About Car Engine Sounds

When driving, I’ve come to truly appreciate how important engine sounds are. Back when I had no interest in cars at all, I used to think, “Car engine sounds are just noisy.” But recently, I’ve come to believe that engine sounds are an essential and cherished part of the driving experience.

That said, it’s hard to say “this car’s engine sound is the best” because the quality of an engine sound is purely a matter of personal taste. What sounds great to one person might be completely different to another.

There’s a non-logical aspect to it—whether it suits you or not—and even sounds widely praised by others might not resonate with you personally… Engine sounds really are incredibly deep and complex.

So today, I’d like to share my personal thoughts on the engine sounds of the Porsches we have at home, and introduce a video where I recorded the GT3’s engine sound.

Boxster GTS (981)

Our 981 Boxster GTS is a 2016 model, known as the last naturally aspirated 6-cylinder model for the Boxster/Cayman line at the time. (Since then, this year, the 718 GTS 4.0 with a 4.0-liter naturally aspirated flat-six engine was announced.)

Personally, out of all the cars we have, I love the engine sound of this Boxster the most because it feels so good. Compared to older Porsches, you can tell the engine sound has been tuned, and the effect is brilliant… The afterfire sounds like “bobo-bo-bo, baba-ba-ba” when you lift off the throttle, the blipping, and the piercingly beautiful sound during acceleration—all of it is truly delightful.

It’s exactly the kind of engine sound you’d call a “tone color.”

Also, driving with the top down lets you feel that engine sound all over your body, which is pure happiness.

The 981 Boxster GTS’s engine sound has a wider range than the 718’s, with a deep bass at low speeds that jumps to a high pitch as you rev up. I think this is one of the differences from the 718 GTS 4.0, which is also a naturally aspirated 6-cylinder. (At least from what I’ve heard on YouTube.)

On the “Welcome Home, PORSCHE” YouTube channel, I’ve posted videos recording the Boxster’s engine sound before, so please check them out if you like.

Panamera Turbo (971)

Our Panamera Turbo is equipped with a V8 4.0-liter twin-turbo engine. It has that distinctive V8 rumble and a rich, solid sound. Our Panamera is approaching 30,000 kilometers, and the engine sound has actually gotten louder compared to when we first took delivery.

The engine start-up sound might even be louder than the 981 Boxster’s.

Also, when accelerating, it sounds like a beast roaring with incredible power. When my husband participated in a Porsche driving school with the Panamera, he said while watching from outside:

“The sound of the Panamera at full throttle was insane! Along with the PDK’s ‘pshun pshun’ noises, it sounded nothing like a sedan—it was the insanely cool sound of a sports car!”

I hope to record the Panamera’s engine sound for YouTube someday.

Air-cooled 911 (964 C2)

The 964’s engine sound is definitely different from water-cooled models. My husband has always said, “Air-cooled engine sounds are great.” According to him,

The air-cooled engine sound resonates well even at idle, but most of it is mechanical noise rather than exhaust sound. This ratio doesn’t change much even when revving from mid to high RPMs. You hear a unique blend of combustion noise, mechanical noises from moving parts, intake sounds, and tappet noise.
This analog sound is something you rarely hear in modern cars—it has an amazing character.

By the way, I’ve also uploaded a video of the 964’s engine sound on YouTube before, so please take a look if you’re interested. (My husband isn’t totally satisfied with the recording quality though, haha.)

911 GT3 (991 Late Model)

The GT3 here is the model often said to be the last naturally aspirated engine version of the 991 late model. In reality, the 992 might also come with a naturally aspirated engine, so it might not be the last after all. Even though it’s naturally aspirated, the GT3’s engine sound is completely different from the Boxster’s—it’s truly the sound of a racing engine.

It’s basically a deep bass sound, but with a fine, clear texture. When accelerating and revving up, it sounds just like a race car on a circuit.

So, we recently recorded the GT3’s engine sound and created a video combining the footage. Actually, my husband has been experimenting since last year to capture the GT3’s engine sound perfectly, and recently he finally got a recording he felt comfortable sharing with the world (laughs), so I edited that video.

I’d be delighted if you could watch it.