For a car that took a few years to develop, you would think that Noble->ke63 would take to great lengths in hyping the hotly-anticipated production debut of their new supercar, the M600->ke3186.

Instead, it was about as low-key as it could get. On one hand, we weren't surprised considering that the company isn't particularly known for bombastic and glitzy unveilings. On the other hand, you would think that a car of this stature should have had its own stage, a chance for the world to see the final product of Noble's hard work and dedication.

In any case, Noble has finally introduced the production version of the M600 and yes, the car looks to be as good as advertised. The supercar's appearance maintains a slender and contoured shape that doesn't scream for attention every time you look at it, unlike other supercars we've seen in the past. For those of you that think a subtle yet aggressive design on a supercar doesn't work, the M600 is proof that it definitely can. It's also worth noting, at least as far as we're concerned, that at first glance, you notice a few similarities with other supercars. It doesn't mean that Noble spiked some design elements from its competitors, but rather used them as inspiration to design a car that looks about as stunning as we imagined.

UPDATE 09/08/11: Marchettino has done it again, shooting a new video of the Noble M600 supercar revving its engine around Monaco! Trust us, the sounds coming out of this supercar is nothing short of amazing, so you'll want to hear it! Turn up your volume and hit the jump for the video.

Details on the Noble M600 after the jump.

2011 Noble M600

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2011 Noble M600
  • Engine/Motor: olvo-sourced mid-mounted 4.4-liter V8 engine
  • Horsepower: 650 horsepower
  • Torque: 654 lb/ft of torque
  • Transmission: Six-Speed Manual
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Pros
Cons

Exterior and Interior

More than the full carbon body that the M600 is built on, the car’s overall design kind of reminds us of a combination of a McLaren MP4-12C, an Audi R8->ke1440, and a Nissan GT-R->ke1592.

Inside this gorgeous supercar, there’s plenty of carbon fiber to make the driver feel like he’s surrounded in it, which is a pretty awesome deal. On top of that, the M600 also comes with black and red Alcantara and leather trim with red stitching and full on carpeting. The car also has an on-board satellite navigation system, a funky matchstick-looking transmission, and that unmistakable red switch that has “TC” scribbled on it. “TC”, if you didn’t know, stands for traction control. Yeah, that’s right. Traction control.

Performance

We’ve already touched on the powertrain under the hood of the M600. Just in case you’ve forgotten, it has a Volvo-sourced mid-mounted 4.4-liter V8 engine with a couple of turbochargers in it. For the M600, Noble is producing three power variants – a 450 horsepower, a 550 horsepower, and a range topping 650 horsepower with 654 lb/ft of torque – giving customers a choice of how much pony power they prefer to have on their supercar. All these models are then mated to a six-speed manual transmission.

For the top-of-the-line model, the car is capable of blasting from 0-60 mph in less than three seconds with a top speed of 225 mph.

Pricing

Noble has not yet released a price tag on the M600, but the persistent rumor is that the car is expected to retail for £200,000, which is about $320,000 based on current exchange rates. That number isn’t official by any means and given the car’s capabilities, we wouldn’t be surprised to see the price spike when Noble officially announces it.

Despite the price tag of the M600 still being kept under wraps, there have already been 52 deposits for this supercar, which is kind of amazing given the fact that nobody outside Noble knows how much the car is going to cost.

In June 2011, Noble announced that the M600 was finally ready to be delivered to its first customer. According to the British automaker, the M600 will be built at a rate of just one car per month, delaying the vehicles' deliveries to their rightful owners. Not the best way to please customers, but hey, at least the first supercar has been sent out so that's a plus.

Competition

At first, using a Bugatti Veyron->ke1112 as an example of a competing car is tantamount to high treason. But if you look at the figures of the almighty Bugatti supercar and compare it with the upstart M600, then it doesn't sound as ridiculous. Sure, the Veyron has tons more horsepower than the M600, but with a curb weight of just under 2,645 lbs., the M600 has a 550 hp/ton power-to-weight ratio, a number that's actually better than the Veyron's 521 hp/ton power-to-weight ratio.

Oh, and there's the matter of the price tag. The Veyron costs north of $1 million - and that's on a good day. Compare that with the expected price tag of the M600 and you're more likely to get a car that can match up with the venerable Bugatti for half the price.

Top Gear's Review of the Noble M600

Fifth Gear's Review of the Noble M600