Mean and Roofless: Noble M12 roadster concept by Salica
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Chopping the top off of a supercar is usually a pretty good way for a small carmaker to increase interest in a dying model, but Noble evidently thought there wasn't enough interest when it shelved plans for an M12 GTC. The gents at Salica Cars think that was a mistake, but they're glad to pick up the ball.
Salica has taken on several former Noble employees to offer an open-air conversion for existing M12 owners. The ?20k chop-job is undertaken at Salica's workshop in Bristol, England, and consists of fitting a one-piece lightweight removable roof that can be stowed under the car's rear clamshell, and a new front-end with a proper luggage compartment. Salica also fits a new intercooler and radiators. Although it has yet to materialize into anything beyond some sketches, the result promises to be a marked improvement over the stock M12's closed cockpit. But Salica isn't going to stop there: the company has plans to release a more thoroughly modified version, called the Salica GT, also based on the M12 but taking the idea further with new mechanicals and a 460-hp twin-turbo V6, which Salica hopes to offer by August with a £65,000 sticker price. Considering the final 352-hp GTO3R version of the M12 cracked 60 in three and a half seconds, the Salica GT should be one mighty fast dose of wind in your hair.
[Source: Salica Cars via Autocar]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
stealth 11:31AM (2/07/2008)
zonda much?
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jackson liu 11:41AM (2/07/2008)
poor man's zonda
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srDRIVEN 11:49AM (2/07/2008)
poor man's zonda, yes, and how about poor man's sketch? does anyone else think these are the most amateur renderings ever? am i crazy for immediately thinking that these sketches are pretty weak and mildly out of proportion??? honestly, go to cardesignnews.com, and you'll find some portfolios from teenagers that would blow this frumpy little thing away.
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TyWright 2:43PM (2/07/2008)
Nice kids drawing of a Pagani
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DIRETTORE 8:36PM (2/07/2008)
* Here, these are better:
http://www.salicacars.com/html/gallery/gallery_body.html
Nobles are some of the best cars anywhere in the world. And another perfect example of fine tuned balance & performance.
But 20,500 Sterling = > $ 40,000!!! Caracas!
Why didnt Noble do this from day 1?
Structural Integrity Perhaps?
What I found interesting & heartbreaking at the same time was that when I visited the factory, I saw his daily driver; 911 Turbo Licence Reg: 'NOBLE'. How can he betray himself that way?
I truly admire the last outgoing model the M400 for its Performance/Value Ratio. The new model will try to compete more with Ferrari, etc :(
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