Friday 24th October 2014

Matra V12 at Monza: Time For Tea?

A short intro then nothing but noise in this beautiful slice of F1 history

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Often a video doesn't need any fancy tricks or surprises to be fantastic. Such is the case here.

It's an onboard clip from Jacques Laffite's Ligier Matra in practice for the 1978 Monza Grand Prix. There's a brief intro where the V12 is described as "spectacular" and having a sound "like power" then that's it. We're onto the main straight, V12 howling and the trees of Monza park looming. Upshifts are blipped, downchanges are throttle matched, powerslides are deftly caught. As an intro to 70s F1 it would take some beating. One to turn up very loud and savour on a Friday afternoon.

See the video here.

 

[Lead image is from LAT and actually of a 1981 car before that's pointed out. We know but it should illustrate the point being made].

[IN51GHT]

I appear to have done a little sex wee.

[250GTE]

Flat 12 BT46 Brabham Alfas too ?
Not really up to the nice thrum of a 2014 1.6 turbo

[TWPC]

Gosh...
I'm aware of its reputation for noise but that's the first time I've actually heard it.

[UltimaCH]

One of the best if not the best sounding engine ever IMO

[Ian_UK1]

UltimaCH said:

One of the best if not the best sounding engine ever IMO

Only if you disregard the V16 BRM. NOTHING get close to that for sound (volume or quality).

[Dave Hedgehog]

it is lovely but i prefer the 95 v12 ferrari sound

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SoZiTxdQyw

[iloveboost]

That sounds good I prefer the sound of all the older F1 cars as the later ones are too high pitched and scream too much.
Still though one of my favourite race car noises of all time since I heard it is an M1 procar:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVkY8oA3RlE
That intake noise is amazing.
A V12 F50:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6UXHqngdxI

[PhantomPH]

Dave Hedgehog said:

it is lovely but i prefer the 95 v12 ferrari sound

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SoZiTxdQyw

Oh my God, that just made my insides leap! Listening to that scream, I'm not surprised they used to splatter their internals to bits all the time.

[phil4]

I'm with Dave Hedegehog, that screaming V12 just makes my spine tingle. Awesome.

[mikeinsheffield]

iloveboost said:

That sounds good I prefer the sound of all the older F1 cars as the later ones are too high pitched and scream too much.
Still though one of my favourite race car noises of all time since I heard it is an M1 procar:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVkY8oA3RlE
That intake noise is amazing.
A V12 F50:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6UXHqngdxI

Thanks !!

The BMW sounds brilliant (although that Matra sound... mmmmm), and with the F50 vid clip that's the first time I've seen "footcam" - interesting. I also wondered why he was tapping the brake with his left foot - the comments below indicate that this is to eliminate the effects of any vibration on the straights knocking the pistons back (and hence fluid) in order to prime them for the next corner.... who knew Friday afternoon work-displacement activity could be so educational??

But the sound of that Matra V12...... and the other "proper" sounding cars, with manual gear-changing (shock - no flappy paddles), no electronic nanny-ing.... Making me wonder about a trip to the Le Mans Classic......

[Mike Rob]

Or the famous clip of Lafitte in the F40: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YPabCzxMXM

[VladD]

I have a feeling this thread could be epic.

[rhysenna]

"Sounds like power"
What a fantastic sounding engine.

P34 popping and banging its way round Monaco. Lovely!

http://youtu.be/I3krRK-98XM

[truck71]

By jaysus- awesome all of them. Really brings home just how naff F1 is today, noise is so much part of it. And the manual box's, different skill set required altogether.

[huwp]

truck71 said:

By jaysus- awesome all of them. Really brings home just how naff F1 is today, noise is so much part of it. And the manual box's, different skill set required altogether.

Couldn't agree more about the manual gearbox. Some of the downshifts are utterly sublime.

[George 500]

God I love these things but they definitely sound better from the outside. Get a load of this...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcPgE40t4dc

And while this variation doesn't sound as good he is certainly giving it some beans and just look at that exhaust!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZwlI6U3pLg

[kris450]

Truly a fantastic sound.

How times have changed though as I couldn't help noticing how the Italians thought it would be a good idea to have some trees right on the apexes through the last chicane

No H&S nonsense there...

[smilo996]

Well it seemed pretty quick. Half expecting to have Murray worbling a commentary. However good to have someone stating the absolute bleedin obvious in the background.

Better noise than the recent screaming V10's in my humble opinion.

Nice looking car too back in the days of cancer stick money.

[smiles22]

I believe that the matra 650 uses the same engine http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=m8fcA6lcpX4

[iloveboost]

Mike Rob said:

Or the famous clip of Lafitte in the F40: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YPabCzxMXM

That F40 LM sounds so angry and annoyed when it's cold. A bit like a two stroke engine.