355 Sound vs. 360, 430, 458

[BlackPrince]

I've always thought that the 355 sounded better than subsequent Ferrari models because the sound of the car was more F1. The 360, 430, and 458 (at least according to Youtube) have other deeper bassier tones in their engine note and have lost that screaming urgency of the 355 engine note. Of course this could all be completely in my head so I put it to you PHers to help me figure it out.

430
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIEST8nUwzU&fea...

355
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHMa04ITfaU&fea...

Those perhaps aren't the best examples but the 430 seems to have a bassier engine note w/ more overtones (undertones?) and the 355 has a fuller but higher pitched scream.

Any Ferraristi know why this might be and what changed from 355 to 360? It could be the exhaust but the same case seems to be true even of cars fittted w/ aftermarket exhausts

[Complex]

I'm not really qualified to thoroughly answer your question, but I always presumed that the greater the relative bore for an engine of equal cylinder and crank layout the deeper the sound on average, however from what I've heard from a 458, despite its presumably larger bore than an F430 it's slightly more 'fizzy' (355 like) than the F430.

F430: Sounds far too drony and resonant from the cabin for me, the other three trump this on stock exhuast.
355: Excellent idle - midrange with a Tubi, mid - high range is phenominal with a Capristo.
360: With a Tubi is my favourite of the lot, also had the best sounding stock exhaust too.
458: Not heard enough to form an opinion, isn't it more 355-like than the F430 though, definitely seemed to have a cleaner, raspier sound.

[BlackPrince]

Thanks for your input Complex. Thats the thing tho - increase in bore doesn't explain the huge difference i hear b/w the 355 and 360, nor does it explain the relative similarity imho b/w the 360 and 430.

Interesting analysis of each car you posted. If I may be so bold to enquire...is this from personal experience seeing the cars in person or from youtube? I've only extensively 'researched' the cars on youtube and not in real life at all. Where I live there are a few Ferraris about but never giving the beans so opportunities to hear the engines properly are rare unfortunately.

[F355GTS]

Your comments are spot on re the noise and it's down to exhaust design. Having said that I've heard some 360s with aftermarket exhausts that have the best of both scenarios

[456mgt]

I used to have a 99MY 360 that sounded very like a 355 when I installed a tubi back box on it. In fact the clip on the Scuderia Systems website is my old car: http://www.scuderiasystems.com/root-media-ferrari.... the chase car is a stock 355 and, while you can't hear it, we were able to do back to back comparison on the sound quality. Later model year cars had pre-cats and I never thought they sounded as good.

Have to say though that the benchmark in my view is a mates Gallardo with decat and tubi which does sound particularly rude.

Videos of these cars never do them justice, I suspect because the dynamic range of the microphones just doesn't match the human ear.

[Complex]

BlackPrince said:

Thanks for your input Complex. Thats the thing tho - increase in bore doesn't explain the huge difference i hear b/w the 355 and 360, nor does it explain the relative similarity imho b/w the 360 and 430.

Interesting analysis of each car you posted. If I may be so bold to enquire...is this from personal experience seeing the cars in person or from youtube? I've only extensively 'researched' the cars on youtube and not in real life at all. Where I live there are a few Ferraris about but never giving the beans so opportunities to hear the engines properly are rare unfortunately.

It's from experience, though I've not heard a 355 from inside the car, nor heard much at all of a 458.

I think the 360 does sound similar to the 430 but not too much. I loved the sound of a 360 from outside and inside but I wasn't that impressed by the 430's sound at all; it had a horrible resonance at motorway speeds and when nailing it on a track it sounded like it needed another 1k revs to really make it scream properly. The start-up bark on both are very similar, though the 430 is a bit louder.

[996 sps]

This is a good clip of 458 vs Ducati 1198:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPNs3v4m7TA

[mattdaniels]

I have a 360 with a Larini and it's one of the things I don't really like about the car. It's very V8 "burbly" and I'd much prefer a screamer.

[Cactussed]

The 360 was the last generation to use the same basic 308 block design I believe. Not sure if this has any effect, but the 355 and the 360 are the only 2 which really have that high pitched scream, and only with the right exhaust. To my ear, a 430 just sounds deep and bark-like rather than high pitched, and I've yet to hear any exhaust which changes that.

Oddly, a stock 430 exhaust on a stock 360 sounds uncannily like a 360 strad.

Personally, a 355 Capristo is pretty much where its at on the V8 cars, with a 360 tubi a close second.

[Audi 525i]

I have a F355 with a Tubi and it is very boomy at around 3000rpm (which is where the engine is in 6th gear around UK motorway speeds).Other than that 3000rpm boom, it is very sonorous throughout the rev range.

That said, few weeks ago I observed as a pedestrian a 360 Spider pull away under gentle acceleration and it sounded absolutely glorious, very loud, and by far the best engine noise I have ever heard. Not sure what exhaust system it had, but it certainly wasn't stock.

[CIE560]

IMO you just can't beat the valves opening on the F430, the sound is like music. Listening to that 'boom' and echo is amazing

[tuscaneer]

CIE560 said:

IMO you just can't beat the valves opening on the F430, the sound is like music. Listening to that 'boom' and echo is amazing

that's exactly what i love.i don't care how cold it is outside...windows down and trying to keep at or around 3000 rpm at all times to open that valve! what a racket!!(in a good way!)

[Blues]

CIE560 said:

IMO you just can't beat the valves opening on the F430, the sound is like music. Listening to that 'boom' and echo is amazing

Disconnect the vacuum hoses and you have it there permanently a wonderful noise for tunnel running, but a little intrusive for longer journeys.

[BlackPrince]

Does the Italia sound more like the 430, or bring it back to the 355/360 sound?

And 996sps, as a biker I've sent that video to more non-biking petrolhead friends than I can count

I guess this is a perfect example of what Im talking about comparing 355 to the other subsequent V8 Ferraris:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKG4JkBAe8M&fea...

Whereas the 360 seen here has a different, more warbly and less high-pitched, inline-four superbike/F1-like at least compared to the 355
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIPZjO97qzk&fea...

Of course these are just videos, so im sure that in real life they are different.

[priley]

My friend's 430 seems to have a low bellowing sound in relation to my angry sounding 355 (though the way they've dialed in the burble on the overrun is cool). Anyway I finally looked under back of mine and it's a capristo that says 'competition use only'. Have I got the loud one? Either way I'm not sure my neighbors like it as much as I do

[priley]

My friend's 430 seems to have a low bellowing sound in relation to my angry sounding 355 (though the way they've dialed in the burble on the overrun is cool). Anyway I finally looked under back of mine and it's a capristo that says 'competition use only'. Have I got the loud one? Either way I'm not sure my neighbors like it as much as I do

[F14BigAl]

458 sounds the best. The "WAM" Sound as one shifts up at 9000rpm in race mode is unbeatable.