What are the best engine sounds (and why)?

Sure, I love the sound of big V8's too. But in my opinion, the most impressive sound is from a modified BMC A-series engine ... a racing Spridget!

I'm a big, big fan of DOHC V8s with turbo.

kevlarcorolla wrote:

rcutclif wrote: maybe a twin with something other than a 180 crank separation? Like a harley?

Worst sounding engines off ALLTIME,I mean if you like the sound of two poorly running singles running out of time with each other than ok maybe they are great

That's why I like the idea of sound comparisons. Relevant to this comment, many performance enthusiasts love the sound of a Ducati but hate the sound of a Harley. However, the Ducati actually has more uneven of firing intervals than the Harley. If V12 sound theory is any indication, more even firing intervals should be more pleasant...This could delve into figuring out what exactly is it that makes each sound the way it does, and why do we interpret one to sound 'better' than the other?

Play it LOUD.

For me, its I4 motorcyle engines made into V8's...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJT1vy5wJ4w

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YAFMZyBPI4

or

V10 motors, just have a unique resonance quality that speaks to me which traditional V8 and V12 don't:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2Fm2KiPCc0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9qYCUjrrYs

Ducati V-twins has a similar sound quality to V10's as well.. love me the Ducati sound:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtWlzvhhYFk

I also like me the 4 rotor 26B motor best sounding rotary ever....

Honestly, the cb1000 super bike from the 80's. That is th best sounding engine ever. Also the tiny v8 from the tipo 33 stradale.

I've also been partial to the 5.0/Flowmaster 50 Series sound. Deep burble with a rasp.

Any vintage Ferrari V12 at full song.

And this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDRkHXMHqFo

the 355 in my Nova sounded pretty damn wicked when driven in anger at 7000+ rpms thanks to the headers, X pipe, and Flowmaster mufflers.. i'd have to say that it was my favorite sounding engine.. my friend's 302 powered 89 Mustang also sounded pretty good with a similar exhaust, but it didn't rev as high..

I once attempted to follow a 458 at "fun" speeds through Mullholland Hwy. The driver kept it in the upper 2k of the tachometer, and hearing the screaming exhaust resonate off of the canyon walls was just supreme. In that environment, I imagine that the F-car felt at home.

The sound of a Supertrapp shooting a flame fart on over-run as RX-3 brakes and downshifts to 4th for the Bridge at RA(yeah, that would be before the Dip got filled in)

This video may help to explain the appealing sound of V4 and by association V8 engines. Pretty cool the way this guy broke it down with musical notes and crank rotation vfr engine kinda explained.

Honda CB-X for the inline six.

I am going to say that old Fiat Twin Cam engines are some of the best sounding I4s out there. As they have been described, the cross between a Ferrari and a chevy V8 in sound.

As for why things sound the way they do, I am going to go out on a limb and say that stroke has a lot to do with it. Short stroke engines tend to sound more "tinny" while your long strokes (small block v8, BMW and Nissan I6s, FIAT twin cam and MG 4s) have a throatier sound to them that you can "feel" as well as hear. Even a H-D twin that is -not- running straight pipes sounds good

Alfa Romeo V6 would be my suggestion for a test subject. I had a Milano some years back and that car was a treat for the senses, except maybe for sight...

I'm curious why some engines sound so very, very bad... and others sound pretty good. For may years, pretty much everything GM made was extremely lame. I'm not sure if they sound any better now, but other than some of their v8s having a nice exhaust burble at idle, they pretty much all sound bad. The 302 in Fox Mustangs always sounded so much better to me ear.

Interesting that most clips here are of exhaust sound. I love the sound of a relatively open intake that is louder than the exhaust.

V10's: E60 M5 and LFA are just amazing, they make me giggle like a little girl.

V8's: The 458 Italia, 1UZFE w/itb's,

Inline6: BMW, 1jzgte/2jzgte, rb26, Nissan L.

V6: VG30dett, VQ,

Rotaries: Them

4cyl: SR20det, 4b11, those Alfa twincam engines, 4AG.

Just noticed Toyota sure can get an engine sound right.

Turn it up:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnEA-m8cVcE&feature=related

BRM V-16. Better sounding than the H-16 motor. Amazing because it's only 1.5 liters. Great sound quality.

Vracer111 wrote: For me, its I4 motorcyle engines made into V8's... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJT1vy5wJ4w https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YAFMZyBPI4 or V10 motors, just have a unique resonance quality that speaks to me which traditional V8 and V12 don't: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2Fm2KiPCc0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9qYCUjrrYs Ducati V-twins has a similar sound quality to V10's as well.. love me the Ducati sound: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtWlzvhhYFk I also like me the 4 rotor 26B motor best sounding rotary ever....

Did we just become best friends?

The LFA is HANDS DOWN, the most amazing sounding engine in the history of earth. Street/race/endurance, whatever, don't care. That engine literally puts me at half mast.

2nd? Audi 5 cylinder. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlM3EmuQmS0

WilD wrote: I'm curious why some engines sound so very, very bad... and others sound pretty good. For may years, pretty much everything GM made was extremely lame. I'm not sure if they sound any better now, but other than some of their v8s having a nice exhaust burble at idle, they pretty much all sound bad. The 302 in Fox Mustangs always sounded so much better to me ear.

Any LSx V8, even the truck variants, sound unholy once you delete the muffler.

mad_machine wrote: As for why things sound the way they do, I am going to go out on a limb and say that stroke has a lot to do with it. Short stroke engines tend to sound more "tinny" while your long strokes (small block v8, BMW and Nissan I6s, FIAT twin cam and MG 4s) have a throatier sound to them that you can "feel" as well as hear.

Honda D15/D16 = Throaty?

Vracer111 wrote: Ducati V-twins has a similar sound quality to V10's as well.. love me the Ducati sound:

I like these and the Moto Guzzis as well. Makes me want to build a v-twin car of some kind (i hate bikes). Probably something like a Morgan but with 4 wheels that are not fitted with bicycle tires.

yupididit wrote: Inline6: BMW, 1jzgte/2jzgte, rb26, Nissan L. V6: VG30dett, VQ,

With RB engines i've heard all of the DOHC ones and the RB20 and RB30 (a hybrid engine) sound great as well. IMO equal ti the RB26. The RB30 I heard had a RB25 head and custom intake but they can be made with a RB26 head and the RB26 ITBs. The RB25 I heard did not sound as good. Probably because the RB20 revs freely to like 7800rpm and sounds very much like a RB26.

this sounds pretty good

big block ford in a daytona coupe

I also love the sound of a Triumph triple and the BRM v16 is the sound a formula car should make. what a howl

Best sounding car I ever had was a Ford 300 I6 with Clifford Performance street rod headers and straight pipes (no mufflers). Rather loud but very distinctive sound.

Jeremy Clarkson's choice.

Jeremy Clarkson has driven more road legal cars than anyone I can think of and there's a reason he said the LFA was the best car ever, since the time he said the F355 was the best car ever. There's also a reason why the camera was attached to the rear bumper in this video. As far as the best sounding daily driver, this is just pure primal screams.

As far as the best bang for the buck, any Maserati with the Ferrari V8 then add the Ferrari mufflers, preferably a Spyder for 20k.

Nissan VQ motor, Ducati V-Twin, Aston Martin V12, the newer Fiat Abarth motor uncorked sounds pretty sweet.