2001 Noble M12 GTO 2.5

Noble Automotive Ltd. was founded in 1999 by British entrepreneur, car designer and engineer Lee Noble. Using his experience from working with Ascari, Lee Noble quickly established his company's commitment to designing and manufacturing high-speed sports cars with a mid-engine, rear-wheel drive layout. As chief designer he oversaw the evolution of the company's first model, the M10, into the M12 which was first produced in 2000. This soon became a bench mark for its incredibly compliant ride, reassuring and precise handling and impressive power delivery, receiving almost universal praise from the world's motoring press.

Lee Noble sold the company in August 2006 to Peter Dyson and later resigned in 2008 to work on other ventures. As an avid and knowledgeable collector of exotic cars and a successful business entrepreneur, Dyson was also an M12 owner and a huge admirer of both Noble Automotive and the M12's attributes. He has taken Noble Automotive forward, with new hi-tech premises in Leicestershire and their current model, the M600, is a highly regarded supercar and a serious competitor to many more established and revered marques.

The M12 was produced in four variants (GTO 2.5, GTO-3 3.0, GTO-3R 3.0, with the M400 being the ultimate version of the M12), all being powered by specially tuned, twin-turbocharged Ford Duratec V6 engines. The M12 has a full steel roll-cage, steel frame and G.R.P composite clam shell body parts. These cars are extremely lightweight and stiff, with the ability to perform very well on both road and track, with surprisingly good ride quality and lots of confidence inspiring feedback.

At launch, the M12 had 310 bhp with the help of its pair of Garrett T25 turbos, giving a top speed of 165mph and a 0-60 mph time 4.1 seconds. With its quasi-racer feel, being heightened by the very visible, Alcantara-trimmed roll-cage and no-nonsense instruments, this really is a driver's car. There was no ABS, no traction control and no ESP, just real engineering integrity and a brilliant design. These special cars were able to compete dynamically with the best junior supercars of the day.

The car offered here is a 2001 M12 GTO 2.5. Rarely for a Noble, we are informed that this car has only ever been used on the road and never tracked, and its fantastic condition and originality would strongly support this. This M12 has been well maintained, having covered just 15,540 miles, which must make it one of the least driven examples currently available. This mileage is backed up by a series of old MoT certificates and a number of receipts. This striking car is painted in GTS Blue, the colour used on the Chrysler Viper supercar, contrasting really well with a blue/black alcantara fabric interior.

With sports cars getting more sophisticated, heavier and more reliant on electronic driving aids, the M12 represents something of a watershed in design, harping back to the ethos of Colin Chapman and the current thinking of Gordon Murray, where light weight, chassis dynamics and sufficient power result in a more engaging experience for owners who put driving first.