NBCsn was finally added to my sat package. Just in time to hear those awful V6 turbo buzz boxes. boo hiss!

 

So you weren't a fan of the 1000hp turbo 4s back in the day?!

 

You mean those engines that sounded like you were stepping on a thousand cat tails?

 

. . . and I do agree with Charlie about the new engines sounding like "buzz boxes." However, I do like the tone of the engines, but they sound muted in my opinion. I suspect due to the combination of reduced RPMs, and more so the exhaust outlet changes.

 

The reduced noise is also a side effect of a more efficient combustion process. Exhaust noise is caused by energy not utilized in the combustion process, or so I've been informed.

I do wish they were louder, but it'll be another era. Think of the different sounds in different eras. The muscular old cars waay back, then the 50's/60's cars sounded different, then the 70's, and the 80's turbos, the 90's and 00's high rpm noises, then the latest v8's.

 

I left off from F1/auto racing in the early 80's when I moved up to the mountains. As I remember it was about the time they allowed teams to choose between 3.0L NA V8 or 1.5L turbo 4. I thought the turbo 4's were higher pitched. I definitely remember the 77/78 V8's at Long Beach Grand Prix sounded much like the last several seasons V8's. Sounded like a swarm of bee's chasing each other through the streets echoing off the buildings. lol

I also heard them mention some kind of heat scavenging for electrical power added to the ERS. So maybe that affects the sound as well as the turbo. I am surprised they are not higher pitched because I expected them to still rev high. They sure commented how the ERS adds so much torque - so that coupled with the high end power from the turbo must make a pretty consistent power band.

The EcoBoost V6's don't buzz like that from the turbo do they?

Poor Lotus. Seems like they didn't get much time with this engine before the season began.