2002 Noble M12 GTO 3

Finished in titanium and sitting on a set of gorgeous Speedline Turini alloy wheels, this 2002 Noble M12 GTO comes with a good history and a long MoT.

‘W77 AML’ has been in the seller’s care for the last twelve years, with almost £4,000 lavished on it with Jetstream Motorsport in December 2024; a firm the car has been no stranger to over the years.

Subtly upgraded and running well, this is a rare opportunity to get your hands on a very attractive British supercar.

The Noble’s bodywork isn’t discreet but then on a car like this form follows function, and the impression here is of fibreglass matting draped over the chassis before being left to harden.

Which is to do the guys and gals at Noble a disservice because the panel fit is really very good, with impressive shutlines for a handbuilt, low-volume car. The titanium colour adds to the Noble’s presence and lends it a hewn-from-solid look the panel alignment supports.

The M12’s owners over the years have looked after it well too, and it presents very nicely indeed for a car that’s easing towards a quarter of a century on earth.

Light lenses, badges, and window glazing are all good, and there are towing points front and rear, plus a stick-on front numberplate for the win.

The clamshell engine cover pivots backwards and with a pleasing symmetry the front covers pivots forwards; it’d be worth lifting ‘em both just to be able to enjoy the engineering that lie beneath. Maybe crack open a beer and just sit there in your garage admiring your cleverness in buying a true British supercar.

Please see photo #4/165 for details.

Dominated by a huge, fully adjustable, carbonfibre rear spoiler (that itself sits on top of an already massive spoiler) and backed up by a rear diffuser, four exhaust tailpipes, huge air intakes on the flanks, and a deep front splitter, the Noble reeks of intent, and while its look may not be subtle, it has the performance to match ‘em.

But power is nothing without control, and the Noble sits on a set of Speedline Turini alloy wheels, in 8.5 x 18 for the front axle, and 10 x 18 on the rear.

Their 11-spoke design hides equal sized brake discs (and at 330mm/13” the brakes discs are the size of the average supermini’s wheels…) and AP Racing brake calipers, and they’re shod with matching Vredestein Ultrac Sessanta tyres in 265/35ZR18 on the back, and 225/40ZR18 on the front.

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly.

However, the MoT in December picked up the need for new rear tyres, and we picked up one kerbing mark to the nearside rear wheel.

Other faults are more minor. Our man with the clipboard made his usual detailed examination and noticed the following: a noticeable chip in the paint to the offside rear tail; wear and scuff marks to the front splitter and a split in the rear splitter next to the towing eye; a tiny chip to the edge of the rear boot lid; a few tiny paint bubbles to the roof and the nearside front wing; cracks around one fastener; condensation to the offside front sidelight; and a chip to the nearside front wheel arch.

The interior is, if anything, even more gloriously mission-focussed than the coachwork. Featuring deep bucket seats, blue Willans harnesses, a carbonfibre ‘n’ leather Momo steering wheel, white-faced instruments, and an ultra-stubby gearlever, just getting into the driver’s seat is enough to trigger an adrenaline dump.

The two-tone grey suede seats grip you hard thanks to their uncompromising lateral support and grippy surface – and if that weren’t enough, both driver and passenger are further restrained by Willans harnesses; between them the Noble would make ideal transport for Hannibal Lecter.

They’re in great shape too with nothing more than minor signs of use.

Which is the same for the rest of the cabin; it’s not new but then it looks considerably newer than the 2002 registration date would have you believe. The quilted headlining is a lovely little detail, and suede has been used for the pillars and door cards too.

It also looks decently modern, proving the adage that quality never goes out of style – and quality there is, in abundance. Like the aforementioned Momo steering wheel, which blends leather and carbonfibre in a piece of art that’s as satisfying to hold as it is to look at.

And the Noble-branded instruments, with their black typeface on a white background, which are as easy to assimilate as they are striking to look at.

The gearknob is a fat alloy jobbie, the window winders are alloy too, as is the handbrake. The pedals are dainty, and they’re joined by an equally dainty footrest for the driver’s left foot.

You get a pushbutton starter, plus air-conditioning. Manual window winders though, but then this is a sportscar, not a grand tourer.

The headunit and door-mounted speakers are from Sony. A fire extinguisher is fitted, along with a Tracker and a Viper alarm system.

We are told that everything works, and our assessor said of it: “the interior is in a good condition overall with nothing more than the usual age-related wear marks” although we did notice some water stains to the carpet in the passenger’s footwell.

The Noble’s service history is as follows;

• 19.12.2002 and 124 miles – pre-delivery inspection by Nick Whale Sports Cars
• 16.01.2003 and 1,106 miles – service by Nick Whale Sports Cars
• 06.12.2002 and 8,622 miles – service by Nick Whale Sports Cars
• 17.06.2005 and 15,604 miles – service by Christopher Neil Ltd
• 09.02.2007 and 20,473 miles – service by Christopher Neil Ltd
• 01.05.2009 and 6,085 miles – service and miscellaneous work by Hexham Horseless Carriages Limited
• 13.10.2011 and 12,131 miles – service by Jetstream Motorsport plus four new Bilstein dampers
• 25.02.2013 and 18,416 miles – service by Jetstream Motorsport
• 14.02.2014 and 20,173 miles – service by Jetstream Motorsport
• 24.06.2015 and 26,066 miles – service by David Connolly/Torque Flyte
• 20.05.2020 and 27,057 miles – service by David Connolly/Torque Flyte
• 16.12.2024 and 27,841 miles – miscellaneous work by Jetstream Motorsport as per the £3,871 invoice attached

It also features a genuine Noble modified track sump, which set its owner back a four-figure sum in 2003. Quaife Engineering rebuilt the gearbox in 2009, while Competition Transmission Services did it again in 2012.

The exhaust was replaced in 2012, and BCS took the opportunity to fit an oil catch tank, an alloy intercooler, and a few other bits and bobs while they had it. A rolling road session in the same year revealed 364bhp and 381lb.ft of torque.

NB: As you can see from the service history booklet, the Noble received a new speedometer in September 2007 at 22,980 miles.

The K&N air filter gives an addictive rasp to the intake note but the real crowd-puller is the exhaust noise, which is nothing short of glorious. Turbocharged engines can sound a little muted compared to their normally aspirated cousins, but this one is up there with the very best of them.

The engine is wonderfully accessible, so there’s no excuse for not keeping it in the same clean condition it’s in now.

The Noble’s MoT certificate is valid until December 2025.

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear, and it comes with two keys and a remote control for the Viper alarm system.

The history file also contains the stamped service history booklet, the book pack and wallet, and a bunch of old invoices and MoT certificates.

Pukka sportscars are rarer than you think, and British ones rarer still; most firms try to balance comfort and performance, and the result is usually a car in which it’s easy to cover huge distances in comfort while still making a decent fist of a back-road hoon.

The Noble isn’t like that.

Sure, it’ll cover a continent in a day, but it’s better used as a more focussed machine, one to thrill around the track, a car you’ll get up early to drive before the weekend garden-centre crowd wake up.

It’s also a car you won’t mind spending money on because you are a driver who appreciates solid engineering and won’t tolerate anything that doesn’t perform exactly as it should.

Which probably rules the M12 out for 99% of the population.

But then you’re not one of the sheeple, are you?

As for its value, our estimate is that the hammer will fall somewhere between £30,000 and £40,000, which is a paltry sum for a car with this pedigree.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.