IN THIS FEATURE Noble pursuits M is for magnificent Raining? No problem

Performance like this in some cars would be terrifying. In the M400, it feels perfectly normal. Fast, but unthreatening. The ride remains composed, body control is good, and the brakes are strong and progressive, if accompanied by a little slop at the very top of the pedal travel on our test car. The good visibility and driving position help, as does the direct, responsive steering, which gets and extra 0.8 turns of lock over the standard M12, for more stability and adjustability on the race track; which is the only place to really explore the extremities of the M400's performance safely, so immense are its capabilities.

And then it rains. Four-hundred and twenty-five horses. Big turbos. No traction control. One tonne. Do we stop and take the bus? No need. Although it's a track-focused version of the M12, that car's engineering agenda - to be a great road car, albeit one that's quite handy on a track - shines through. The wipers clear the screen effectively, the engine stays tractable, the windows don't steam up, conversation remains easy despite the rain lashing down on the GRP composite bodywork.

Ford engine goes to Roush Technologies for modification

But, then, we've come to expect that from a car designed by Lee Noble, an engineer with a tradition of doing things properly. Which is why Noble cars can sell 200 cars in the UK alone with ease; why it should be able to shift 1,000 cars annually worldwide without too many problems; why the company can afford to launch the M14 next year - a £75,000 Porsche 911 rival - with impunity, free from fears that it won't sell. That the M400's a genuinely competitive supercar should come as no surprise at all, really.