Best sounding engine for the money? QOTD-

"americancarfanboi" (americancarfanboi)
03/12/2014 at 16:23 • Filed to: None

So as many enthusiasts do, I am constantly contemplating what car I want next. I love my mk6 GTI and I have no intent of getting rid of it anytime soon. This doesn't, however stop me from coming up with crazy schemes of selling my car and the mods on it for something different. Or winning the lottery (I don't actually play the lottery) and buying a million different cars that I would love to own. With the catless downpipe and Akrapovic catback exhaust I have on my car, it sounds quite lovely. I do however wish that my car sounded a bit better, or was at least a bit louder inside of the cabin. As a VW and a golf fan boy I absolutely adore the 3.2L 24V VR6 engine. This engine is widely renowned for sounding incredible, and I would love to own one at some point. I am also a huge fan of Porsches and have much love for boxer engines. I'm not particularly fond of V8s or large displacement engines. But the thought came to me to ask the Oppo community, what is your favorite sounding engine, but more importantly, what is the least expensive to buy (not worried about running costs) with the best sounding engine? I'm not looking for the cheapest car, but rather a car or cars with disproportionately epic sounding engines for the price. Obviously the used car market will be the primary focus. And seeing as I've already mentioned the VR6, I'll leave one more example. E60 M5 can be had for around 21,000, and if you've never heard the 10cyl S85 wail.

DISCUSSION (18)

Patrick Frawley > americancarfanboi
03/12/2014 at 16:30

Three-liter Ferrari V8. Preference for carbureted cars, but any of 'em sound all kinds of evil from on high. Available for thirty or less, and you can basically resell it for your purchase price if not more.

BKRM3 > americancarfanboi
03/12/2014 at 16:31

The S85 is the right (only) answer. -Sincerely, An S65 owner.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > americancarfanboi
03/12/2014 at 16:33

It's very hard to beat the noise-per-cost ratio of the V12 XJS.

This noise can be had for Ł4000 in running condition over here:

revrseat70 > americancarfanboi
03/12/2014 at 16:34

Came here to post VR6. Well done. Depending on opinion, you could say anything with a boxer engine or something high winding, if that's your thing, like an S2000/integra type r.

Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney > americancarfanboi
03/12/2014 at 16:38

The alfa busso V6 in any of its various forms.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > americancarfanboi
03/12/2014 at 16:40

Oh, honerable mention to the Honda S800 as well. 10k rpm in the early 1960s is insane, and sounds as such.

Casper > americancarfanboi
03/12/2014 at 16:41

That's tough. There are a lot of engines I like. Turbo Hayabusa engines in little race cars are pretty freaking cool:

The L series strokers are always nice:

Then there's always a prepped VQ, made even sexier wrapped in an S30:

EL_ULY > americancarfanboi
03/12/2014 at 16:45

cheap E36 with a cheap intake :]

Induction sound FTW!!!

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney
03/12/2014 at 16:47

Came here (again) to post this.

YSI-what can brown do for you > americancarfanboi
03/12/2014 at 16:48

1UZ, you can pick up the engine on ebay for around a grand to two grand and it can be placed in a host of vehicles!!

It is also oversquare which makes it a racing engine. . . probably

YSI-what can brown do for you > Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney
03/12/2014 at 16:51

I gotta add this to the mix.

YSI-what can brown do for you > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
03/12/2014 at 16:54

Their V12 is very quickly becoming one of my favorites. It just sounds SO good!

HammerheadFistpunch > YSI-what can brown do for you
03/12/2014 at 16:56

plus 10 for the 1uz (the engine basics were designed with racing in mind actually.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > YSI-what can brown do for you
03/12/2014 at 16:59

I will own one in the not too distant future. With some cutout butterflies in the exhaust to unleash the noise when there's no people at risk of heart attacks nearby :)

bob and john > americancarfanboi
03/15/2014 at 19:38

Lexus LFA v10

EdWuncler > americancarfanboi
03/18/2014 at 00:36

Y'all are starting to sound like a bunch of elitist assholes, 5.0 302. FORD. Can be identified from blocks away. Have you people really forgot where Y'all came from?

americancarfanboi > EdWuncler
03/18/2014 at 02:43

exsqueeze me?

EdWuncler > americancarfanboi
03/20/2014 at 20:06

I pictured you saying that with a top hat and a long handlebar mustache.