Who makes the best V8 NOISE?
Discussion
Cross-plane for me all the way. If you want a screamer, you get a far nicer noise from six, ten or twelve cylinders.
In no particular order:
Ford Coyote 5.0 DOHC - sounds biblical with a decent exhaust and a remap to let it rev all the way to 8000rpm.
AMG M156 - sounds absolutely cataclysmic. Again, cams, exhaust and remap to let it rev to 8k makes all the difference.
General Motors LS9 - there's something about the LS that sounds a bit more exotic than the usual rumbly V8, and the overlay of supercharger wail just makes it sound fantastic.
Chrysler Hemi - the original 50s ones (also found in Facel Vegas) just sound angry. Easily the best-sounding engine of the 50s, aside from the Jag C-type and D-type.
Old-school OHV V8 - I'm going to say Chrysler again, this time the 440. That big, heavy, bassy thump cannot be beaten.
The modern 6.2 supercharged Hellcat motor doesn't sound bad either.
Smaller European DOHC motors - the BMW S65's wail is hard to beat. The Aston Martin Köln V8 sounds bloody good too - which is odd, as its Bridgend-built cousin used by JLR (which is also Coyote-related) has all the appeal of a piece of industrial machinery.
Lamborghini Urraco and Triumph Stag not bad sounding either.
One of the best has to be a full-fat Ford 427 FE side-oiler race engine, whether pushrod or SOHC, these engines were pushing towards 100bhp/litre back 55 years ago, and now... they can bore and stroke them to give another 100ci, and the sound of a 527 screaming past 8000rpm is just unbelievable. Some of those engines are making 1100bhp naturally-aspirated today. Aston Martin Valkyrie, eat your heart out.
In no particular order:
Ford Coyote 5.0 DOHC - sounds biblical with a decent exhaust and a remap to let it rev all the way to 8000rpm.
AMG M156 - sounds absolutely cataclysmic. Again, cams, exhaust and remap to let it rev to 8k makes all the difference.
General Motors LS9 - there's something about the LS that sounds a bit more exotic than the usual rumbly V8, and the overlay of supercharger wail just makes it sound fantastic.
Chrysler Hemi - the original 50s ones (also found in Facel Vegas) just sound angry. Easily the best-sounding engine of the 50s, aside from the Jag C-type and D-type.
Old-school OHV V8 - I'm going to say Chrysler again, this time the 440. That big, heavy, bassy thump cannot be beaten.
The modern 6.2 supercharged Hellcat motor doesn't sound bad either.
Smaller European DOHC motors - the BMW S65's wail is hard to beat. The Aston Martin Köln V8 sounds bloody good too - which is odd, as its Bridgend-built cousin used by JLR (which is also Coyote-related) has all the appeal of a piece of industrial machinery.
Lamborghini Urraco and Triumph Stag not bad sounding either.
One of the best has to be a full-fat Ford 427 FE side-oiler race engine, whether pushrod or SOHC, these engines were pushing towards 100bhp/litre back 55 years ago, and now... they can bore and stroke them to give another 100ci, and the sound of a 527 screaming past 8000rpm is just unbelievable. Some of those engines are making 1100bhp naturally-aspirated today. Aston Martin Valkyrie, eat your heart out.
Also, how about this? 16.5 litres, 1984bhp @ 8000rpm on ordinary super unleaded, with a stroke not far shy of 6 inches. Run it on race fuel and you're looking at 2150bhp and 1550ftlb, and that's without nitrous or forced induction.
https://youtu.be/asQOhfaaLJE
https://youtu.be/asQOhfaaLJE
93.75cc per cylinder... so small that it was a battle keeping all sixteen alive. Plus the aviation-derived Rolls-Royce centrifugal turbine supercharger needed so much RPM to produce boost, it had no torque low down then suddenly there's an almost uncontrollable rush of power to redline... made it an absolute animal, nearly uncontrollable. They'd have been better-off ditching the unreliable blower and upping the displacement by 66.6%...
Personally, I like engines where each cylinder displaces more than the entire BRM engine.
Personally, I like engines where each cylinder displaces more than the entire BRM engine.
JerryF said:
Ashwiltshire said:
Gorgeous - WOW.RoverP6B said:
93.75cc per cylinder... so small that it was a battle keeping all sixteen alive. Plus the aviation-derived Rolls-Royce centrifugal turbine supercharger needed so much RPM to produce boost, it had no torque low down then suddenly there's an almost uncontrollable rush of power to redline... made it an absolute animal, nearly uncontrollable. They'd have been better-off ditching the unreliable blower and upping the displacement by 66.6%...
Personally, I like engines where each cylinder displaces more than the entire BRM engine.
In the flesh , and assuming it's not running on 11, 13 or 9 cylinders , it sounds like no other racing car - it is literally incredible that any 1500cc engine can sound so apocalyptic. Personally, I like engines where each cylinder displaces more than the entire BRM engine.
But AMG and Aston Martin V8s sound as though they are made to appeal to 12 years olds (and the Jag F Type to 7year olds ) .
Loud V8s belong on track or strip - and I will have a big block Chevy in a McLaren M8 please or a small block in a Lola T330 - or just about anything on the strip .
RoverP6B said:
93.75cc per cylinder... so small that it was a battle keeping all sixteen alive. Plus the aviation-derived Rolls-Royce centrifugal turbine supercharger needed so much RPM to produce boost, it had no torque low down then suddenly there's an almost uncontrollable rush of power to redline... made it an absolute animal, nearly uncontrollable. They'd have been better-off ditching the unreliable blower and upping the displacement by 66.6%...
Personally, I like engines where each cylinder displaces more than the entire BRM engine.
You'd have thought BRM would have learned from their mistakes, then along came the H-16. Personally, I like engines where each cylinder displaces more than the entire BRM engine.
RoverP6B said:
<snip>
General Motors LS9 - there's something about the LS that sounds a bit more exotic than the usual rumbly V8, and the overlay of supercharger wail just makes it sound fantastic.
IIRC many (all?) of the LS engine family have a different firing order to most other V8s.General Motors LS9 - there's something about the LS that sounds a bit more exotic than the usual rumbly V8, and the overlay of supercharger wail just makes it sound fantastic.
I had an LS1 engine Monaro and it does sound different. In particular the woofly idle is not there (unless you fit a wild cam
)Oilchange said:
The V8 in the Alfa 8C or a Maserati with a tuneful exhaust, absolute bliss.
But if you went the V6 route then my own humble little 156v6 with its Wizard exhaust. Sounds marvellous!
It really is - in sport in manual in tunnel it can’t be beaten - having said that the rat rod hemi sounded awesome But if you went the V6 route then my own humble little 156v6 with its Wizard exhaust. Sounds marvellous!
I want something in the middle, so the rs4/r8 motor always appealed, with added slight sleeper effect in the avant. Burbles at idle and screams top end
https://youtu.be/to-n36JJZx0
https://youtu.be/to-n36JJZx0
Another nomination is the sublime Lotus 38 Indy car - in an interview with Clive Chapman at Classic Team Lotus a few years ago he told me that when the 4.2 quad cam Ford V8 was woken up from decades of slumber it blew pieces of plaster off the ceiling .Having heard this at Goodwood, where the wood paling fence 6 feet behind the car was visibly moved every throttle blip, I can believe it ..
My 1st post here and I've seen a lot of brilliant threads and follow many too.
V8
TVR 350/400, I worked at the factory in the late 80's in Blackpool and test drove almost all the cars. They in my eye as well as factory spec MERCS were the best factory spec V8's around.
After that, I've owned loads of cars, loads of V8's. Quite boring things until you hit the mercs and the AMG's. I've got 57 mercs at now but the 55AMG SL sounds proper brilliant. A growl for sure and that's compared to 63&65's in my collections.
I dont give care about much else especially ferrari V8 of which I have owned almost all of them since the early 70's. Beautiful cars they were. Enzo was a friend too, but the golden triangle was in that era a beautiful evolvement in car history.
They sound nothing like an AMG really in day to day mode.
Nowadays, I just prefer the laid back S124 Mercedes with a couple of old cheeky cars to the side.
One day soon, I shall compose a thread of the sincerely wonderful vehicles I do own now as well as recent disposals. Mainly Mercedes-Benz.
V8
TVR 350/400, I worked at the factory in the late 80's in Blackpool and test drove almost all the cars. They in my eye as well as factory spec MERCS were the best factory spec V8's around.
After that, I've owned loads of cars, loads of V8's. Quite boring things until you hit the mercs and the AMG's. I've got 57 mercs at now but the 55AMG SL sounds proper brilliant. A growl for sure and that's compared to 63&65's in my collections.
I dont give care about much else especially ferrari V8 of which I have owned almost all of them since the early 70's. Beautiful cars they were. Enzo was a friend too, but the golden triangle was in that era a beautiful evolvement in car history.
They sound nothing like an AMG really in day to day mode.
Nowadays, I just prefer the laid back S124 Mercedes with a couple of old cheeky cars to the side.
One day soon, I shall compose a thread of the sincerely wonderful vehicles I do own now as well as recent disposals. Mainly Mercedes-Benz.
JohnT993 said:
MOORO said:
F355 Capristo!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Np4qNZaovgA
This one! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Np4qNZaovgA
https://youtu.be/yhPFubhO0qA
50 seconds through this. Love that noise.
Hilts said:
I remember when I was a teenager and saw and heard a TVR 400SE drive past me. I was just amazed by the sound and thought I'll get one of those one day.
I bought a 350i and thought that sounded good then I got a 400SE with a sports exhaust. I've never heard a car like it. Just awesome.
I had a very similar experience. It was also a 400SE and I had the same ‘I’m going to get one of those one day” thoughts. I bought a 350i and thought that sounded good then I got a 400SE with a sports exhaust. I've never heard a car like it. Just awesome.
Still one of the best sounding V8s I’ve ever heard.
For me, some of the more modern V8's sound incredible.
My immediate thought when I saw this thread was the Voodoo V8 in the Shelby GT350's.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbMRsu3az4E
Secondly, likely because i'm biased, it has to be the S65 fitted to the M3's.
https://youtu.be/lZIQt20G-78?t=540
That's with a primary decat, and a 2pipe mod. It sounds brilliant.
I do like a cammed LS too.
My immediate thought when I saw this thread was the Voodoo V8 in the Shelby GT350's.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbMRsu3az4E
Secondly, likely because i'm biased, it has to be the S65 fitted to the M3's.
https://youtu.be/lZIQt20G-78?t=540
That's with a primary decat, and a 2pipe mod. It sounds brilliant.
I do like a cammed LS too.
AppleJuice said:
leigh1050 said:
AppleJuice said:
Diesel v8 really?For a diesel V8, surely the Detroit Diesel 8V71 (9.3 litres) and 8V92 (12.1 litres) are the only correct answers? Pre-WW2 but made for decades. Two stroking, roots-type blower for exhaust scavenging, and they sound mental. You can't silence one. People have tried.
I would have also accepted Scania V8 as a notable mention.
Jex said:
AnotherClarkey said:
Amazing and unexpected (Don't see many of those round here!)on full chat i don't think anything can touch a fezza NA V8 for noise
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sOpG1P-GFI
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