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Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Colorado
Posts: 850
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Noble Sports Cars
Just saw a brand new Noble M12 GTO in my office parking lot... Spoke with the owner for a few minutes... Kind of a crazy looking car... 2500lbs, big brakes, twin turbo... looked like a lotus... with a little more flare....
Just thought I would see if any of you guys have seen one around.... Aparently, it's not for retail in the US... it was shipped over apart and assembled here... wont legally pass CA smog.... money talks I guess.... Here's a couple pictures I grabbed from online... 
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83 SC (gone) / 72 T (gone) |
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04-14-2005, 06:18 PM
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Location: Colorado
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83 SC (gone) / 72 T (gone) |
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04-14-2005, 06:19 PM
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drag racing the short bus
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Location, Location...
Posts: 21,983
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Philip - where are you on PCH? South near OC or north in LA Country. I only ask because in LA along PCH, I've seen quite a few Lotuses (Elises). Haven't seen a Noble yet. Only kit car (it is a kit car, right?) I've seen in numbers is the Beck Spyder. There's an auto accessories store in the Malibu Country Mart that specializes in building 550 Spyders. They're very nice and well put together. Best part is the price: $25K max. for a new replica car.
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The Terror of Tiny Town |
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04-14-2005, 06:44 PM
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B58/732
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Hot as Hell, AZ
Posts: 12,313
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Cobra kits are a dime-a-dozen out here; guess that fits the redneck AZ image.
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ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ I don't always talk to vegetarians--but when I do, it's with a mouthful of bacon. |
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04-14-2005, 09:18 PM
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Just saw one at the denver car show. I was actually really impressed by it, they look very well put together. They had a episode of Top Gear playing behind it where Jeremy totally trashed the car, and he couldn't stop singing it's praises. I didn't catch the price, but overall i really like it.
Some pictures:   
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04-14-2005, 09:57 PM
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Targa, Panamera Turbo
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Houston TX
Posts: 22,366
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say what you want - looking at that car, gives me wood! I guess I always liked tramps. If it's a kit, what chassis does that fit?
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Michael D. Holloway https://simple.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_D._Holloway https://5thorderindustry.com/ https://www.amazon.com/s?k=michael+d+holloway&crid=3AWD8RUVY3E2F&sprefix= michael+d+holloway%2Caps%2C136&ref=nb_sb_noss_1 |
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04-14-2005, 09:57 PM
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I don't think they are kit cars, just in extremely limited production, like the new Elise or the Koeniggsegg. visit http://www.noblecars.com/ for more info.
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04-14-2005, 10:01 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: uh.. let me check the hotel key
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a guy called "Lee Noble" makes them..
first the m10... top gear called it a pos... so he fixed it.. now you have the m12.. and the guys at top gear cant get enough of it!
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SWB |
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04-14-2005, 11:56 PM
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Dept store Quartermaster
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: I'm right here Tati
Posts: 19,858
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I don't think it's a kit-car the way you would normally think kit-car. I understand that it comes all done minus drivetrain. Probably just a way to get around sertification/crash testing, etc..
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Cornpoppin' Pony Soldier |
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04-15-2005, 04:37 AM
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Location: St Charles Il
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I recall seeing a add for one that called it a turnkey minus. I think the the $ was around 50K.
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04-15-2005, 04:46 AM
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Dept store Quartermaster
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: I'm right here Tati
Posts: 19,858
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Quote:
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Cornpoppin' Pony Soldier |
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04-15-2005, 04:48 AM
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 2,466
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Car & Driver Television had a piece on the car. It is "technically" a kit car, with purchaser buying the car and motor (ford 6-cyl) separately. IIRC, total cost plus labor to install engine was ~$80K...
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1972 911T 1972 911E "RSR" |
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04-15-2005, 06:06 AM
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Super Jenius
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Syracuse, NY
Posts: 3,491
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Why do most of the "kit-cars" look over-flourished in design?
This one isn't tooooo bad, but that rear wheel well-to-spoiler curlicue just ruins an otherwise decent car. Well, and the scoops in the door look a little emphatic. JP
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2003 SuperCharged Frontier ../.. 1979 930 ../.. 1989 BMW 325iX ../.. 1988 BMW M5 ../.. 1973 BMW 2002 ../..1969 Alfa Boattail Spyder ../.. 1961 Morris Mini Cooper ../..2002 Aprilia RSV Mille ../.. 1985 Moto Guzzi LMIII cafe ../.. 2005 Kawasaki Brute Force 750 |
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04-15-2005, 06:20 AM
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Location: Colorado
Posts: 850
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I was working in OC yesterday when I saw it, my normal office is in Century City-Bev Hills.
When I first saw it from the front I thought it was a CGT (lol) then I got closer and i saw the yellow emblem, I was totally confused. I agree with Overpaid slacker, the fender to whale tail styling is just gay. Then to add a wing ontop of that... well... rice. The wing is an option, b/c the one I saw yesterday was wingless. I dont know if it's a kit car but the owner did mention that, it does not meet US-CA emissions and it cost about $20k to have the engine built and installed. IIRC, it has 300+ horesepower...  300 ponies... 2,500 lbs... With that being said... I'd still get a handful of these if I won the lottery...  
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83 SC (gone) / 72 T (gone) Last edited by GettinHeadStuds; 04-15-2005 at 07:34 AM.. |
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04-15-2005, 07:32 AM
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Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 82
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As I understand it, Lendaddy is spot on. You purchase "seperately" the body and the drivetrain and then it is put together in the US. This allows it to be qualified as a "kit car" so you can get around DOT regs.
Base price of $76,400.00 for a complete car. I definately wouldn't mind adding one to my garage, it would look great parked right next to the Carrera. http://www.1gracing.com/ http://www.caranddriver.com/article.asp?section_id=26&article_id=9148&page_number=1 http://www.caranddriver.com/article.asp?section_id=29&article_id=8140&page_number=1
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Mike 1989 911 Carrera 3.2 Gone and missed 1990 944 S2 - Now in the hands of VA Steve |
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04-15-2005, 08:18 AM
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Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: London
Posts: 1,831
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Might be a 'kit car' over on your side, but over here its a 'normal' production car.
Sounds good and whils tthe looks aren't bad they are not really good enough for the money they want over here.. £50K+...now in dollars that gonna hurt.. |
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04-15-2005, 09:03 AM
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I think they have just come out with a targa version. For the cash difference I'd rather have the Lotus and take a great vacation around the world.
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1977 911S Targa 2.7L (CIS) Silver/Black 2012 Infiniti G37X Coupe (AWD) 3.7L Black on Black 1989 modified Scat II HP Hovercraft George, Architect |
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04-15-2005, 09:10 AM
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Did you get the memo?
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Wichita, KS
Posts: 32,368
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If I remember correctly they are handbuilt in South Africa, then the major components are shipped to the US distributor, who assembles them into a car. They use to do feature pieces at the factory on Dream Car Garage on Speed, pretty impressive operation. I don't think you can get it in pieces and build it yourself, like a Cobra replica. I've seen the ad for them in various magazines, seems like always in the back of R&T. In the US mags, and Top Gear, they can't get enough of it, supposed to be a bargain, even at close to 100k. As someone else said, the "kit" aspect is to get around emissions, crash testing, etc.
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04-15-2005, 06:41 PM
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1984 Porsche 911 3.2
1977 Porsche 911S 2.7L
