Cars You Can Identify From Noise Alone

[NumberoftheBeast]

WRX Impreza
Mini Cooper S

[Urban Sports]

benzito said:

Urban Sports said:

Petrolhead95 said:

Ice cream van..

It was done on the previous page, it failed the first time because an ice cream van isn't a car.

You didn't read the title nor the previous pages in the thread.

ok how about a vauxhall astra, you can tell by the distinctive police sirens,

I'm sorry! someone was bound to mention police cars at some point in this thread

And you were the man for the job!

[oa]

Formula 1 cars

[TomN1994]

My cousin's old sy Corsa , Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale, Ferrari 458 Italia and F430, most Aston's, Citroen ZX, Transit, MINI, MK7 Fiesta, Citroen C4 and most obvious the Subaru Impreza.

[jbi]

Anything with a V8

[Sf_Manta]

Suprised no one's mentioned RX7's or Rotary engine'ed cars

[Old Gregg]

The K10 Micra, as well as a good few of the cars already mentioned here.

[GroundEffect]

Too many

Impreza Turbo is obvious. Evos also have a distinctive exhaust note. Ferrari 355, 360, 430 and 458 all have a similar noise but I can still tell them apart. Honda B16 and B18 engines (they have a very noticeable VTEC switch-over point which the later iVTEC engines don't...they go from brrrrrr to BAAAAAAAAAARP with a hilarious instancy), E46 M3s and CSLs, 911s, E92 M3s, Ferrari V12s are spine-tingling, Dodge Vipers are another one-of-a-kind...

I really could go on. The noise a car makes is singularly the most critical point of it. If a car sound crap, I wont like it or buy it.

[oa]

jbi said:

Anything with a V8

So do you identify the model, or just "that's a v8"? If so it's like identifying a 4 cylinder diesel!

[falkster]

bramley said:

An old metro

always sound like they are in reverse!!

[falkster]

Impreza is almost impossible not to know!!

New style mini whining annoying noise.

Anything with a CVH

Essex/Cologne engined cars but mainly xr4i and 4x4

I can also smell a vespa/lambretta from miles away if following a distance behind.

[StottyZr]

Havent read any other responses but Corsa 1.2s are sooo easy to hear because of the timing chain whirring constantly, impreza are very distincitve and a 20v Turbo with miltek makes a distinctive noise (when given the beans) that can only be compared with an aeroplane engine spooling up. Also, VAG TDI engines with straight pipes make a very distinctive "coo" when changing gear.

My most proud car engine noise identification... moment... ... came last week. I was taking a lunch time walk with a colleague down a road near work when I heard a car accelarating from behind. Mid convo I said "Audi TT" and to my amazement 1 second later the car came past need I say more...

Thank god he heard me say Audi TT then saw it with his own eyes. If I had called that on my own I would be gutted nobody was there to see it

[oa]

StottyZr said:

Havent read any other responses but Corsa 1.2s are sooo easy to hear because of the timing chain whirring constantly, impreza are very distincitve and a 20v Turbo with miltek makes a distinctive noise (when given the beans) that can only be compared with an aeroplane engine spooling up. Also, VAG TDI engines with straight pipes make a very distinctive "coo" when changing gear.

My most proud car engine noise identification... moment... ... came last week. I was taking a lunch time walk with a colleague down a road near work when I heard a car accelarating from behind. Mid convo I said "Audi TT" and to my amazement 1 second later the car came past need I say more...

Thank god he heard me say Audi TT then saw it with his own eyes. If I had called that on my own I would be gutted nobody was there to see it

Was it the 180 or 225 version?!

[jbi]

oa said:

So do you identify the model, or just "that's a v8"? If so it's like identifying a 4 cylinder diesel!

true... but considering the rarity of this form of ICE in the UK, it is limited to a fairly select range of cars/trucks

[littlebasher]

Mk2 Fiesta, could never mistake that exhaust note!
Metro as well, for it's A series gearbox whine!

And with a Mk 2/3 Granada, i could probably tell you which engine as well

[StottyZr]

oa said:

Was it the 180 or 225 version?!

Thinking back I don't actually know. It didn't really have a distinctive engine note I have no idea how I guessed it from all the cars possible (without ever trying to guess one before) It was a 08 plate so take your best guess I think they do them in 200, 210 or 265 versions? Definatly a turbo engine so not the 3.2

[The Lukas]

A decatted Speed 6.
Cerbera's (no other production car had the AJP engine.)
And yes I hate to admit it but the Subaru flat 4 is unmistakable.

[sebhaque]

Imprezas, like a lot of folks on here. Can also tell an M3 or 911 before I see it - I've got the odd F355 correct in the past too.

[Huff]

Morris Minors on overun - though Series 2s are distinct again for the smooth growl from the tiniest displacement sewing-machine of an A-series, and very short FD gearing. THis I can spot at 200yds. Minis similar, but more aggressive (in the same way Yorkshire terriers are: yap! yap!)

MGB - that booming-fart sound. Can't believe no one's mentioned it.

E60 M5. Sounds like two bags of spanners at idle, slightly better thereafter.

The peculiar wheeze of Volvo 240s at idle - lots of v-shaped fan belts. Rarely heard now.

Scoobies - the sound of appalling exhaust manifold design. Fix it and they don't do it any more , hurrah.

Aircooled Beetles and Porkers. What Scoobies want to sound like , and desperately do not.

XJS: nowt but tyre noise, ever.

[oa]

StottyZr said:

Thinking back I don't actually know. It didn't really have a distinctive engine note I have no idea how I guessed it from all the cars possible (without ever trying to guess one before) It was a 08 plate so take your best guess I think they do them in 200, 210 or 265 versions? Definatly a turbo engine so not the 3.2

I think the TTs do sound different from the rest of the Audi/vw range powered by the 1.8t engine, from the outside at least.

O/t I love the mk4 r32 noise, but the same engine in the TT sounds rubbish, what happened?