New car news

06 January 2010 - 11:00

Noble’s Noble-beater

In 1999, Lee Noble established Noble Automotive, the Leicestershire-based car company that last year created the awesome M600.

But Lee Noble isn't in charge of Noble any more: in fact, the M600 was built without him. Lee Noble is now in charge of a new company: Fenix Supercars.

And this is Fenix Supercars' first offering, confidently predicted to go on sale in the UK late this year. We don't know what it'll be called, but we know it'll be fast.

See more pics of the new Fenix

It'll be offered with the choice of two engines: a GM-sourced ‘LS3' V8 putting out 357kW, or the psychotic 6.2-litre supercharged V8 from the Corvette ZR1, developing a scary 475kW. Noble says the supercharged car should hit 160km/h in under seven seconds, and top out over 321km/h.

Quick enough, especially with a kerbweight estimated at 1,200kg (in comparison, the M600 weighs 1,250kg and musters 484kW). And, though it's difficult tell much from these shady shots, it shouldn't be a minger either.

"The new car's styling owes nothing to what I've done before and has quite literally been a ‘clean sheet' exercise from the start," says Lee Noble. "It's edgy, with powerful lines, and aerodynamically will be in another league to any of my previous cars."

Even so, getting the car into production before the end of 2010 remains a big ask.

"Our first prototype is now in build and development will start in one month's time," says Lee. "We'll be hot-weather testing the first protype on the mountain roads around Port Elizabeth, South Africa, where the car will be manufactured. But I'm itching the get the car back to the UK where I can set it up on roads I know well..."

We'll keep a close eye on the Fenix over the next few months. Roll on the M600 twin test...

Sam Philip