America’s best-selling cars and trucks are built on lies: The rise of fake engine noise

Washington Post ^ | January 21, 2015 | Drew Harwell

[Second Amendment First]

Stomp on the gas in a new Ford Mustang or F-150 and you’ll hear a meaty, throaty rumble — the same style roar that Americans have associated with auto power and performance for decades.

It’s a sham. The engine growl in some of America’s best-selling cars and trucks is actually a finely tuned bit of lip-syncing, boosted through special pipes or digitally faked altogether. And it’s driving car enthusiasts insane.

Fake engine noise has become one of the auto industry’s dirty little secrets, with automakers from BMW to Volkswagen turning to a sound-boosting bag of tricks. Without them, today’s more fuel-efficient engines would sound far quieter and, automakers worry, seemingly less powerful, potentially pushing buyers away.

Softer-sounding engines are actually a positive symbol of just how far engines and gas economy have progressed. But automakers say they resort to artifice because they understand a key car-buyer paradox: Drivers want all the force and fuel savings of a newer, better engine — but the classic sound of an old gas-guzzler.

“Enhanced” engine songs have become the signature of eerily quiet electrics like the Toyota Prius. But the fakery is now increasingly finding its way into even beefy trucks and muscle cars, long revered for their iconic growl.

For the 2015 Mustang EcoBoost, Ford sound engineers and developers worked on an “Active Noise Control” system that amplifies the engine’s purr through the car speakers. Afterwards, the automaker surveyed members of Mustang fan clubs on which processed “sound concepts” they most enjoyed.

[mountn man]

1979 Corvette L-82 with flow master exhaust. No enhancements needed

SNORT...

Now I have to clean my 'puter screen

[mowowie]

Yea i used to flip the air cleaner covers on my old Z-28’s and listen to that 4 barrel roar when i punched it.
I had a Toyota Supra Turbo for almost ten years and that car was whisper quiet, i tried starting it more than a few times while the car was already running it was so smooth.
It made a good sound when i floored it but in reality i liked the quite.
Unfortunately with today’s 4’s and Twin overcam V-6’s the engines usually sound like rattlebox sewing machines.
Still i’d rather a nice quite engine now than a artificially loud one.

[Second Amendment First]

Good story. My own experience with cherry bombs and cops was of a different caliber, or concussive device.

[Second Amendment First]

You have it chipped? Like to blow smoke?

[roamer_1]

You have it chipped? Like to blow smoke?

LOL! naw... They didn't have chips back in 78.... Unless you are talking HEI. All I have is a puny little carb and a screwdriver.

[Second Amendment First]

Was thinking of son in law and his chipped Duramax when you said about setting off alarms.

[mountn man]

nothing sounded more awesome than the old Hemis at full song

Except a Ford 427 SOHC.
(The Boss was just a wannabe SOHC motor)

[central_va]

I went to high school with a guy that could fart on command.

[hinckley buzzard]

Marketers know their market. For cars and pick-ups especially it is geared to provide the veneer of masculinity.

[Nuc 1.1]

This is so wosified. Real American Cars have cams that make the antenna wiggle at idle due to lope. Forged lower ends. Ported and polished heads. And the only carbs I ever gave a damn about, the ones on my engine(s). Street machines that would rev to 8 grand, sound like a pro stocker with the edge off due to 31/2 inch Thrush Turbo Mufflers, and wind so high that an American male’s voice can’t get high enough to emulate it. Race cars really when done correctly. Driven on the street. As tough on you as they were on the pavement. And we built them. What days they were, days of freedom and accomplishment. Today, vehicles are more refined, more comfortable, and provided you can pay for the correct configuration faster than we could hope to be. As I enter the twilight of my life I really miss those days.

[Second Amendment First]

Correct, and that is why they pay $75 for 90 minutes to participate in focus groups. They analyze who the buyers are and look for a similar group to gauge reactions to various stimuli.

[UCANSEE2]

Thanks for the interesting and informative link.

Still doesn’t answer my question.

To clarify, what does ‘firing sequence’ mean to you ?

[Seizethecarp]

My supercharged 3.8 V6 98 Regal (same basic engine as in your Firebird, IIRC) also has a very satisfying growl when you step on it, which is part of the reason why I have kept it!

[Minutemen]

Blew my muffler off doing that! Sometims I could get a “double bang” if both banks fired.

[Blue Collar Christian]

The Harley engine (mis)design comes from a radial aircraft engine. If you’re a gear head and you listen to a big radial aircraft engine, I swear you’ll hear the angels sing.

[Charles Martel]

Yeah, the 427 SOHC is where street engines and purpose-built racing engines truly overlap. It would've been awesome to see those run on the big oval tracks. Years ago, a neighbor of mine had one in a '63 Galaxie. It had a unique cam lope, possibly caused by the cam drive chain stretch and the related cam grind voodoo to compensate between right and left cylinder banks. Despite the odd intermittent lope, the engine didn't visibly shake or shudder like some do.

Yeah, I got to drive it a few times. The resulting stupid grin lasted for a week, easy.

[TalBlack]

It is very easy to get the 3.8 in my Firebird up to 270 horse at the rear wheels even before a turbo or blower setup. The sound of these engines is pretty nasty. Moving airwise they’re passign as much air as the old small eights...and they damn well sound it!

[TexasGator]

Since you had problems comprehending the wiki link I will quote it for you:

The exhaust note is basically a throaty growling sound with some popping. The 45° design of the engine thus creates a plug firing sequencing as such: The first cylinder fires, the second (rear) cylinder fires 315° later, then there is a 405° gap until the first cylinder fires again, giving the engine its unique sound.[99]

[UCANSEE2]

Thanks for providing that explanation of the reason it has that plop-plop,plop-plop sound.

But the firing sequence is cylinder 1, then cylinder 2. Is this not correct ? How could one have a ‘different’ firing sequence?

That is why I asked you what you meant by firing sequence, because it seems obvious that it means something different to you than to most people.

[USNBandit]

P factor is a difference in the effective angle of attack between ascending and descending blades on the prop. Not flipping this car over is all about torque applied to the drivetrain.