2016 London Motor Show Round-Up
Noble M600 & Noble M600 CarbonSport
Noble’s new official European dealer, Super Veloce Racing, showcased a new and improved Noble M600 at this past week’s motor show as part of a brand relaunch for the boutique manufacturer.
The M600, despite its pace, is relatively unknown outside of the supercar community. In its original trim, it was clocked faster than the Pagani Zonda F Roadster and Bugatti Veyron around Top Gear’s Power Lap test track, but also suffered from reliability issues.
Noble and SVR are promising a more refined M600, with each vehicle offering a bespoke build level far beyond what was available previously. Two variants will be offered, the M600 at £250,000 (~$361,312 USD) and the M600 CarbonSport at £277,000 (~$400,334 USD). Top dollar for sure, but well spent on a 662-hp machine with the same curb weight as a Ford Fiesta (2,600lbs.) that will strike fear into the heart of almost anything street legal.
New TVR Griffith
The yet unnamed TVR model which will bring the manufacturer back from dormancy was one of the most hotly anticipated debuts expected for the 2016 London Motor Show, and now that the show is over, we’re still left waiting.
TVR brought a full-scale clay model to the show, but refused to remove the cover. They did however display a design sketch of the front end, and revealed a few more details regarding the new TVR, which is likely to reuse the Griffith name.
When it does arrive sometime in late 2017, it will be powered by a Cosworth V8 with over 400hp and use carbon fiber in its chassis construction, helping to keep the sports car near a targeted 2,500lbs weight.
The launch edition of 400 units is promised to be below £100,000 (~$144,330 USD) and is already sold out. Standard production models are rumored be priced closer to £65,000 (~$93,814 USD).
Vuhl 05
A long way away from its home in Mexico, the Vuhl (Vehicles of Ultra High-performance and Lightweight) 05 garnered a significant amount attention at the newly reintroduced London Motor Show. This trackday toy will compete directly against the Zenos E10, Ariel Atom and Caterham Seven, using a familiar formula for fun that puts an emphasis on low weight above all else.
At the core of the Vuhl 05 is an aluminum tub chassis and a Ford EcoBoost 2.0-liter turbo engine making 285-hp and 310lb-ft. It also gets a Ford sourced 6-speed manual. UK MSRP is £59,995 (~$86,672 USD). It’s uncertain if and when the Vuhl 05 will be available in the USA.
Caterham 620S
Another lightweight driver’s machine, a domestic one this time around, the Caterham 620S, was spotted at the Caterham Cars booth sporting a flashy mint green paint job. It sits atop the Caterham model range next to the no-frills, track-oriented 620R, the “S” designation indicating its specification of street-friendly S Pack options.
The 620S retains the same 2.0-liter, supercharged, 310-hp engine as the 620R, but has a more forgiving chassis setup, a taller geared 5-speed transmission, and full weather protection including a heater, heated windscreen and optional heated carbon fiber seats.
At £44,995 (~$65,000) it’s also a fair bit cheaper than the 620R, but apparently still a handful to drive even with the street-oriented spec.
Mitsuoka Roadster
The Mitsuoka Roadster, a cross between a 3rd generation Mazda Miata MX-5 and a Morgan, is one of the strangest mashups we’ve ever seen. Mitsuoka has stretched the wheelbase of a power retractable hardtop Miata MX-5, kept the roadster’s 2.0-liter, 158-hp engine and 6-speed gearbox, and hit the rest of it with a bucket of old school British flair.
Apparently the Mitsuoka Roadster, called the “Himiko in Japan, has been available in the UK since June 2015, currently priced at £53,800 (~$77,735 USD). There must be someone out there who wants one, no?
