Is there a story/reason behind the sound of Ferrari horns?

"MegaSuper" (megasuper)
04/16/2015 at 01:24 • Filed to: None

They're unusually high-pitched compared to other cars. Is there some kind of tradition/story behind this? (I'm reminded of how the "no honking" signs in Europe are literally a bugle with the universal "no" symbol over them. Maybe a reference to old brass horns or something?)

DISCUSSION (10)

bob and john > MegaSuper
04/16/2015 at 01:30

they are so far stuck up their own asses even their horns have to be 'higher' and better then the rest

Honestly, no clue.

PushToStart > MegaSuper
04/16/2015 at 02:02

At this point, it's probably just tradition. Maybe it just started out as being the type of horn they had available to them, but if they wanted to change it and make it more "normal" by now they definitely could have. I'm a little biased, but I personally think it's pretty cool/unique.

saabstory | fixes bikes, breaks cars > MegaSuper
04/16/2015 at 02:47

Weight savings.

GhostZ > MegaSuper
04/16/2015 at 03:04

It probably comes from the original cars having smaller horns to save weight, which would have made higher pitched sounds.

desertdog5051 > MegaSuper
04/16/2015 at 03:56

Do not know. But I associate that sound with European cars. Maybe just tradition?

webmonkees > MegaSuper
04/16/2015 at 04:45

Reminds me of

TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut > MegaSuper
04/16/2015 at 05:25

I have no idea, but I'm planning on installing a truck horn on my Honda just for the shits and giggles.

Saoul-Virage > MegaSuper
04/16/2015 at 06:04

Not only Ferrari, a number of Italian cars have high pitched horn.

kanadanmajava1 > MegaSuper
04/16/2015 at 06:16

I think that all Italian cars used to have horns with higher pitch. It was probably some national requirement. Now it doesn't matter anymore but some still use them.

twochevrons > MegaSuper
04/16/2015 at 09:03

I know that some European manufacturers used to use so-called "town and country" horns that would produce a quiet tone from a single horn if you pressed the horn switch lightly, and a louder multi-horn tone if you pressed harder. The idea was that the quieter tone was for 'polite' city usage, while the louder one was for scaring animals out of the road, or when the full "OUT OF MY WAY PEASANT" force was required. I wonder if Ferraris still use that, or if the higher note is a hangover from it.