Noise goes hand in hand with motorsport, like tea and biscuits or Donald Trump and court appearances. The trouble is, the noise isn’t always that good. Turbochargers and hybridisation have made Formula 1 cars sound like shadows of their former selves, and oh how we yearn for the offbeat rumble of a flat-four Subaru rally car sliding its way through a gravel stage.
But if you were to ask fans what the best sound in motorsport is, we’d wager a V12 575GTC Ferrari (aided and abetted by the distinctive quivering shifts of a sequential gearbox) would lurk close to the top of the list.
The Ferrari isn’t so much a musical instrument as an orchestra on wheels, able to produce any number of noises deeply embedded in motorsport. That starts with the piercing howl of the exhaust as the engine spins into, as the car sits on its air jacks and subdues to a guttural splutter at idle.
Driver safely in place, it’s time for the main event to begin. As we chunter down the pitlane, every facet of the Ferrari screams ‘go’ as we reach the pit exit and get our first flavour of the V12 working through the rev range as the engine’s smooth-bore roar explodes into a scream as it bounces through gearbox cogs. It’s as good an advert for natural aspiration as you’ll find anywhere on the interweb.
Welcome to Goodwood Elevenses, a helping of motoring-related amusement to help break up your day. Watch the last video: Amazing onboard of ’65 Ford Mustang at Paul Ricard
Race
Modern
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575
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