Engine sounds

I love good sounding engines - a large US style V8, a howling in-line 4 at 12,000 rpm, a Ducati V twin, an Alfa V6, a Ferrari flat plane crank V8; if you don't know what I mean, then stop reading now. The 968 (like its older brothers, the 944 and 924) was tedious. The maximum reaction I gave was a slight smirk at 6500 rpm. The 911 on the other hand is a fabulous collection of racing car like noises, whining, popping and banging, and a deep angry growl that just gets louder and more angry as you head for the red line.

As I ran in the Boxster I was a bit disappointed. The bureaucrats had won the battle with the enthusiasts and forced sports cars to be quiet and sterile. All you get is this quiet smooth whine rising and falling with engine speed. Much like a gear-driven-cams Honda VFR750. Very noticeable is the fact that there is no vibration at all (giving the illusion that the car is heavy and the engine tiny). But once again, it's a Jekyl and Hyde. As soon as your floor the throttle, it growls. Like an engineered in switch that turns on the excitement. As the revs rise it does a 911, growling and roaring an unbelievably sexy Group C racer kind of noise. And it fills the cabin! At 5200 rpm you hit a manifold or cabin resonance and you are Damon Hill as you nail it out of a corner. And it culminates is a spine-tingling howl in the last 1000 rpm. Hear it now (Windows .WAV 50K). Then you back off and you're in a quiet saloon with a whine just behind you and a ridiculous look on your face. Incredible. Words fail me.

Porsche 1 Bureaucrats 0

Why not come for a 5 minute test drive? If you want more noise, then fit an aftermarket exhaust.

Initially the same whine, so you feel right at home. Floor it and it you hear much more of the off-beat flat six gurgle, roar, then scream. A bit more satisfying than the Boxster, for sure. A big brother with a louder voice to go along with his bulging biceps. There's also a weird whooping noise when the vario-something does its bit - kind of like the resonance in the Boxster inlet. All very nice indeed. If the Boxster gets 10/10, I think the 996 had better score 11.