Japan is known for using smaller, sometimes turbocharged engines (like the Honda K20) instead of the big American-produced V8s (like the Chevy 350). Needing to make their cars more appealing, they designed their intake and exhaust sounds to be best in class as opposed to the American way of just putting an exhaust on and the car sounding amazing right from the start. departure.
The sound emitted by a car is one of the most important aspects that gearheads take into account when buying a new vehicle. For some, even a small city car with a throaty exhaust note is better than a big car with an exhaust that sounds like a hair dryer. These days, with the various emissions regulations and mandatory particulate filters, cars are all starting to sound the same – and boring.
Throughout history, car manufacturers have always been free to make their vehicles sound however they wanted – even in recent years after regulations began to endanger the internal combustion engine. Here are some of the best Japanese and American sounds sports cars ever produced – one of which is still for sale.
ten Toyota Supra Mk4
The Supra has been Toyota’s definitive sports car since its introduction in 1978. It was the Mk4 Supra that captured the world’s attention, thanks to its almost endless modifications. It had a 3.0-liter inline-6 with the choice of a naturally aspirated trim or two massive turbos stuck to the side of the engine.
The Mk4 produces between 220 and 325 bhp, depending on specification, but with a simple remapping of the engine control unit, Supras can achieve power figures close to the 500 bhp mark. Plus, the Supra sounds great even in stock form, but an aftermarket exhaust system can even improve that.
9 1969 Dodge Charger R/T
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The Dodge Charger is one of the cars that comes to mind when you say the words “American muscle car”. Not only is it an awesome car to look at, but it’s a huge vehicle to maneuver at over 208 inches in length! The Charger was available with a range of engines, although the top-end R/T was the one to choose.
It featured a 426cui (7.0 liter) HEMI V8, mated to a 4-speed manual or 3-speed automatic, producing 410 hp with drive going to the rear wheels. This made the Charger R/T an awesome sounding smoke machine. The engine featured a cross-plane crankshaft – as was the way to go at the time – resulting in an odd firing order of the cylinders, creating one of the most iconic idle sounds in any car. Of the history.
8 Mazda RX-7FD
The Mazda RX-7 FD was one of the greatest, if not the largest – rotary engine cars ever produced. It had a 1.3-liter twin-turbo twin-rotor, producing around 260 hp and 217 lb-ft of torque. That power might not look great from a twin-turbocharged engine, but the second trick of the RX-7 FD was the fact that it weighed just 2,700 pounds.
The great thing about this car was the sound it made. Few cars have a characteristic exhaust note to rival that of a howling rotary. With minor tweaks, this already noisy Mosquito could reach insane sound levels worthy of putting it on the list of all-time best-performing cars.
seven 1969 Chevy Camaro SS
The Chevrolet Camaro was released to take on models like the Ford Mustang and Dodge Charger, and featured Chevrolet’s now-famous 350cui (5.7-liter) V8, producing 300 hp and 380 lb-ft of torque. Like the Charger of the day, the odd firing order of the guns meant the Camaro made an incredible sound when idling.
Even though the Camaro was late to the party compared to the Mustang’s launch in 1964 and the Charger’s launch in 1966, it still became a success story that is still sold today.
6 Shelby Mustang GT500
The current Shelby Mustang GT500 features something no other GT500 has ever had – a flat V8, like the one found in a Ferrari. The Mustang GT500 is based on the Shelby GT350, which is where the engineering change began. The Voodoo and Predator V8s found in the GT350 and GT500 respectively are based on the Coyote V8 found in the Mustang GT.
Unlike the Mustang GT which has an uneven growl, the GT500’s V8 sounds aligned and balanced, resulting in a satisfying growl from the exhaust. The sound is accompanied by the groan of a compressor, adding to the already thrilling experience.
5 Honda NSX
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The first generation Honda NSX was a titan in the world of affordable, economical and reliable sports cars. Not only was it mistaken for a Ferrari, but it also drove like a Ferrari. The updated NSX even got Honda’s brilliant V-TEC camshaft system, resulting in an even better driving experience.
The 3.2-litre V6 already sounded exotic from the factory, with a slight rasp on hard acceleration when the V-TEC kicked in, and with a few slight tweaks the car looks like it’s worth a lot more than it looks. ‘is. Today the NSX has a massive following with members owning cars in almost infinitely different tune states.
4 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon
The Challenger SRT Demon was based on the Challenger SRT Hellcat, Dodge’s most successful muscle car. It had 130 hp more than a “normal” Hellcat, meaning 840 hp going to the rear wheels only via an 8-speed automatic. The SRT demon was a monster.
Outside of all the available options and accessories—each at a ridiculously low $1—the Demon was the king of production car drag records. It set new records left and right after owners took delivery of their cars – so much so that the car was banned from competing in the sport it was built for. Luckily, owners can still drive their cars on the road, resulting in hair-raising video footage.
3 Nissan GT-R Nismo R35
The current generation Nissan GT-R has been on sale since 2009, when it took the world by storm with its revolutionary launch control system. Since then, the model has received various performance, exterior, interior and software updates. In 2013, Nissan updated the lineup to include the GT-R Nismo, a track-focused version of the normal road car.
The GT-R Nismo is equipped with the same 3.8-liter twin-turbo V6 as in the normal version. However, it’s been updated to 600bhp and has a claimed 0-62mph time of 2.5 seconds – a feat that’s been proven time and time again. The Nismo also features a revised exhaust system, resulting in one of the best V6 engine sounds of any car.
2 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing
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The CT5-V Blackwing is the last hurrah of an era. This is the last V8 sedan with manual transmission produced before electric cars took over. That being said, it’s an amazing car to feast your eyes on. Based on the Chevy Camaro platform, the CT5-V Blackwing features the engine from the Camaro ZL1, producing 670 hp and 660 lb-ft of torque, going to the rear wheels only – as opposed to the regular CT5-V which is available with all-wheel drive.
The exhaust has been tuned by Cadillac to be as sporty as possible, especially in track mode, resulting in a sleek, sleek Cadillac sedan with the sound of an angry dinosaur. It has a slight boost whine to underline its sportiness, which makes the whole car even better.
1 Lexus LFA
The Lexus LFA is the best sounding car in the world. It’s not an opinion, it’s a fact. The only other car that comes close is the Porsche Carrera GT, which emits almost the same exhaust note, but at a lower pitch.
The LFA’s engine masterpiece is a naturally aspirated 4.8-liter V10, producing 550 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque. It’s brilliantly packaged because it’s a V10 – the size of a V8 and the weight of a V6. The engine note is tuned to be similar to a Formula 1 race car for the road. Toyota’s own engineers call it “the roar of an angel”, which pretty much sums up how good the LFA really sounds.
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