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Bring the noise
© TVRWe’ll soon enter a new era, when the only noise cars make is the faint hum of an electric motor. That’s a rather sad prospect – particularly when you’ve enjoyed the snarl of a Lamborghini V10 or the howl of a Porsche flat-six. Sound, after all, is a big part of what gives a car character – and these cars are always worth listening to.
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Lamborghini Huracan
© LamborghiniThere’s something raw and vital about a V10. Not only does the Lamborghini Huracan have 10 cylinders, though, it’s also naturally aspirated – so its mid-mounted engine never sounds muted. We drove the Huracan Evo RWD last year, saying: ‘It feels like a salivating psychopath behind your left shoulder, goading you to the 8,500rpm redline with every razor-sharp upshift.’
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Mercedes-Benz AMG GT R
© Mercedes-BenzIn truth, we could have chosen any Mercedes-Benz with an AMG-tuned V8 for this list. The thunderous 585hp AMG GT R makes the current Porsche 911 Turbo sound downright dull.
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Pagani Huayra
© PaganiHow down you make a Mercedes-AMG V12 even throatier? Fit it to an Italian hypercar and let it breathe through four shotgun-style tailpipes. That’s how.
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Ferrari 458 Italia
© FerrariThe urgent tenor of the 458 Italia’s 570hp naturally aspirated V8 will echo around your head for days. Its turbocharged successors, the 488 GTB and F8 Tributo, simply can’t compete.
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Lamborghini Aventador SVJ
© LamborghiniAny Lamborghini is street theatre, but the flagship Aventador SVJ is the Italian marque’s sell-out show. Even crawling through traffic, the 770hp V12 sounds sensational.
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Lancia Delta Integrale
© LanciaAnd the award for best sounding hot hatch goes to… the Lancia Delta Integrale. Its rude exhaust rasp evokes memories of the all-conquering Integrale rally cars.
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Subaru Impreza WRX
© SubaruThis one will divide opinion, but the offbeat thud-thud of a Subaru flat-four is certainly distinctive. Combine with a drainpipe-sized exhaust for maximum effect.
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Jaguar F-Type R V8
© JaguarApparently Jaguar received feedback from owners that the V8-engined F-Type is too noisy. Nonsense, we say. This thing makes a TVR sound tame – and we love it for that.
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Dodge Challenger Hellcat
© DodgeWhen it comes to sound, American muscle cars take some beating. The V8-engined Hellcat chugs menacingly at idle, then makes a noise like a hive full of angry bees.
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Fiat 500 Twinair
© FiatNo, this isn’t a mistake. The 500 Twinair sounds like a motorbike – and a noisy one at that. Shame its two-cylinder engine runs out of revs so quickly.
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Porsche 911
© PorscheThe current 911 still has a flat-six tucked between its rear wheels, but it’s the earlier, air-cooled cars that are most pleasing to the ear. Their hollow bark is one of the world’s most distinctive engine sounds.
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BMW M3 CSL
© BMWGoogle ‘M3 CSL noise’ and you’ll be rewarded with numerous clips of this special edition BMW being driven in anger. Its induction roar is reminiscent of a DTM racer.
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Maserati GranTurismo
© MaseratiLet’s be honest, the V8-engined GranTurismo wasn’t the world’s finest sports car. But when something looks and sounds this good, it hardly seems to matter.
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Maserati Quattroporte
© MaseratiA luxury saloon with a Ferrari engine? Yes please. The V8 Quattroporte is a supercar in a sober suit – and its high-pitched wail is pure Italian stallion.
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BMW M5
© BMWAnother large saloon with something special under the bonnet. The ‘E60’ M5 (built from 2005 to 2010) has a 500hp V10 that won World Engine of the Year. Jeremy Clarkson compared its sound to a Ferrari F430.
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Lexus LFA
© LexusThe LFA also boasted a V10 and, coincidentally, is another of Clarkson’s favourites. Its ear-splitting scream could have Formula One cars cowering in fear.
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Triumph Stag
© TriumphHere’s some true-Brit noise – the unmistakable growl of a Triumph Stag V8. Unfortunately, the Stag was so unreliable, its dulcet tones were rarely heard for long.
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TVR Tuscan
© TVRWe had to include a TVR on the list, and the Tuscan, with its fabulous motorbike-style exhausts, is surely the obvious choice. This rumbling beast sets off car alarms at 50 paces.
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Ferrari F40
© FerrariThe F40 is regarded by many as the finest Ferrari (and by extension, the finest supercar) ever made. It barks, hisses and spits like a living, breathing thing.
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Audi R8 V10
© AudiAs we’ve noted, there’s something about the aural excitement of a V10 engine in a road car. Audi’s flagship R8 is no different. Its guttural howl is a match for anything the established supercar makers can muster.
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Saab 96
© SaabYou’ll hear a Saab 96 coming long before you see it. The humming of its two-stroke engine echoed across many a Scandinavian rally stage.
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Aston Martin Vantage GT12
© Aston MartinAston Martin now uses Mercedes-AMG engines, but the aural character of its cars has hardly changed. This old-school V12 is the equal of anything from Affalterbach.
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Ford Focus ST
© FordWe’re talking about the old, five-cylinder Focus ST here. Its deep, five-cylinder burble is unlike any other hot hatch.
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Porsche Cayenne V8 diesel
© PorscheA diesel? Yes, really. The Cayenne’s oil-burning V8 did a very good impression of a big-capacity petrol engine. Shame it’s now been discontinued.
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Bugatti Veyron Supersport
© BugattiSurprisingly quiet at idle, the Veyron’s huge, 16-cylinder engine gulps so much air at speed that it sounds like the world’s fastest vacuum cleaner. In a good way.
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Ford Mustang V8
© FordA Mustangs doesn’t sound right without a V8 engine. Its eight throbbing cylinders are as all-American as Bruce Springsteen.
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Shelby Cobra 427
© ShelbyThe mighty Shelby Cobra was available with side-exit exhausts – all the better to hear that 7.0-litre V8 in its deafening glory. A bona fide automotive icon.
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Dodge Viper
© DodgeThe original Viper also had side pipes. Throw in an 8.0-litre V10 designed by Lamborghini and you have a recipe for full-on aural assault.
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Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale
© FerrariAs shrieking Ferrari V8s go, nothing tops a 360 Challenge Stradale. A road-legal race car, it will make every hair on the back of your neck stand to attention.
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Vauxhall VX220
© VauxhallVauxhall’s VX220 lives in the shadow of its more glamorous cousin, the Lotus Elise. However, in 2.0-litre Turbo form, it definitely has the edge in terms of ferocious engine noise.
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Audi RS2
© AudiThe first Audi RS model borrowed various parts from Porsche, but its rambunctious five-cylinder engine was all-Audi. Once you got past the turbo lag, it sounded wonderful.
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Mini
© MiniMany people of a certain age owned a Mini as their first car. For them, the whine of that transverse engine in first gear will always evoke the feeling of freedom behind the wheel.
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Porsche Carrera GT
© PorscheIt’s a Porsche and it has a mid-mounted V10 engine. Is it any wonder the Carrera GT sounds like one of the Norse gods clearing his throat?
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Alfa Romeo 8C
© Alfa RomeoAlfa’s attempt to ‘do a Ferrari’ wasn’t without flaws. But, breathing through four exhausts, it had an authentic Italian soundtrack – from angry snarl to high-pitched howl.
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Mazda MX-5
© MazdaMazda engineers tuned the exhaust of the original MX-5 to make it sound like a classic British sports car. They then added a healthy dose of Japanese reliability.
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Ferrari 250 GTO
© FerrariThe world’s most valuable car makes a suitably expensive noise. A 250 GTO sounds textured and utterly mechanical – you hear every pump, piston and belt.
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Honda S2000
© HondaRevving a Honda S2000 to 9,000rpm is a life-affirming experience. VTEC variable valve timing makes the four-cylinder engine change character, like an automotive Jekyll and Hyde.
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McLaren F1
© McLarenNo car is built without compromise, but the McLaren F1 comes pretty close. Its V12 BMW engine develops 627hp and sounds absolutely feral.
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McLaren 600LT
© McLarenThe 600LT has almost as much power as its famous forebear, despite hailing from the entry-level ‘Sports Series’ end of the McLaren range. Its top-exit exhausts pop and spit flames.
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Porsche Taycan
© PorscheFinally, how about some peace and quiet? The previous cars have given us a headache, so we’ll whoosh home in near-silence in the electric Porsche Taycan. Perhaps 2030 won’t be so bad after all.