What's the best sounding car under $50K
02-24-2010, 01:31 PM
#71
While the 911 and Ferraris are very exotic in sound, and I can appreciate the sound of a well tuned V8 (Vette, Merc AMG, M3)...my favorite is <drum roll>
350z, 370z, G35, G37, FX35, FX45....they all sound the same...but you get the idea. The exhaust note is pure sex.
Unfortunately the sound is not as good in the cabin as it is outside the car.
350z, 370z, G35, G37, FX35, FX45....they all sound the same...but you get the idea. The exhaust note is pure sex.
Unfortunately the sound is not as good in the cabin as it is outside the car.
02-24-2010, 02:26 PM
#72
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F355 is the right answer thus far..
But... well... checkmate.
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRYYe0kLCto [/media]
But... well... checkmate.
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRYYe0kLCto [/media]
02-24-2010, 06:52 PM
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This kind of thread is why I am on this forum.
People have already posted much of what I'd think of, so I'll just list some favorites.
Ford consistently has nice sounding V8's. Both the old 302/351 engines and the mod motors. The sound of mine at ful throttle in 4th gear around 140 mph (top of fourth) is just incredible. There are obvious problems doing that regularly. But hearing it pass 5000 rpms and the tone switch from a low-biased pitch to a high-pitched scream that builds until I have to shift is justification for a daily driver all year. Fourth gear just draws that out as long as possible for maximum aural satisfaction. Overhead cam V8's FTW, despite the drawbacks of such a design. Youtube just doesn't capture it the way it really sounds. Handycam mics aren't up to the job. You've got to hear it in the flesh.
I like the sound of the Chevy V8's, but neither the LT1 nor the LS series sounded good stock, whereas the Ford engines sound very nice stock. But the Buick 3.8 V6 sounds good at all throttle positions, you generally would never hear it because it's a Buick, however. But with a free exhaust, it sounds good.
Cammed LS engines sound powerful, but not "good." Ford makes much less powerful engines that sound way better than a stroked and cammed LS. The only reason a 427 sounds good is you know what it can do. Take away the power, and you have an engine that sounds kind of obnoxious but certainly not "good" in any objective measure. A stock LS1 running hard with true duals sounds better.
A caveat - the Doug Rippie shop is near here, and I see a C5 stroker of theirs a few times a summer. The sound of it just starting is like tearing sheet metal. When I drive away from Porkies when it's there (a drive-in where it shows up on Sat. evenings in the summer) I crawl away, wanting nobody to think I'm competing. There is just no competing with that. It's not a fine wine, it's Everclear in a shotgun with a beauty all it's own. Aesthetic judgements become moot. So I'm with you there
Maserati makes the loudest, nicest-sounding stock luxury cars on the market. Somebody there gets what I get. And so do the people who buy them. They're loud stock compared to every other luxury car. And they sound nice to boot. That's what you get when you put a cross-plane crank in a Ferrari flat-plane V8. And give it to a guy at Maserati
Aston Martins sound good, but you won't hear it with stock exhaust just pulling away fom a light the way you will with a Maserati. Still good if you can follow one up a steep hill. But you really have to listen with your window down. Could be louder.
Mercedes V8's sound good, but you won't ever hear them because they are so far down the road by then you'd have to own one to hear it. In city traffic they are quiet. You can't really even hear a burble. As it should be, I suppose, for a luxury car. They still make hotrods, you just wouldn't know it from casual acquaintance.
Flat engines sound really nice with a good exhaust. Especially when they are tuned for power. Subaru or VW fours, Porsche 6's, Ferrari 12's, they all sound good to my ears. I've never heard a bad flat, except maybe a ragged-out Beetle with a rusted can. That actually sounds like ass, no lie
Honda VTEC 4's sound good with a nice trumpet-like intake pipe like AEM has made. Something about the VTEC engine design coupled with aftermarket parts like AEM tuned intake pipes really plays to the sound.
The NSX at full song sounds awesome. Though I've probably only heard modded versions. I'm feeling the stock version is nothing to write home about if you aren't driving. Or lusting after one based on price.
The VR6 has a really nice exhaust note. I would dispute the claims that it lacks anything to back up the sound. Honda already claims that distinction IMHO. A VR6 GTI or R32 is quick and handles well. it just can't compete with lighter or more powerful RWD cars roughly the same price. Of course those competitors lack the nice interior and the VR6 motor. If I was going to buy a "winter sportscar," it would either be a Subaru or R32. And the Subaru is ugly (The Audi TT prices itself out of winter-beater competition.)
TVR straight 6's sound amazing on video. No idea what they sound like in person, but I'm guessing it's good.
V8's usually sound good given the chance. BMW inline 6's usually drive like a dream engine but the sound is mising or not all that special. Too raspy when they aren't at upper rpms usually. Or obnoxiously loud and bad at city driving speeds.
Sorry for the novel. Please forgive typos - I can spell, but I typed a lot of words.
I am a *big* fan of engine noises. It's music to me whether it's an inline four bike or a rusty inline six pickup. To get into esoterica, firing order largerly separates Ford from Chevy engine notes. Flat plane cranks sound different than cross-plane crank V8's. Maserati has demonstrated you can succesfully put a cross-plane crank in a Ferarri flat plane motor, and every once in a while somebody wants to put a flat-plane crank into a Ford 351 Cleveland. I've yet to see it happen in the Ford, but I'm guessing it's tough to find a guy who says he can make it happen when there is no prior art to work from. I would love to hear it, because I'm guessing it would be phenomenal, subtle at idle but incredible at full bore.
People have already posted much of what I'd think of, so I'll just list some favorites.
Ford consistently has nice sounding V8's. Both the old 302/351 engines and the mod motors. The sound of mine at ful throttle in 4th gear around 140 mph (top of fourth) is just incredible. There are obvious problems doing that regularly. But hearing it pass 5000 rpms and the tone switch from a low-biased pitch to a high-pitched scream that builds until I have to shift is justification for a daily driver all year. Fourth gear just draws that out as long as possible for maximum aural satisfaction. Overhead cam V8's FTW, despite the drawbacks of such a design. Youtube just doesn't capture it the way it really sounds. Handycam mics aren't up to the job. You've got to hear it in the flesh.
I like the sound of the Chevy V8's, but neither the LT1 nor the LS series sounded good stock, whereas the Ford engines sound very nice stock. But the Buick 3.8 V6 sounds good at all throttle positions, you generally would never hear it because it's a Buick, however. But with a free exhaust, it sounds good.
Cammed LS engines sound powerful, but not "good." Ford makes much less powerful engines that sound way better than a stroked and cammed LS. The only reason a 427 sounds good is you know what it can do. Take away the power, and you have an engine that sounds kind of obnoxious but certainly not "good" in any objective measure. A stock LS1 running hard with true duals sounds better.
A caveat - the Doug Rippie shop is near here, and I see a C5 stroker of theirs a few times a summer. The sound of it just starting is like tearing sheet metal. When I drive away from Porkies when it's there (a drive-in where it shows up on Sat. evenings in the summer) I crawl away, wanting nobody to think I'm competing. There is just no competing with that. It's not a fine wine, it's Everclear in a shotgun with a beauty all it's own. Aesthetic judgements become moot. So I'm with you there
Maserati makes the loudest, nicest-sounding stock luxury cars on the market. Somebody there gets what I get. And so do the people who buy them. They're loud stock compared to every other luxury car. And they sound nice to boot. That's what you get when you put a cross-plane crank in a Ferrari flat-plane V8. And give it to a guy at Maserati
Aston Martins sound good, but you won't hear it with stock exhaust just pulling away fom a light the way you will with a Maserati. Still good if you can follow one up a steep hill. But you really have to listen with your window down. Could be louder.
Mercedes V8's sound good, but you won't ever hear them because they are so far down the road by then you'd have to own one to hear it. In city traffic they are quiet. You can't really even hear a burble. As it should be, I suppose, for a luxury car. They still make hotrods, you just wouldn't know it from casual acquaintance.
Flat engines sound really nice with a good exhaust. Especially when they are tuned for power. Subaru or VW fours, Porsche 6's, Ferrari 12's, they all sound good to my ears. I've never heard a bad flat, except maybe a ragged-out Beetle with a rusted can. That actually sounds like ass, no lie
Honda VTEC 4's sound good with a nice trumpet-like intake pipe like AEM has made. Something about the VTEC engine design coupled with aftermarket parts like AEM tuned intake pipes really plays to the sound.
The NSX at full song sounds awesome. Though I've probably only heard modded versions. I'm feeling the stock version is nothing to write home about if you aren't driving. Or lusting after one based on price.
The VR6 has a really nice exhaust note. I would dispute the claims that it lacks anything to back up the sound. Honda already claims that distinction IMHO. A VR6 GTI or R32 is quick and handles well. it just can't compete with lighter or more powerful RWD cars roughly the same price. Of course those competitors lack the nice interior and the VR6 motor. If I was going to buy a "winter sportscar," it would either be a Subaru or R32. And the Subaru is ugly
(The Audi TT prices itself out of winter-beater competition.)TVR straight 6's sound amazing on video. No idea what they sound like in person, but I'm guessing it's good.
V8's usually sound good given the chance. BMW inline 6's usually drive like a dream engine but the sound is mising or not all that special. Too raspy when they aren't at upper rpms usually. Or obnoxiously loud and bad at city driving speeds.
Sorry for the novel. Please forgive typos - I can spell, but I typed a lot of words.
I am a *big* fan of engine noises. It's music to me whether it's an inline four bike or a rusty inline six pickup. To get into esoterica, firing order largerly separates Ford from Chevy engine notes. Flat plane cranks sound different than cross-plane crank V8's. Maserati has demonstrated you can succesfully put a cross-plane crank in a Ferarri flat plane motor, and every once in a while somebody wants to put a flat-plane crank into a Ford 351 Cleveland. I've yet to see it happen in the Ford, but I'm guessing it's tough to find a guy who says he can make it happen when there is no prior art to work from. I would love to hear it, because I'm guessing it would be phenomenal, subtle at idle but incredible at full bore.
02-24-2010, 11:11 PM
#78
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Porsche and BMW M division make the best sounding 6 cylinders IMHO.
A simple 1999 Porsche 911 or a 2003 Boxster S sound amazing between 5000 and 7000RPMs.
You can buy one for 20K.
A simple 1999 Porsche 911 or a 2003 Boxster S sound amazing between 5000 and 7000RPMs.
You can buy one for 20K.
02-25-2010, 12:04 AM
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