Noble M500 unveiled at Goodwood

Noble Automotive has revealed the M500 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed as its entry-level model. At launch, it will have around 558hp, coming from a twin-turbocharged Ford V6 – the same unit that is used in the F-150 and GT. This leaves a gap of around 111.5hp between the M500 and the M600, which was introduced in 2010.

The transmission is a DSG dual-clutch automatic unit, and the car is expected to be rear-wheel drive.

Noble company director Peter Boutwood penned the design, which takes a step away from the M600’s squarer lines, following other modern supercars with a slippery shape and flying buttresses.

The model on display at Goodwood is not a working prototype, but a full-sized model without an interior. Boutwood describes the M500 as being in the early stages of development, so it’s likely that the car won’t reach production until well into 2019.

Boutwood hopes that it can heavily undercut the M600’s around £3,00,000 (approximately Rs 2.69 crore) asking price and that greater volume can be achieved with this lower entry point. This is not set in stone until further down the production process, though.

Unlike the M600's carbon-fibre body, the M500's will be made of fibreglass. However, it is likely to weigh around the same as its 1,250kg sibling, as its focus on everyday usability could mean that comfort features bring the weight up.