from the Greek πρωτότυπον , "primitive form", neutral of πρωτότυπος , "original, primitive", from πρῶτος , "first" and τύπος ,...
vehicle created by Noble Automotive
Noble (car)
Noble Automotive Ltd., more commonly known simply as Noble, is a British sports car manufacturer.It was established in 1999 by Lee Noble in Leeds, West Yorkshire, for producing high-speed sports cars with a rear mid-engine, rear-wheel drive layout. Lee Noble was the chief designer and owner of...
that debuted at the 2004 British Motorshow.
It had 400 bhp at 6,100 rpm from a highly-modified version of Ford's 3.0 litre (2,968 cc) V6 using a six-speed manual transmission
Manual transmission
A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
and twin turbochargers. The engine developed 385 ft.lbf of torque
Torque
Torque, moment or moment of force , is the tendency of a force to rotate an object about an axis, fulcrum, or pivot. Just as a force is a push or a pull, a torque can be thought of as a twist....
at 4,750 rpm. It was planned to have a power-to-weight ratio
Power-to-weight ratio
Power-to-weight ratio is a calculation commonly applied to engines and mobile power sources to enable the comparison of one unit or design to another. Power-to-weight ratio is a measurement of actual performance of any engine or power sources...
of 363 bhp per ton, and to get to 60 mi/h in 4.3 seconds with a maximum speed of 190 mi/h.
Noble expected it to compete with cars like the upcoming Porsche
Porsche
Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
911 Turbo and Ferrari F430
Ferrari F430
The Ferrari F430 is a sports car that was produced by the Italian automaker Ferrari from 2004 to 2009, as a successor to the 360. It debuted at the 2004 Paris Motor Show...
. It was expected to cost £75,000.
Following the debut of the vehicle Lee Noble
Lee Noble
Lee Noble is a British entrepreneur, car designer and engineer. He is the founder of the sports car companies Noble Automotive Ltd in 1999 and Fenix Automotive in 2009. He is also the designer of some low-volume sports cars, including the Ultima Mk1, Ultima Mk2, Ultima Mk3, Midtec Spyder, and...
the creator of the car decided that it was insufficiently advanced over the current range of Noble cars to justify its price tag. Noble transferred development to a new car the Noble M15
Noble M15
The Noble M15 is a sports car designed and developed by Noble Automotive, a high-performance sports car manufacturer based in Leicestershire, England....
, a pre-production prototype of which was presented in 2007 (and shown on TV's Top Gear) but never launched. Noble is now believed to be working on two updated replacements - the M600 and the M15C (see Autocar magazine, 20 October 2007).