Which car has the loudest turbo whistle?

"langadamd" (langadamd)
06/26/2014 at 17:00 • Filed to: qotd, turbo

I was on a run today and saw a Fiat 500 Abarth go by and both the exhaust and turbo were making some great noises. I feel like my Saab 93 turbo noise is fairly loud, which I do kind of enjoy. In comparison, my girlfriend's '02 Passat barely makes any noise at all. My Dad's '04 MX-5 Mazdaspeed makes a bit of a whistle at higher rpms.

Now, I haven't driven any supercars or anything of that caliber but what is the vehicle with the loudest turbo you have driven?

DISCUSSION (39)

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > langadamd
06/26/2014 at 17:03

I could hear a Cruze spool up over my loud and clanky engine. I didn't expect to hear the turbo at all, especially from a Cruze.

Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy > langadamd
06/26/2014 at 17:03

The only turbocharged car I've driven was a 2004 VW Jetta TDI. The whistle is noticeable, but not obnoxious.

langadamd > Logansteno: Bought a VW?
06/26/2014 at 17:03

Wow, I definitely wouldn't expect that either!

MazdaMonkey > langadamd
06/26/2014 at 17:04

Not the loudest, but you know what surprised me recently? Acura RDX! I drove a friend's recently and you could hear the turbo whistling the whole time. Cracked me up. Made an otherwise dull driving experience that much more exciting.

jariten1781 > langadamd
06/26/2014 at 17:05

F350

LuczOr > langadamd
06/26/2014 at 17:07

Freightliner Cascadia with a DD16.

ColoradoTaco > langadamd
06/26/2014 at 17:08

It wouldn't add much but noise but if you put an intake on that passat you'll hear the turbo and the by-pass valve.

Loudest turbo'd car I've driven is my S4. I could hear it pretty good on my 1.8t A4 as well.

langadamd > MazdaMonkey
06/26/2014 at 17:09

Really? My dad had a rental one once but didn't mention it. He said it was kind of boring.

Turbo666 > langadamd
06/26/2014 at 17:10

GN's are one of my favorite ;) With my TE-44 3" DP etc the turbo spool and noise is awesome. Now when I have the dump pipe open, that is a whole different kind of awesome, constant beastly sounding turbo spool. I need to get a video some time.

langadamd > LuczOr
06/26/2014 at 17:11

Sure are loud.

Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif > langadamd
06/26/2014 at 17:11

Duramax diesel with the bigger GM turbo. So much spool. People who usually have the bigger turbo have exhaust system too so that drowns it out.

AutoSavant > langadamd
06/26/2014 at 17:12

My son's GN is plenty loud.

langadamd > Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy
06/26/2014 at 17:12

I feel like the TDI small cars don't make too much noise either.

Saracen > langadamd
06/26/2014 at 17:12

my Golf R makes all sorts of turbo noises, but that's due to the "filter on a stick" style intake I'm running.

My brothers 400+ hp WRX...the turbo practically drowns out the engine.

CAR_IS_MI > langadamd
06/26/2014 at 17:13

When you say turbo whistle, are you referring to the noise created by the turbo spooling and sucking in massive quantities of air? or are you speaking of the noise created by a blow off valve releasing excess air pressure between the compressor housing and the throttle body?

If the former, my old F350 Diesel. The turbo was the size of your head, and when I got it spooling up into the 40 psi range...

If the later, my friend had an SSQV on well modded 3kgt vr4 pushing 24psi. I could hear his shifts from about 1/2 a mile away. no joke.

Dsscats > langadamd
06/26/2014 at 17:13

As a BMW X5 went to cut me off the other day, I could hear the turbos spool. Needless to say, I was shocked

crowmolly > langadamd
06/26/2014 at 17:14

You can't really hear the turbo on my Passat, that's for sure.

langadamd > ColoradoTaco
06/26/2014 at 17:14

I would love a S4. If the passat was mine I probably would, but she could care less :)

langadamd > Turbo666
06/26/2014 at 17:15

That sounds like it sounds awesome. I would love a video!

PushToStart > langadamd
06/26/2014 at 17:16

not from a turbo, but same thing, basically. :P

crowmolly > CAR_IS_MI
06/26/2014 at 17:17

The loudest ones I've heard have been diesel pickups.

langadamd > CAR_IS_MI
06/26/2014 at 17:17

The former. I should have clarified. I have heard those F350's before. I bet that 3000gt was fun!

lone_liberal > langadamd
06/26/2014 at 17:17

The 917/30 has to be a contender.

Kinja'd!!!

Turbo666 > langadamd
06/26/2014 at 17:17

I'll see if I can make it happen next time I take it out. I'd do it tonight but ET streets do not agree with rain.

Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs > langadamd
06/26/2014 at 17:17

Consumer grade? A Compound turbo setup truck? Stock, a Diesel truck? Haha.

Commercially, a Semi.

CAR_IS_MI > crowmolly
06/26/2014 at 17:19

Thats becasue we run massive turbos through 5" exhausts while pushing 50+ psi...

doodon2whls > langadamd
06/26/2014 at 17:21

The TD04-16GK-LR on the Neon SRT-4 has a healthy spool to it. Little to no induction noise attenuation parts were added to the SRT-4's intake, unlike other applications of that engine/turbo setup.

TJDMAX > langadamd
06/26/2014 at 17:21

It may be what some consider a "bro truck" but here is a slightly modified LBZ Duramax truck with a larger than stock exhaust and a modified stock turbo. The truck has a VGT stock, this one has just been machined out and a larger compressor installed.

Chairman Kaga > langadamd
06/26/2014 at 17:22

TJDMAX > langadamd
06/26/2014 at 17:23

sorry i had a double post....damn kinja

langadamd > Saracen
06/26/2014 at 17:32

With 400+ I'm not surprised!

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > CAR_IS_MI
06/26/2014 at 19:14

The Ford 6.0 VGT's were notoriously loud, especially on the '03's.

CAR_IS_MI > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies
06/26/2014 at 19:20

Yupp mine was an 07. and if you straight pipe those things they sound like turbos. I mean, thats it, just a turbo, no engine involved

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > CAR_IS_MI
06/26/2014 at 19:28

The engine itself has a pretty good growl too, when you can hear it.

Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! > Chairman Kaga
06/26/2014 at 20:32

I came here to post this. Good job, Chairman!

Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey > langadamd
06/26/2014 at 21:27

Someone's said it here, but the Powerstroke Fords with the T444E (7.3L) whistled like crazy. The Garrett turbo they had was HUGE

Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey > PushToStart
06/26/2014 at 21:29

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Twism > langadamd
06/26/2015 at 15:32

Ford Mustang Ecoboost.

You don’t hear the blowoff valve much, but it whistles a lot as soon as you step on the throttle.

I got a convertible, and if you floor it in a tunnel, the only thing you hear is the turbo (exhaust could be louder).

Kinja'd!!!

T5Killer > langadamd
06/26/2015 at 16:14

This local ‘93 Cobra with a Single 76mm turbo.