Noble-based Salica GT comes good. Sort of.

click the picture above for a high-resolution gallery of the Salica GTC Prototype
It's been a year since Salica popped up with its chopped-roof Noble M12 and promises to make a more evil variant. We thought the Bristol, England based company had been maintaining radio silence for a rather long time, so we decided to check in on their progress, and this is what we've found. Still based on the Noble M12, the Salica Cars GT is a highly customizeable version of one of the cottage industry's favorite trackday cars. Looking mean enough to knife you were you to turn your back on it, the GT carries a twin-turbocharged V6 of unknown origin (Nobles have been using Ford Duratec 30s (this is possibly a version of that engine that's been enlarged) spitting out 500 horsepower. The dry-sump V6 (nestled amidships), can also be purchased without the turbochargers, and the GTR and GTC versions of the car carry further engine variants. The GTR ups the wick to 550 horsepower, and the GTC gets a wet-sump 3.0-liter good for 460 horsepower. A further difference between the GTC and other versions is that its turbo V6 is mounted transversely, while the GT and GTR have logitudinal layouts.
All that power and evil looking targa bodywork sum up to an automobile capable of an estimated 3.2 second run to 60 miles-per-hour, on its way to a top speed of 190 mph (again, estimated). Being a small shop, Salica is offering what it calls "bespoke motoring" to its customers. There's a high level of customization available, so that your car doesn't come out looking like the GTC prototype in the pictures. There are no driver aids other than optional traction control and ABS available, making the Salica a pure and possibly terrifying experience. If the deadly-looking GT isn't your style, Salica also offers a variety of modifications for Noble owners, like a fastback conversion and other tweaks. With performance options bound to shrink soon, small shops like Salica may soon be the only way to get exactly what you're looking for.
Gallery: Salica GT
Gallery: Salica Noble Fastback
[Source: Salica]







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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
BoxerFanatic 5:02PM (2/23/2009)
Wow.
With red paint, silver wheels, and a few tweeks here and there, an untrained eye might confuse it for an F430 spyder or something...
Not bad, but that paint scheme is hard to see details. The orange being too bright, and the black masking out too much.
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gerrrg 5:08PM (2/23/2009)
You've got it all wrong. Orange is the new red.
aj121489 7:52PM (2/23/2009)
I'm glad I'm not the only one who saw F430 in the back
Level 5:18PM (2/23/2009)
I wonder if Noble has anything to do with the inspiration of Ford to take turbo charging their V6 production cars lol....Noble has been boosting Ford's V6 Duratecs for years now...
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Riaf28 5:31PM (2/23/2009)
It may just be the color but it reminds me of the La Bala kit car.
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DJ_Swammi 5:37PM (2/23/2009)
Not that I'm complaining, but I think you could say that about half of the cars that end up on Autoblog these days.
Lucas 5:37PM (2/23/2009)
much more compelling than the ugly and stupidly named "Rossion Q1."
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Chris 8:00PM (2/23/2009)
I actually like the looks of this car.
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efw 8:43PM (2/23/2009)
salica= salt+ celica
don't know what else to think of..
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Steve 12:27AM (2/24/2009)
Looks alot like a Koenigsegg to me.
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Stumpy 9:21AM (2/24/2009)
Looks like a blast to drive.
I want mine in white (with all the same black parts).
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