Anyone Familiar With Noble Cars?
- Thread starter Tungsten
- Start date
I'm not sure it is and don't get me wrong I'm not slamming the Atom. If it's half as fun on the track, and every review I've read pretty much says as much, as it looks to be it's a bargain($ to grin ratio).
I've been witness to some pretty hairy wrecks. Generally speaking, fendered/roofed cars and their drivers tend to do better versus their open wheel/cockpit cousins after crashes.
I'm not sure how most trackday organizers would want to send you out if you showed up with the Ariel. I sure wouldn't dare go to a track day and drive one alongside sedans and soforth. Ya, I'm a pussy:wink
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06VistaBlueGT
Well-known member
- Aug 30, 2006
- 132
I second that notion. This car, with the Supercharged 4-sylinder is INSANE!!! If you haven't seen one yet, just go over to YouTube, and type in "Ariel Atom" you should find the Top Gear episode when JC took it around the track. The car was only below the Enzo and the Zonda (I believe) in time around their track with the Stig driving. It beat the Carrera GT among many others.
I drove the M400, and it's a great car. Keep in mind that 90% of the buyers race them so you are bound to hear about reliability issues in that kind of environment. Believe me, if everyone raced their GT all the time we would hear about many more issues too. 1G racing are good people and stand behind their product. They have a great installer only a couple hours away in Indianapolis at the Speedway. They have racing upgrades to maximize reliability, and, if they have even upgraded to 550+hp running mid tens in the the quarter mile. The best thing is that you can explode the engine and get a new one for under $7k. Hell, people on this forum are paying more than that for a full exhaust system!
Anyway, they are fairly simple cars that you can wrench on and replacement parts don't cost much. Great bang for the buck and, in my book, neck and neck with the new Z06. However, if all you are looking for is a solid race car that is not crazy expensive, the Z06 costs less and will perform better. Yes, the Noble is lighter, but the Z-06 is a great car for the track with amzing power for the price. Plus you have Chevy dealers in every city to repair it under warranty and no registration issues...
Anyway, they are fairly simple cars that you can wrench on and replacement parts don't cost much. Great bang for the buck and, in my book, neck and neck with the new Z06. However, if all you are looking for is a solid race car that is not crazy expensive, the Z06 costs less and will perform better. Yes, the Noble is lighter, but the Z-06 is a great car for the track with amzing power for the price. Plus you have Chevy dealers in every city to repair it under warranty and no registration issues...
S592R
GT Owner
- Dec 3, 2006
- 2,800
economics of street car to race car.
To share a few thoughts about the Atom, exige/elise, and Noble.
I have really looked these cars over very, very hard. I own an elise, have driven the noble on the track and am familiar with the Atom. With that said, the lotus suffers from weak toe links and lack of power (forced induction is an option but then there is ECU problems (it relearns the configuration and resets to factory specs), The noble is weak in the sides (impact) and has some parasitic heat issue. The atom lacks an overhead coverage and will do a wicked flip if it trips (lack of weight and body aerodynamics).
Looking at it from an economics stand point. to get a lotus right for tracking your looking at a total of about 100k invested (forced induction) in a car that depreciates like a rock. (hey I own one I can say this but there has never been a lotus that holds value ... sorry just speaking the truth.. awesome to drive though). The Noble will total out at about 105,000 and will always be regarded as a "kit-car". The Atom looks like it would be about 78,000 set right with drivers Hans device and tethers to keep your arms in ... for if or when you roll it.
Now that would make the performance numbers something like this:
Car 0-60 top speed lat G's
Lotus 4.3 155 1.03
Noble 4.1 175 1.09
Atom 2.9 145 1.20
those figures are on dot comps not Hoosiers. the G numbers would be slightly more.
So it comes down to how much you want to spend, where you want to drive, and if you track a short tight track or long one.
On a short track it would probably be atom, noble, lotus
On a long track Noble, Lotus, atom
But that is considering a world class driver .... which most of us are not. Let's face it .... once you get to a certain point in skills level with enough experience you could take a van and beat the crap out of joe shmoe in a carrera gt. The car is only part of the equation.... experience, skills, and preparation often matter more than what everyone fixates on.... the car. If you can drive it at 90+ % and its reliable, your smart, no one plows into you .... you MIGHT win.
two cents .... and I have on asbestos underwear.... oh FYI I am about to buy either the Noble or the Atom to add as a track car. So I really have no loyalty ... I'm a car whore.:biggrin
Steve
To share a few thoughts about the Atom, exige/elise, and Noble.
I have really looked these cars over very, very hard. I own an elise, have driven the noble on the track and am familiar with the Atom. With that said, the lotus suffers from weak toe links and lack of power (forced induction is an option but then there is ECU problems (it relearns the configuration and resets to factory specs), The noble is weak in the sides (impact) and has some parasitic heat issue. The atom lacks an overhead coverage and will do a wicked flip if it trips (lack of weight and body aerodynamics).
Looking at it from an economics stand point. to get a lotus right for tracking your looking at a total of about 100k invested (forced induction) in a car that depreciates like a rock. (hey I own one I can say this but there has never been a lotus that holds value ... sorry just speaking the truth.. awesome to drive though). The Noble will total out at about 105,000 and will always be regarded as a "kit-car". The Atom looks like it would be about 78,000 set right with drivers Hans device and tethers to keep your arms in ... for if or when you roll it.
Now that would make the performance numbers something like this:
Car 0-60 top speed lat G's
Lotus 4.3 155 1.03
Noble 4.1 175 1.09
Atom 2.9 145 1.20
those figures are on dot comps not Hoosiers. the G numbers would be slightly more.
So it comes down to how much you want to spend, where you want to drive, and if you track a short tight track or long one.
On a short track it would probably be atom, noble, lotus
On a long track Noble, Lotus, atom
But that is considering a world class driver .... which most of us are not. Let's face it .... once you get to a certain point in skills level with enough experience you could take a van and beat the crap out of joe shmoe in a carrera gt. The car is only part of the equation.... experience, skills, and preparation often matter more than what everyone fixates on.... the car. If you can drive it at 90+ % and its reliable, your smart, no one plows into you .... you MIGHT win.
two cents .... and I have on asbestos underwear.... oh FYI I am about to buy either the Noble or the Atom to add as a track car. So I really have no loyalty ... I'm a car whore.:biggrin
Steve
Excellent post!
Out of the 3 cars mentioned, the one I really want to drive is the Atom. I am surprised that nobody has mentioned the Ultima GTR!
B O N Y
MODERATOR & FGT OWNER
I have met Dean, know lots of folks that have worked with him... all agree he is a great guy to work with and a gentleman's gentleman.
isaakgt
GT Owner
Sorry guys, the Atom dosen't cut it for me. I'm sure it's a great car for the money but it looks too much like a dune buggy. I've gotta have something looks good even if it don't run worth a hoot.:bored
B O N Y
MODERATOR & FGT OWNER
Nor me either, Tony.
From a safety standpoint, have a sheetmetal sheet offers no protection at all, it is the cage around you that protects you. The sheetmetal might offer pyschological protection, but who needs mind games?
BlackICE
GT Owner
New production cars legal to sell in the US have side impact standards which makes them safer than most "kit" cars not meeting the standards. For side impact I would rate them:
Lotus, Ultima, Atom, Noble.
The lotus meets side impact standards.
The Ultima has a cage that is further away from your body.
The Atom has a cage to protect you.
The Noble as frame rails and a cage, but the rails are low and the cage is right next to your head. Also the doors are fiberglass, but are so light, they will crack apart like eggshells upon impact.
BlackICE
Lotus, Ultima, Atom, Noble.
The lotus meets side impact standards.
The Ultima has a cage that is further away from your body.
The Atom has a cage to protect you.
The Noble as frame rails and a cage, but the rails are low and the cage is right next to your head. Also the doors are fiberglass, but are so light, they will crack apart like eggshells upon impact.
BlackICE
AZGT
GT Owner
furlong
GT Owner
Noble
A friend of mine just bought his second Noble from Dean at 1G Racing in Ohio. He has not had any reliablility problems and the car is a blast to drive. His brother just traded a 2 year old Noble back to Dean on a new one and didn't lose much money on depreciation. Dean also has those Superformance Ford GTs. Might be worth a visit to Ohio
A friend of mine just bought his second Noble from Dean at 1G Racing in Ohio. He has not had any reliablility problems and the car is a blast to drive. His brother just traded a 2 year old Noble back to Dean on a new one and didn't lose much money on depreciation. Dean also has those Superformance Ford GTs. Might be worth a visit to Ohio
LOTUS or NOBLE
Lot's of great info and obviously opinions on what car is best. I have driven the Noble and it is truly a rocket ship. Dean and his folks all seemed to be first class. I also drove the Lotus Exige and am looking at the S version.
The Lotus seemed to be much harder to drive than the Noble. I am used to high torque cars and the Lotus needed to be at high RPM. For people that are better drivers than I am or have more experience I understnd that this is not a real problem. The new S version is supposed to have significantly more torque and is a smoother car to drive. The Noble has so much torque, it reminds me of the GT from that perspective.
I am looking for something to do track days and an occassional street drive.
So here is the comparison in my mind:
Noble
+ Faster, more torque, simple, sexy.
- No airbags, little side impact protection, slightly more money. Not sure how hard to sell when you are done.
Lotus S
+ Lot's of them on tracks, air bags, meets side impact standards, available support.
- Not as fast as Noble, seems like they lose value quickly, other models don't know how the S will be.
OK...what are your opinions?
One last question...I understand that Lotus has a driving school in Las Vegas but I am being told you can only go there if you have bought a car. Anyone been there? How does it work? Contact names and numbers? IDeally I would go there and take the course on the Lotus before I made the final decision.
Don:thumbsup
Lot's of great info and obviously opinions on what car is best. I have driven the Noble and it is truly a rocket ship. Dean and his folks all seemed to be first class. I also drove the Lotus Exige and am looking at the S version.
The Lotus seemed to be much harder to drive than the Noble. I am used to high torque cars and the Lotus needed to be at high RPM. For people that are better drivers than I am or have more experience I understnd that this is not a real problem. The new S version is supposed to have significantly more torque and is a smoother car to drive. The Noble has so much torque, it reminds me of the GT from that perspective.
I am looking for something to do track days and an occassional street drive.
So here is the comparison in my mind:
Noble
+ Faster, more torque, simple, sexy.
- No airbags, little side impact protection, slightly more money. Not sure how hard to sell when you are done.
Lotus S
+ Lot's of them on tracks, air bags, meets side impact standards, available support.
- Not as fast as Noble, seems like they lose value quickly, other models don't know how the S will be.
OK...what are your opinions?
One last question...I understand that Lotus has a driving school in Las Vegas but I am being told you can only go there if you have bought a car. Anyone been there? How does it work? Contact names and numbers? IDeally I would go there and take the course on the Lotus before I made the final decision.
Don:thumbsup
fjpikul
GT Owner
Pulled the Trigger on the Lotus
Well, I bought the Lotus S today. Should be delivered in 10 days.
Thanks to everyone for their input. In the end we decided that the Lotus would offer us the best track choice as well as an occasional drive.
Don:thumbsup
Well, I bought the Lotus S today. Should be delivered in 10 days.
Thanks to everyone for their input. In the end we decided that the Lotus would offer us the best track choice as well as an occasional drive.
Don:thumbsup
FLASH
GT Owner/Board of Directors
Congratulations Don, I have been thinking the same thing. Is there a class for the car for regional SCCA events or are you going to use it just for track days? We will have to get together soon. I want to make some mods to my GT.:thumbsup
Russ
Russ
