Noble sells US rights to M12, M400

[Pebb]

Source: AutoCar

Noble Automotive, the Leicestershire-based sports car builder, has sold the manufacturing rights to its M12 cars in the US.

The rights have been sold to 1g Racing, based in Ohio, which will now be able to build and sell the M12 (and M12-based M400) in America.

1g must rename the cars by 15th July 2007, and can modify the design as it sees fit. Noble still retains the rights to the car in the UK – including its name. However, Noble has already stopped production of the M12 and M400, which were built in South Africa.

Noble's owner, Lee Noble, has said that the firm is concentrating on its new model, the more upmarket M15. There are also rumours of another entirely new model.

Judging by Noble's last efforts, they'll be worth waiting for.

 

[exigeracer]

His words: "The M12 has been a very successful model for Noble Automotive and we have learned much from it. Our new model will be a big step forward and this will leave no room in our line up for the M12/400 as we need to concentrate all of our attention on the development of our new model. However we will remain committed to all Noble owners, and will maintain the supply of all M12 and M400 parts for our owners and dealers."

 

[Evolution.]

Sweet, we'll being seeing M12's (or whatever they are renamed to) here in Ohio. Nice.

 

[ExigeEvan]

Are they going to be track only cars in the US due to legislation?

I hope Noble got a good deal from thsia swell.

 

[JCE]

I'd be very excited about seeing street legal Noble roadcars over here. I can't want to see what kind of extra power will be added.

 

[YSSMAN]

Are they going to be track only cars in the US due to legislation?

Certainly not. I've seen two Nobles on the roads already here just in Grand Rapids, the first one was spotted about a year or so ago, and my brother actually saw one a few months ago when it was shockingly warm for January. They are completely road legal, but the way they have been able to get around crash and smog tests is by selling it as a "kit car," which in many places makes it eligible to skip those tests.

...Ariel has been able to do exactly the same thing with the Atom 2, shipping it as a kit car, but I cannot recall specifically if it is road legal or not...

 

[iceburns288]

If there was one car I would own right now, it'd be a Noble. Track car + daily driver. The only problem is the cheesy wing. And the price

 

[Tornado]

As YSSMAN confirmed for me, I was under the assumption that you could already buy M12s in this country.

 

[YSSMAN]

As YSSMAN confirmed for me, I was under the assumption that you could already buy M12s in this country.

I believe they have been on-sale since 2004, but have since been updated to the M400 chassis. The bigger question becomes if they will bring in the M15 or not, and that is something I don't have an answer to.

 

[Tornado]

It would make a lovely competitor to this here, wouldn't it?

 

[YSSMAN]

I completely agree. PGR3 has only fueled by lust for the M15, a car that I was originally a bit skeptical over to begin with. We'll see if they bring it over or not, as it would make an interesting edition to the premium sports car segment.

 

[High-Test]

I saw an M 400 near my Dad's house yesterday. It was a refreshing sight.