Noble M500 full test: Manual, V6 supercar is a driving great for £180k
Raw numbers don’t convey the intensity of the M500’s performance, which isn’t dissimilar to that of the Ferrari F40. The two have a comparable power-to-weight ratio, after all – and, crucially, engines for which peak boost goes off like a bomb at around 4500rpm.
If the Noble’s as-tested 0-60mph time of 3.8sec looks a little ordinary (what ridiculous times we live in), it’s only because this is an awkward car in which to achieve a perfect launch. Feed in the clutch off boost and you will bog down as the 295-section rear tyres fail to relinquish their limpet-like grip; drop the medium-weighted clutch with the turbos spooled up and you will rip that same rubber into over-rotation with casual violence.
Even if you do execute an ideal getaway, modulating this engine such that you keep the back axle just a touch below the threshold of wheelspin through second gear is like safely catching a falling knife.In the end, 3.8sec was indeed our best time, but the process was more exciting than doing the same thing in any launch control-aided, sub-3.0sec supercar.
The M500 is in general a machine that ensures you’re kept busy and engaged. The ratios are closely stacked and the engine, once boosting, will tear its way to the 6800rpm redline in rampant fashion. Consider the 2.2sec needed to cover 70-90mph in third gear, versus 2.9sec for the Emira V6.
Fortunately the gearbox is a delightful throwback to simpler times and is a delight to use. The knob has an aftermarket look to it that doesn’t belong in such an expensive car, but the action is exceptionally positive when drawing itself home, with a tactility that never becomes a chore. It’s also superbly accurate: we didn’t miss a shift during the entire, frenzied telemetry element of the test.Nor, for that matter, did we get so much as a whiff of clutch. This powertrain seems every bit as tough as its burly exhaust rasp suggests.
Across the board, the M500’s roll-on acceleration is stronger than any credible sub-1500kg alternative, and that includes the manual 911 GT3, which can’t quite live with the Noble’s torque. What’s more, for all its full-throttle drama, on part-throttle the delivery is reasonably linear and so gearing up and stroking the M500 along on a public road brings no hassle.
As for braking, performance is also strong. With its AP Racing four-piston calipers and grooved cast-iron discs, our test car’s best stop of 41.0m from 70mph again got the better of the Emira V6 (44.6m, albeit in cooler conditions).
However, the bigger question is whether it’s acceptable in 2026 for a near-£200k sports car designed with a certain seniority and breadth in mind to not feature anti-lock braking. Yes, there is an enjoyable purity to the pedal feel, but we would rather have all-condition consistency without lock-ups.
Overall, this is a powertrain that makes a virtue of pairing forced induction with three pedals. It’s anachronistic but scintillating.
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