[LM24] Best Sounding Le Mans car!

[gfm]

V12 Matra was sensational. You kids need to hear that. Beautiful sound.
M1 BMW too went through your skull at 04.00 hrs from a long way away.

[I Ate Yoko Ono]

Without question the Aston Martin AMR1 of 1989. The sexiest ever V8 engine note, a Brit Bruiser that purred beautifully.

I also recall from the same era risking damage to my eardrums watching rotary powered Mazdas going through Surtees corner at Brands Hatch - not a beautiful sound but distinctive nevertheless.

[pirenzo]

My favorite sound ever was the sound of the panoz and BMW mingling as they ran side by side down the hanger straight at Silverstone 2000

[Heebeegeetee]

No, no, no. Without a shadow of a doubt, the greatest sound ever heard at Le Mans were the Mazdas. You should have heard them on the Mulsanne straight. God knows what they revved to.

I remember one year, I was parking up behind the Mulsanne restaurant as a Mazda came past. The crescendo was bouncing off the trees, like a wow-wow-wow-wow sound as though about a dozen of them were going past. Absolutly incredible.

Another time we were at the bar during practice, stood by the glass doors, and theres a guy recording the cars with a domestic portable cassette machine. It had a row of led's to monitor recording levels. The Mazdas would send it off the scale.

It was such an oriental sound - it conjured up images of Japanese drivers wearing bandanas with the rising sun image going round saying things like "Ah-so, Maz-dah, whaaaaaaaahhhhhh!!!!"

[Aysedasi]

At last - someone who agrees with me! Those Mazda's made an incredible noise!

[rdjones]

For me, and I have only been to Le Mans once, it has to be the Panoz.

[pirenzo]

Well i've never heard the Mazda but after what heebeegeetee has said, i'll take your word for it.

[RobweenerPI]

The Corvette is my absolute favorite. But, I must admit to being biased to them. They are my favorite car afterall. The Vettes not only appeal to me for the sound the make but the sound you feel as they rattle your bones as they go by. Another somewhat obscure car that had a cool sound was the Lola B2K40 Millington. It had a neat turbo powerplant that chirped everytime it shifted up and down, Very distinct. I'd Say the MG lola but they don't make any sound:-). I saw an Old Chapparel at VIR last year that was powered by a Big Chevy V-8. It revved real high and unlike the current LMP's and GTS cars with big V-8's, sounded like it too. Didn't make it to the paddock in time to ask the owner about the engines specifics though.

[EliseGT1]

Downloaded the 787B sounds from a mazda Rotary website somewhere...still have them....It was Herbert on Goodwood. Never heard anything like it. Makes an Oreca or Dome Judd V10 sound like a Lexus 400...damn...what a sound.

[IanGrohse]

Originally posted by Heebeegeetee
No, no, no. Without a shadow of a doubt, the greatest sound ever heard at Le Mans were the Mazdas. You should have heard them on the Mulsanne straight. God knows what they revved to.

I remember one year, I was parking up behind the Mulsanne restaurant as a Mazda came past. The crescendo was bouncing off the trees, like a wow-wow-wow-wow sound as though about a dozen of them were going past. Absolutly incredible.

Another time we were at the bar during practice, stood by the glass doors, and theres a guy recording the cars with a domestic portable cassette machine. It had a row of led's to monitor recording levels. The Mazdas would send it off the scale.

It was such an oriental sound - it conjured up images of Japanese drivers wearing bandanas with the rising sun image going round saying things like "Ah-so, Maz-dah, whaaaaaaaahhhhhh!!!!"

I believe they didnt rev THAT high in endourance trim.....only 11,500RPM. I THINK it was 12,500RPM in qualifying.

[IanGrohse]

Originally posted by RobweenerPI
The Corvette is my absolute favorite. But, I must admit to being biased to them. They are my favorite car afterall. The Vettes not only appeal to me for the sound the make but the sound you feel as they rattle your bones as they go by. Another somewhat obscure car that had a cool sound was the Lola B2K40 Millington. It had a neat turbo powerplant that chirped everytime it shifted up and down, Very distinct. I'd Say the MG lola but they don't make any sound:-). I saw an Old Chapparel at VIR last year that was powered by a Big Chevy V-8. It revved real high and unlike the current LMP's and GTS cars with big V-8's, sounded like it too. Didn't make it to the paddock in time to ask the owner about the engines specifics though.

OMG, the Milington engine is hillarious!!! I mean, it had a very unique sound for a turbo car....More rally blowoff valve sound than most road race cars. But the chirp was soooo cute! As it would come out of the chicane at Petit and up the hill it would sound like a little mouse as it chirped up the hill. For some reason it reminded me of that shoe that gets fried in Who Framed Roger Rabit. Yeah, that was neat.

[Mal]

The First Panoz has to be the Loudest!

[Aysedasi]

Yes, I've still got on tape the "Edmunds" programmes on LM 1997. It sured made one hell of a noise. Doesn't beat the Mazda though.

[Mal]

Which was the year that the three Panoz crossed the finish line in formation and they all left black lines up the straight. The noise they made then was deafening - but great!

[Try Hard]

for all you matra lovers...
Matra Sounds
And i gotta agree does sound great

[429CJ]

I'm with Sir Peter Ustinov, when it comes the sound of the V12: They are like dentist drills! I'll choose Panoz protos with trusty, old pushrod Ford V8. That low-tone rumble feels better on my ears.

[Rhino]

I love the Jag V12, spent hours watching at the hunederies, pre chicane it was beutiful, post chicane it was an incredible mechanical noise as they banged it down through the gears whilst slowing. The matra i never heard in anger but nearly had bleeding ears when standing next to it in the village and it was started! Quite liked the Peugeot V10 as well.

[KC]

In my opinion...

The Ferrari 333SP sounded the prettiest.

The Panoz and Corvette make that special large bore V8 rumble that is music as well.

The Ferrari sounds like a thoroughbred, the big V8s sound like the thundering herd of draft horses.

[kdr]

i think i like any sound when it reverberates between the main grandstands at le mans. when you watch any lm video and catch that sound, shut your eyes and you're there...

[scottball75]

With out a doubt, the Panoz Esperante (shown here at Sebring). I first went to Le Mans in '98 and fell in love with the race and the Panoz, its just SO damn loud, but I love it

Scott Ball,
Incident Marshall,
British Motorsport Marshals Club.

[Fab]

Originally posted by scottball75
With out a doubt, the Panoz Esperante (shown here at Sebring).

Wonderful to see the beast back on the LM track after 5 years !

[neilwaynesmith]

DEFINITELY Panoz. For the way they make the ground shake, the air vibrate, and the fact that you can hear them at virtually any point on the circuit...

[Aysedasi]

Originally posted by kdr
i think i like any sound when it reverberates between the main grandstands at le mans. when you watch any lm video and catch that sound, shut your eyes and you're there...

Video?

VIDEO?

The good thing is that we are there!

[kdr]

poor substitute 360 days of the year i know...but any port in a storm!

[Truckosaurus]

The Cadillac STS pace cars made a glorious noise during their sighting/practice laps. so did the Caddy racecars with the turbo version of the same engine.