Noble M12 GTO

A lot of that is down to this car, the M12 GTO. Designed and developed in-house, it's largely the work of one man: Lee Noble. As much businessman as car enthusiast, he is confident Noble Moy can avoid the usual pitfalls, so production is unlikely to rise beyond three cars a week to protect quality.

And it must be said, the M12 does feel very solid. There are no squeaks or rattles and, while the materials used aren't in the Audi league, it's attractively styled and ergonomically friendly inside.

You'd be forgiven for thinking otherwise, as the M12 looks like a race track refugee, with its broad rear spoiler and tarmac-tearing ride height. But the ground-hugging stance is backed up by the mechanicals underneath. Put simply, this is one of the most exciting cars we've ever driven. The 2.5-litre V6 is shared with a Ford Mondeo, but a pair of Garrett turbochargers boost output to 310bhp, and as the car weighs only 980kg, it sprints from 0-60mph in four seconds. It's very rewarding to drive, too - the turbos whistle and chirp on the overrun, the steering is pin sharp and the grip levels are stunning. And while the ride is hard, it's not uncomfortable. At