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mahatmakanejeeves

(61,300 posts)
Wed Jan 21, 2015, 01:31 PM Jan 2015

America’s best-selling cars and trucks are built on lies: The rise of fake engine noise

America’s best-selling cars and trucks are built on lies: The rise of fake engine noise

Economy
By Drew Harwell January 21 at 11:17 AM
@drewharwell
drew.harwell@washpost.com

Stomp on the gas in a new Ford Mustang or F-150 and you’ll hear a meaty, throaty rumble — the same style roar that Americans have associated with auto power and performance for decades.

It’s a sham. The engine growl in some of America’s best-selling cars and trucks is actually a finely tuned bit of lip-syncing, boosted through special pipes or digitally faked altogether. And it’s driving car enthusiasts insane.
....

Which raises a more existential question: Does it matter if the sound is fake? A driver who didn’t know the difference might enjoy the thrum and thunder of it nonetheless. Is taking the best part of an eight-cylinder revv and cloaking a better engine with it really, for carmakers, so wrong?

Not everyone is so diplomatic. Karl Brauer, a senior analyst with Kelley Blue Book, says automakers should stop the lies and get real with their drivers. ... “If you’re going to do that stuff, do that stuff. Own it. Tell customers: If you want a V8 rumble, you’ve gotta buy a V8 that costs more, gets worse gas mileage and hurts the Earth,” Brauer said. “You’re fabricating the car’s sexiness. You’re fabricating performance elements of the car that don’t actually exist. That just feels deceptive to me.”
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America’s best-selling cars and trucks are built on lies: The rise of fake engine noise (Original Post) mahatmakanejeeves Jan 2015 OP
Much prefer the gentle hum of an electric engine F4lconF16 Jan 2015 #1
You could always put cards in the spokes. Glassunion Feb 2015 #4
This isn't really new pscot Jan 2015 #2
Marching Morons Thor_MN Jan 2015 #3
I think the government is actually requiring cars to make some noise... 47of74 Jul 2015 #5

F4lconF16

(3,747 posts)
1. Much prefer the gentle hum of an electric engine
Wed Jan 21, 2015, 01:49 PM
Jan 2015

or the slight whine from outside as you floor it, if you ask me. It's the sound of progress.

(That said, there was a guy in a v-12 lambo the other day that passed by, revved it to around 8-9000, and dangggggg.)

Also, I'm looking forward to the face clueless mustang owners will make when they turn the car on and find out their speaker is dead

pscot

(21,037 posts)
2. This isn't really new
Wed Jan 21, 2015, 02:04 PM
Jan 2015

For decades people have installed Glass Pack mufflers because they sound "cool". If fact Glass Pack used to sell one called Honey Tone IIRC. Marketers have always sold the sizzle rather than the steak.

 

47of74

(18,470 posts)
5. I think the government is actually requiring cars to make some noise...
Fri Jul 10, 2015, 10:52 PM
Jul 2015

Especially electric vehicles like the Volt, Leaf, Teslas, etc. I know my Volt is very quiet when the fan is not running to the point that you might not think it's even running.

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