Engine and transmission
The M600 engine uses a 4439 cc 60-degree Yamaha-derived Volvo B8444S V8 engine which is also used in the Volvo XC90 and S80, but with twin Garrett turbochargers equipped with variable boost. This allows the user to choose from 450 bhp (336 kW; 456 PS) (Road setting, 0.6 bar pressure), 550 bhp (410 kW; 558 PS) (Track setting, 0.8 bar) and 650 bhp (485 kW; 659 PS) (Race setting, 1.0 bar) through the use of a switch in the interior. The engine also features electronic fuel injection via a Motec M600 and Injector Dynamics ID725's. It has a compression ratio of 9.50:1. It uses an Oerlikon Graziano transaxle six-speed manual gearbox and has the RPM redline set at 7000.
Performance
0-60 mph (0-97 km/h): 3.2 seconds
0-100 mph (0-161 km/h): 6.5 seconds
0-200 mph (0-322 km/h): 29.8 seconds
Standing quarter mile: 11.0 seconds
Standing km: 19.9 seconds
Power to weight: 541 BHP/tonne
Top speed: 225 mph (estimated)
Fuel Capacity: (68 liters)
The brakes, while servo assisted, are "barely" assisted and with no ABS it is very easy to lock the wheels[citation needed]. Also, according to motoring journalist John Barker, the door mirrors get in the way if one tries to look if anything is coming. He says, "The driver's door mirror gets in the way looking into right-hand turns."
The car was driven 3 times on the British motoring show Top Gear; once by host Jeremy Clarkson, who praised the car considerably and the show's racing driver the Stig took it around the Top Gear track and it did a 1:17.7 on a cold day, beating the Pagani Zonda F Roadster and the Bugatti Veyron. A number of months later co-host Richard Hammond drove a left-hand drive version of the car through Italy and the gearbox failed; Noble sent the production team another car. It was also driven by Richard Hammond during a challenge where he attempted to beat a set laptime of the Stig. It has also been featured in the American adaptation of the show where it receives considerable praise, the main "challenge" was to reach its top speed, the vehicle reached 215 MPH but stopped because the vehicle ran out of space on the runway it was being tested on.
