Engine sounds in danger?

[RACECAR]

I'm talking long term don't forget, we are now only in the beginning of the transition period.

Its been 9 years since a diesel first won at Le Mans and apart from Peugeot's spirited attempts, no one else has attempted Diesel. I bring up Toyota and Porsche because they are direct competitors to Audi and both of them clearly have cars that are powered by engines that are anything but quiet. Now yes all of them use hybrids, but the hybrids have done nothing to silence the 919 or the TS040 so while I understand you mean longterm, I find 9 years of domination by one team even before the Hybrid revolution to be abit inconclusive of the idea that (at least on the Sportscar side) engine sounds might be gone.

Slowly but steadily F1 looks like it's also going down the alternative route. Look how small the petrol engines have become in the last years. I'm saying that in a year or 10 when electrical engines could have become the norm on the streets with new cars due to the improved battery technology; F1 will also have gone that route and become a sort of formula E so to speak.

Here's the latest evolution in battery power; charges in 5 minutes and would double the range of current electrical cars:

http://www.colorado.edu/news/releas...d-cu-boulder-could-double-range-electric-cars

One thing I question though: How long before that is available for mass production? Will it as readily available as gasoline is in the time span of 20 years? Based on the time it took just for electric/hybrid technology to even go beyond just small companies that ONLY make electric cars, I'm not so sure electrical powered cars will be replacing gasoline powered cars for a while. There's also the supposed idea that certain powerful political figures have their pockets deep in the oil business, but I'm not gonna turn this in one of those debates so meh.

I sense no paranoia with anybody, it's just an idea of how engines will evolve in the next years and how it could affect motorsports. In my opinion; we are now at a breaking point and electrical powered cars will slowly but steadily make petrol engines look like a "20st century thing".

I kinda think there is (not from you specifically) based on some of the responses in this thread as well as on so many forums on similar topics, which reek of this irrational hatred towards silent race cars and anyone that races them (which is most notably at the moment, Audi). I simply don't see droves of electric cars coming in and replacing everything, the closest thing being Formula-E (which isn't replacing anything anyway). I get that many of us love the sounds of racing, but I feel the hatred towards silent race cars is abit much. I almost put it in the same category as people that for some reason despise aerodynamics (or from what I understand, hate racing that depend heavily on aerodynamics).

 

[Grayfox]

Issue is then with safety campaigns

STOP LOOK LISTEN wont apply no more.
The blind wont be able to hear them coming at all
Bikes, some say are louder so you know are there(I find this BS) will also get this tech as well which will quite them down.

 

[JMoney]

With F1 and LMP1 racers setting the tone of benchmark technology; and more and more cars going electric and hybrid in general; are the great engine sounds we know in motorsports in danger? Will i take my grandkids to races and would they hardly hear the cars of the future passing along unlike what we experienced back in our day, sending shivers down our spines?

Example; compare the sounds of these glorious beasts:



To the Le mans winner of this year:



My question to you; will combustion engines still be socially acceptable in 20 years time; and will motorsport in general sound more numb because of new technologies?

Glorious engine sounds may be endangered in Europe, but not here in America. Just go to a NASCAR race. 43 cars, each with a V8 making almost 900 horsepower, going around a 1.5-mile oval. The sound of a restart is easily the most incredible I've ever heard.

Don't worry, if NASCAR ever tried switched to hybrids, it would go bankrupt within a year.

 

[Dolph Drago]

Glorious engine sounds may be endangered in Europe, but not here in America. Just go to a NASCAR race. 43 cars, each with a V8 making almost 900 horsepower, going around a 1.5-mile oval. The sound of a restart is easily the most incredible I've ever heard.

Don't worry, if NASCAR ever tried switched to hybrids, it would go bankrupt within a year.

This. When I went to the Kentucky race a week and a half ago, I got chills on every restart sitting at the start finish line. I can't speak for other racing series. I've never seen an F1 race in person, with the old cars or new V6's from this year. I still think I'd enjoy it though, not knowing exactly what I've missed. I certainly enjoy watching videos on Youtube, but it still doesn't compare to actually hearing it in person.

 

[phillgt2002]

Don't worry, if NASCAR ever tried switched to hybrids, it would go bankrupt within a year.

I've heard that the experience of a NASCAR even is mainly the sound. I've never been to one but I've heard that it rattles everything and you can actually feel it. I love my ears so I'll wear ear protection if I ever go to one.

 

[ukfan758]

Glorious engine sounds may be endangered in Europe, but not here in America. Just go to a NASCAR race. 43 cars, each with a V8 making almost 900 horsepower, going around a 1.5-mile oval. The sound of a restart is easily the most incredible I've ever heard.

Don't worry, if NASCAR ever tried switched to hybrids, it would go bankrupt within a year.

They used to sound alot better, when they changed to the COT/Gen 5 they changed the exhaust system. If you listen to the gen 4 cars or prior to the Gen5 races in 2007 you will know what I mean:



(Skip to 3:02)

 

[RACECAR]

I felt the COTs sounded abit lifeless and somewhat artificial (even though they still had carburators). The Gen-6 cars sound cleaner yet fuller with the EFI that finally replaced the carburators.

 

[sumbrownkid]

Well racing is just evolving to fit the times.

Audi themselves say loud sounds are just wasted energy.

 

[JMoney]

They used to sound alot better, when they changed to the COT/Gen 5 they changed the exhaust system. If you listen to the gen 4 cars or prior to the Gen5 races in 2007 you will know what I mean:



(Skip to 3:02)

The 2007 Superspeedway and Speedway races were run with the older gen-4 cars, while the short tracks and road courses used the COT. It wasn't until 2008 that COT's were used at Daytona.

I've heard that the experience of a NASCAR even is mainly the sound. I've never been to one but I've heard that it rattles everything and you can actually feel it. I love my ears so I'll wear ear protection if I ever go to one.

I couldn't find but only one earplug before I went to Kentucky Speedway. I left thinking they would sell them at the track, but they weren't, unlike Indianapolis. I was pretty much deaf most of the next day.

This. When I went to the Kentucky race a week and a half ago, I got chills on every restart sitting at the start finish line. I can't speak for other racing series. I've never seen an F1 race in person, with the old cars or new V6's from this year. I still think I'd enjoy it though, not knowing exactly what I've missed. I certainly enjoy watching videos on Youtube, but it still doesn't compare to actually hearing it in person.

I was at the top of turn 4, in the cheap bleacher seats.

 

[Azure Flare]

I blame Audi for the start of the degradation of engine sounds. I support innovation but I do not like it if it means engines will should like crap.

What a diesel engine sounds like has no detrimental effect on what a petrol engine sounds like. Y'know the Toyota TS030 and the TS040? They use (basically) the same engine, and it sounds fantastic.

 

[kikie]

en·gine

A machine with moving parts that converts power into motion.

I think it should be considered an engine.

Technically I was correct in saying that it is not an engine sound as an electrical motor is not an engine.

 

[FormulaKimball]

I couldn't find but only one earplug before I went to Kentucky Speedway. I left thinking they would sell them at the track, but they weren't, unlike Indianapolis. I was pretty much deaf most of the next day.

Old trick I have utilized many times (mostly for concerts) - if you find you've forgotten/lost your ear protection, a balled-up piece of paper napkin works nicely also. Actually I think it's better for preserving the tone while still getting the attenuation you need to save your ears. Just make sure you don't make it too small or it's tricky to remove later

 

[ukfan758]

The 2007 Superspeedway and Speedway races were run with the older gen-4 cars, while the short tracks and road courses used the COT. It wasn't until 2008 that COT's were used at Daytona.

You're wrong, the fall 2007 Talladega race used the Gen 5/ COT cars.

 

[ProjectWHaT]

If hybrid is the future, I don't think we'll need to be worried.

 

[mister dog]

^ Hybrid is the present. What's the use of keeping a normal engine in there should batteries become cheaper, smaller and more powerful over time? There's only one in there now still as the technology isn't yet advanced enough.