Of all the ways to admire a car, the sound of the engine can be the most memorable — indeed, the most overwhelming. Sure, you can take in the curves and surfaces with your eyes, smell the warm leather baking under the sun, feel the sheet metal and trim beneath your fingertips... but all of those details pale in comparison to the way an operatic tune fires from the engine and hits your ear, sending a chill down your spine.
Is there an exact formula for producing the best engine note of all time? Not exactly — but you will see there’s a common theme or two. Ferrari and Porsche certainly have an ear for it; regardless, a dozen cylinders tend to lend themselves to an unadulterated sonorous and mechanical wail, as does the unrestricted nature of a race car.
There are almost too many to choose from, but these are the 25 best sounding automotive engine notes ever in our book. Headphones on, volume up.
