410kW Noble M500 supercar unleashed

Low-volume British supercar marque, Noble Automotive, has released fresh pictures of its all-new 2022 Noble M500 that's set to offer an ultra-lightweight construction, more than 410kW of power and a price tag of around $280,000 when deliveries begin later this year.

Created to rival cars like the $485,000 Ferrari F8 Tributo, the new M500 replaces the car-maker's former M600 that first went on sale back in 2009.

According to reports, testing of the M500 has already begun ahead of first customer deliveries in the second half of 2022.

Instead of using a carbon-fibre monocoque employed by the McLaren 720S or an aluminium spaceframe as used by Audi with its R8, Noble says the M500 sits on a lightweight steel tubular chassis.

Beneath the rear boot lid, the old M600's Yamaha-developed Volvo 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 has been dropped for the same twin-turbo 3.5-litre V6 that powers the Ford GT supercar.

In the new M500, it's expected the Noble supercar will produce around 410kW and a thumping 814Nm torque peak – that's 120kW down for power on the Ferrari but around 44Nm up on torque.

Featuring double-wishbone suspension all round and hydraulic power steering, the M500 will go without safety features such as ABS and airbags in a bid to keep weight to an absolute minimum.

That should help provide a huge advantage over its rivals, with the M500 expected to have a kerb weight of around 1250kg.

That said, the M500's Ferrari and McLaren rivals should edge it out for straight-line performance as while they both rely on lightning-quick dual-clutch transmissions, the Noble will get a Graziano-sourced six-speed gated manual.

Expect a 0-100km/h time of around 3.0 seconds and a top speed of around 320km/h.

Inside, there will be a pair of Recaro bucket seats as standard and a simple digital instrument cluster.

Narrower sills will make climbing in and out of the M500's cabin far easier compared to the old M600.

Following high-speed real-world testing it's thought the Noble supercar will get small tweaks that include more angle to the rear wing.

Beneath the body is a flat underside and a large diffuser to maximise downforce.

Boosting its GT credentials, the Noble M500 promises a decent-sized front boot for luggage.

Developed at Noble's manufacturing HQ in Leicester in the East Midlands, the M500 prototype is claimed to be the work of a merry band of just eight technicians, engineers and designers.

There's no word on how many M500s Noble will be capable of building when production begins later this year, but company execs have expressed their desire to sell around 50 cars per year.

For that it's thought export markets will play their role, but it is not yet known if Australia is included in the plans.

For now, behind the scenes work is said to be focused on the development of the car to ensure it is "as accessible" as possible when it comes to pricing – a hint of a price around £150,000 ($A284,000).

The M500 was first shown back in 2018 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. It's not known the reason for the lengthy gestation, but funding the M600-replacement is the same Chinese investor who bought Noble back in 2015.