Of all the ways to admire a car, the sound of the engine can be the most memorable — indeed, the most overwhelming. Sure, you can take in the curves and surfaces with your eyes, smell the warm leather baking under the sun, feel the sheet metal and trim beneath your fingertips… but all of those details pale in comparison to the way an operatic tune fires from the engine and hits your ear, sending a chill down your spine.
Is there an exact formula for producing the best engine note of all time? Not exactly — but you will see there’s a common theme or two. Ferrari and Porsche certainly have an ear for it; regardless, a dozen cylinders tend to lend themselves to an unadulterated sonorous and mechanical wail, as does the unrestricted nature of a race car.
There are almost too many to choose from, but these are the 25 best sounding automotive engine notes ever in our book. Headphones on, volume up.
1969 Ford GT40
Engine: 4.2-liter V8
Horsepower: 440
Redline: 6,000 rpm
2010 Lexus LFA
Engine: 4.8-liter V10
Horsepower: 552
Redline: 9,000 rpm
1957 Ferrari Testarossa
Engine: 3.0-liter V12
Horsepower: 300
Redline: 7,000 rpm
2017 Porsche 911 RSR
Engine: 4.0-liter flat-six
Horsepower: 510
Redline: 9,000 rpm
2016 Ford Mustang GT350R
Engine: 5.2-liter V8
Horsepower: 526
Redline: 8,250 rpm
1991 Mazda 787B
Engine: 2.6-liter four-rotor rotary
Horsepower: 700
Redline: 8,500-9,000
1970 Plymouth Superbird
Engine: 7.2-liter V8
Horsepower: 425
Redline: 5,000 rpm
1986 Group B Audi Quattro S1
Engine: 2.1-liter turbocharged inline-five
Horsepower: 540
Redline: 7,500
2007 Pagani Zonda R
Engine: 6.0-liter V12
Horsepower: 739
Redline: 8,000 rpm
1973 Alfa Romeo Montreal
Engine: 2.6-liter V8
Horsepower: 200
Redline: 6,200 rpm
1979 Ferrari 512BB LM
Engine: 4.9-liter flat-12
Horsepower: 440
Redline: 6,800
1995 Ferrari 412 T2
Engine: 3.0-liter V12
Horsepower: 690
Redline: 17,000 rpm
1979 BMW M1 Procar
Engine: 3.5-liter inline-six
Horsepower: 414
Redline: 10,000 rpm
1964 Ferrari 250 GTO
Engine: 3.0-liter V12
Horsepower: 300
Redline: 8,000 rpm
1971 Porsche 917
Engine: 5.0-liter flat-12
Horsepower: 630
Redline: 8,000 rpm
1967 Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 Stradale
Engine: 2.0-liter V8
Horsepower: 241
Redline: 9,000rpm
2004 Porsche Carrera GT
Engine: 5.7-liter V10
Horsepower: 605
Redline: 8,200 rpm
1987 BMW M3 DTM
Engine: 2.3-liter inline-four
Horsepower: 300
Redline: 8,500 rpm
1996 Alfa Romeo 155 V6 Ti
Engine: 2.5-liter V6
Horsepower: 420
Redline: 11,500 (peak power)
1997 Mercedes CLK GTR
Engine: 6.0-liter V12
Horsepower: 600
Redline: 7,500 rpm
2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1
Engine: 6.2-liter V8
Horsepower: 755
Redline: 6,500 rpm
1973 Lancia Stratos HF
Engine: 2.4 -liter V6
Horsepower: 188
Redline: 9,000 rpm
1992 McLaren F1 GTR
Engine: 6.0-liter V12
Horsepower: 600
Redline: 7,500 rpm
1957 Jaguar XKSS
Engine: 3.4-liter inline-six
Horsepower: 250
Redline: 6,000 rpm
1962 Alfa Romeo GTA
Engine: 1.6-liter inline-four
Horsepower: 115
Redline: 5,600 rpm
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